ITV Coronation Street’s Sam Aston sets record straight on soap future amid mass cast exits: ‘I’m not written out’
Coronation Street veteran Sam Aston has addressed his future on the long-running ITV soap amid recent cast departures which has left fans devastated.
Aston, 31, recently spoke about his commitment to the show while participating in the current series of Dancing On Ice.
The iconic soap star has revealed he has no immediate plans to leave his role on the soap which has been running since 1906 – however, he didn’t rule out an eventual departure.
Alongside his role on Coronation Street, Aston has been training and took to the Dancing on Ice stage on Saturday night with his professional partner Molly Lanaghan.
Speaking to the press about balancing his commitments, Aston said: “I’m not like written out for this or anything like that.
“I’ve got a bit of work in the pipeline coming up, so it’ll just depend on how far I go and how busy I can potentially get.”
Aston’s flexibility with his schedule has assured fans that he won’t be leaving the show and that Chesney Brown will stay firmly with his wife Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell) on the cobbles.
Addressing recent cast changes, Aston acknowledged that departures are a natural part of soap opera life – and many characters come and go, with the door always being left open.
He paid tribute to departing cast member Helen Worth, who left the soap at Christmas, describing her as “an icon” of the show.
“50 years, she was an absolute legend. Hats off to her – enjoy your retirement, you deserve it.”
Charlotte Jordan became the latest star to announce her departure from the soap after five years playing Daisy Midgeley.
Sue Cleaver, who portrayed Eileen Grimshaw for 25 years, revealed last week she would be leaving to pursue new acting projects, with Colson Smith following suit and confirming he will exit his role as police officer Craig Tinker in 2025 after 14 years on the show.
Sue Devaney, who plays Debbie Webster, is reportedly set to be killed off this year as part of a dementia storyline, which has left avid Corrie fans devasted.
Cast members are growing concerned about being axed to save money while the show prioritises keeping its highest-paid performers.
“There’s a WhatsApp group which has been pinging with messages about concerns of where the axe will fall next,” a source told The Sun.
Some cast members are struggling to make ends meet, with a source telling the same publication that actors paid per episode are “having to supplement income with personal appearances and ads on Instagram”.
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The financial divide between iconic and new arrivals has become a key point of tension throughout the show.
Bill Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, reportedly earns £2,000 per episode, while newcomers typically receive just £400 per appearance – despite the 92-year-old actor starting on £70 a week in 1960. He now commands an estimated £250,000 annual salary.
Many performers are now being placed on “guest contracts” like Maureen Lipman and Kate Ford, offering less security, with cost-cutting measures already being put into effect, with reduced scenes in the iconic Rovers Return pub.