With the usual outrageous drama kicking off in Albert Square, it's no surprise to Coronation Street fans how shocking the latest stories can be when they hit the headlines.
However, it's never easy when we have to say goodbye to some of our favourite Coronation Street characters — and 2023 was a year full of emotional, dramatic and unexpected farewells.
Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne), Faye Windass (Ellie Leach), Spider Nugent (Martin Hancock), Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) and many more all left the soap last year.
We also welcomed back a number of familiar faces to the Cobbles, such as Henry Newton (George Banks).
However, as we prepare to say another heartbreaking goodbye to more characters in 2024, let's take a look at who is returning and the newcomers set to call Weatherfield their home...
Who is leaving Coronation Street in 2024?
Here is our roundup of each Weatherfield resident saying farewell to the Square...
Gail Platt
Helen Worth will be leaving her role as iconic Gail Platt later this year after more than five decades on the soap.
The star celebrates her golden anniversary on the show this year, however, ITV has confirmed that it will be a momentous occasion for her in more ways than one after Helen made the difficult decision to leave the show.
After half a decade of family drama, romance, murder and heartache, Helen will start filming her exit story next month and the emotional scenes will be on screen at the end of the year.
Over the last 50 years, Gail has had some of the biggest storylines (and most iconic soap catfights!) ever seen on Coronation Street as well as being married to several Weatherfield men over the years including Brian Tilsley, Martin Platt, Richard Hillman, Joe McIntyre and Michael Rodwell.
Beth Tinker
Coronation Street star Lisa George is reportedly leaving the soap after 13 years of playing Beth Tinker.
The Corrie actress will be filming her final scenes in the New Year, with them due to air this summer, according to The Sun.
A source told the publication: “Lisa has been on Corrie for a long time and she’s had some great storylines. She’s become a firm fan favourite with her comedy scenes but has had viewers sobbing in heartbreaking plots like Sinead’s death.
“She loves Corrie and it’s in her bones but she feels now is the right time to move on and take on new challenges.”
Beth's storylines have centred on her son Craig (Colson Smith), who is now a police officer and her nearly cheating on her husband Kirk Sutherland (Andy Whyment) with Marco (Paul Albertson).
Simon Barlow
Alex Bain is leaving his role as Simon Barlow after 15 years in an "explosive storyline" this summer.
A source told The Sun: "Alex is sad to be leaving Coronation Street because it really is like a family — but he realises that the time is right to move on. He's very excited about the future and other opportunities."
His exit comes after his on-screen dad Peter Barlow left the cobbles last year and he is expected to depart the soap within the next few months.
Alex confirmed his upcoming exit on his Instagram Stories, saying that he doesn't have long left at the studios.
Sharing a picture in his dressing room, Alex wrote: "Well my day is done! Nice and short day today! I’m gonna miss this little space dearly when I go! So glad I’ve got some shooting days left! So thankful!"
Simon started to spiral this year when his dad Peter left Weatherfield and the teen resorted to alcohol to numb his feeling of abandonment. Things soon got out of control with his drinking and he ended up crashing Leanne's (Jane Danson) car with Sam (Jude Riordan) inside while under the influence.
After Sam ended up in hospital, Leanne was forced to tell Nick (Ben Price) that the crash happened because Simon was drunk.
Ahead of his exit, Simon and Leanne get caught up in "The Institute," a dangerous cult that is masking itself as a self-help group at the Chariot Square Hotel and were charmed by the lecturer Rowan (Emrhys Cooper). Could this cult be a part of Simon;s exit?
Paul Foreman
Coronation Street confirmed that much-loved Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) will be leaving the soap later this year after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Back in February 2023, Paul started to have difficulty gripping things with his right hand. He assumed he had sustained an injury after being involved in a road accident caused by Carla Barlow (Alison King).
However, after a series of scans at the hospital, he received the devastating news that he has Motor Neurone Disease.
Motor Neurone Disease is an uncommon condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, however, it can affect adults of all ages. It is caused when cells in the brain and nerves gradually stop working. This results in weakness and wasting of the muscles.
