ITV Coronation Street fan fury as TWO characters exit soap just months after debuts amid cast exodus: ‘Was it necessary!’
Coronation Street stars Farrel Hegarty and Joe Layton are set to exit the ITV soap this summer, it has been confirmed – leaving soap viewers fuming.
Hegarty, who plays Lou Michaelis, joined the show earlier this year alongside Layton, who portrays her on-screen husband Mick.
The pair’s departure was always planned, according to ITV, with both actors contracted for a specific timeframe.
A Coronation Street spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: “This is not a shock exit or an early exit. Mick and Lou were brought into the show to cause chaos on the cobbles in the build-up to a major storyline in the summer.
“Some characters come in for a long time, and some like Mick and Lou are brought to pass through and leave a trail of destruction behind them.”
The characters were introduced as nightmare neighbours for established residents Chesney Brown (Sam Aston) and Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell).
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Their arrival marked a significant development for the soap, expanding its setting beyond the Ginnel for the first time in Coronation Street’s history.
The troublesome pair quickly made their presence felt on the cobbles, with their storyline being designed to build up to a major plot development expected to play out this summer.
Lou has been seen developing a friendship with Gemma since her arrival on the show, however, viewers soon discovered a darker side to the new neighbours.
It was also revealed that Mick was actually the man in the van who had been tormenting Chesney.
However, since the news of their departure was revealed, many fans have expressed their annoyance and claimed the show needs to focus on their long-term characters rather than a train of new ones.
Taking to Reddit to air their frustration, one commented: “They should be concentrating on the mess they’ve made with the characters we already know and love…”
Another added: “Why axe characters due to budget cuts, but hire more? And then axe them a few months later? Just doesn’t make any sense.”
“Surprised? No, neither am I,” someone else said before a fourth penned: “Wow, I feel for all the actors having to leave due to ‘budget cuts’.”
One long-term fan quipped: “The show has been crying out for new characters and finally we have some just for them to be axed a few months later… what are the writers doing?” (sic)
The departures of Hegarty and Layton come amid several other cast exits from the long-running soap.
Sue Cleaver, Colson Smith, Charlotte Jordan and Sue Devaney are all set to leave their roles in the coming weeks and months.
Despite these departures, fans can look forward to some familiar faces returning to the cobbles, with Ryan Thomas confirming he will be reprising his role as Jason Grimshaw.