The soap is working closely with the MND Association on this storyline which will explore the challenges faced by Paul and those around him in the coming months.
Peter Ash said: “Paul is completely blindsided by the diagnosis and he decides to keep it from his family and friends as he tries to come to terms with the news. I knew very little about MND before embarking on the storyline and I am hugely grateful to the MND Association for all their help and support. For any actor playing a role which examines a real life issue or condition there comes a huge sense of responsibility and we are aware that some people watching this storyline are experiencing it in reality, it is their life.
“Awareness and education are really important. I have learned so much even in the short time I have been involved in this storyline. We hope Paul’s journey can make people more aware of the symptoms and what it is like for someone to live with MND.”
Who left Coronation Street in 2024?
Here are the characters who have left the soap this year...
Alya Nazir
Alya Nazir left the cobbles as actress Sair Khan went on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her first child.
Alya went to Dublin for a new job after kissing her colleague Adam Barlow, which she feared would ruin her career prospects when her new boss Rich walked in on them.
However, he assured her that the opportunity was still hers after Adam persuaded him that the incident was a one-off and she was still reliable.
Nicky Wheatley
Nicky Wheatley returned for a guest stint to help Daniel get information regarding Lauren's disappearance.
Eliza Woodrow
Eliza Woodrow (Savannah Kunyo) left Coronation Street to start a new life in Germany.
Eliza moved to Germany to live with her dad Dom Everett, who returned to Weatherfield to give back the £10,000 bribe Eliza's grandfather Stu Carpenter (Bill Fellows) offered to keep him out of her life.
Violet Wilson
Violet Wilson (Jenny Platt) returned to the cobbles for short stint when she came to support her son Dylan during his court appearance for his involvement in bullying Liam Connor.
When Dylan pleaded guilty to possession of a knife, Violet decided that he would be better in her care living in London. However, Dylan begged her to let him stay in Weatherfield to make amends with people he had hurt.
Violet allowed Dylan to remain in Weatherfield to finish his GCSEs and she went back to London.
Harvey Gaskell
Coronation Street star Will Mellor revealed that he had finished filming his final scenes as evil drug lord Harvey Gaskell.
Harvey returned to Coronation Street recently as part of a dramatic storyline with a love triangle between Adam Barlow, Damon Hay and Sarah Barlow.
Adam struck a deal with Harvey to help him be released from prison so they could get rid of Harvey's half-brother and Adam's enemy, Damon for good.
In a bid to secure Harvey's release from prison, Adam met up with a man called John Perry who was willing to take the blame for Natasha's murder and get Harvey off the hook.
However, Adam decided to back out of the dodgy deal after an emotional conversation with Sarah and tried to correct his mistakes by handing over vital CCTV footage to the police, which ruined Harvey's chances of an appeal.
But messing with a gangster was bound to end in disaster and Harvey orchestrated a car accident intended to hit Sarah and Bethany.
Adam collided with the car after pushing Sarah and Bethany out of the way, fully aware the situation was caused by Harvey.
Meanwhile, Harvey called his brother who ordered him to commit a robbery or Sarah would be killed.
In order to keep Sarah safe, Damon accepted the job by calling Harvey and telling him that he wants a cut of the profits from the job, or he’ll tell the police everything.
The plan went awry and Damon was arrested, which led to him and Harvey having a fight in a prison cell.
Damon Hay
After returning last year to win back his ex lover Sarah Barlow, Damon left the cobbles once again as he was arrested for armed robbery after being blackmailed into it by brother Harvey Gaskell.
He had the option to turn on Harvey and be free to live his life with girlfriend Sarah, but he knew they would never be safe and decided to plead guilty, accepting years behind bars.
Sarah paid Damon a visit in prison where she told him that she would wait for him and that they could have a future together.
However, Damon ended their relationship and walked away from her, leaving her devastated.
Summer Spellman
Coronation Street aired an emotional farewell for Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) as she decided to follow her dream of studying in the US.
Summer said goodbye to her three dads Billy Mayhew, Paul Foreman and Todd Grimshaw after being accepted for a temporary transfer to a university in Boston.
The teen applied for the opportunity a while ago, but was unsure on whether to go as Paul struggles with his Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Billy recently told her that Paul is planning to end his life on his own terms and she insisted that she couldn't leave when Paul needs support. However, Paul encouraged her to put herself first and promised that he'd still be waiting for her when she returns.
This isn't a permanent exit for Summer and she is expected to return later in the summer.
Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) made a temporary exit from the cobbles as he left for Italy.
Tyrone revealed that his wife Fiz was attending a course overseas in Italy and has invited him to join her. However, he was reluctant to go because he didn't want to leave the girls for a whole fortnight.
Evelyn Plummer (Maureen Lipman) seemed to have come to the rescue though, revealing she was moving back into No 9, so she might be there to support Tyrone and Fiz while they're temporarily away in Italy.
It turned out that was what she was planning, as she surprised Tyrone with a trip to Italy after he was confused about why his boss was annoyed at him for wanting to take time off work. Evelyn had booked the trip and Fiz was sorting out flights, with Evelyn moving in to take care of the girls.
Tyrone was shocked but Evelyn insisted he deserved a break, and he was grateful to his nan for taking on responsibilities at such short notice.
This break comes after Alan had major knee surgery in November and was resting up, which is why the actor is taking some time away from the soap.
A Coronation Street rep told Entertainment Daily at the time: “Alan will be on screen in the coming weeks as we film two months ahead, and then he’ll be taking a short break whilst he recovers.”
Sarge Bailey
TV icon Ram John Holder, who famously played Pork Pie in the 90s sitcom Desmond's, joined Coronation Street as Sarge Bailey, Ed and Ronnie Bailey's father.
Sarge was in the dark about his son Ed's gambling addiction and Sarge's arrival sent him into a panic as he had a gambling relapse. After his visit to Weatherfield, Sarge went back home to Dominica when he discovered Ed's habit.
But could he be back one day after his short stint?
Who is returning to Coronation Street in 2024?
While we say goodbye to some beloved residents, we'll also be welcoming back some Coronation Street characters...
Summer Spellman
Summer Spellman temporarily left the cobbles to study in Boston, but she will be back on our screens on Wednesday, June 12 .
Actress Harriet Bibby revealed that she has no plans to leave the show during an interview with The Lincolnite newspaper earlier this year.
She said: "I am fully invested in Corrie and have not done any other acting bits. I don't have any solid plans to leave the show, but there is always something in the back of my head that I would love to do more theatre work.
"I teach singing, so feed into my love of theatre through that."
Who returned to Coronation Street in 2024?
Some familiar faces finally made their long-awaited comeback to Coronation Street...
Nathan Curtis
Coronation Street saw the return of twisted villain Nathan Curtis (Chris Harper) as he returned to Weatherfield after being released from prison.
Soap fans will remember that evil Nathan groomed a teenage Bethany Platt by giving her booze and drugs, before sexually assaulting her in 2017.
Following the harrowing ordeal, Nathan came dangerously close to selling Bethany into sex work overseas, but she was able to call the police and finally escape his clutches.
Nathan and his gang went to prison, but Bethany was terrified when she learned that he had been released.
Upon his return, the predator was on the police's radar as they suspected he had something to do with Lauren Bolton's disappearance.
Nathan has since been wrongly charged for Lauren's murder after they found her hair in the back of Nathan's van which was planted by Kit Green. We now know that Joel Deering is responsible for Lauren's murder, but will Nathan be able to prove his innocence?
Nicky Wheatley
Coronation Street confirmed the return of Nicky Wheatley (Kimberly Hart Simpson) after four years as Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) asked her for help to find out what happened to missing Lauren Bolton.
He enlisted the help of his old friend and former love interest Nicky, who previously worked as an escort who Daniel grew close to after losing his wife Sinead Tinker (Katie McGlynn) to cancer.
Nicky was now an outreach worker in the community and Daniel believed she may be able to help find information about Lauren’s disappearance from the girls she supported on the streets.
Kimberly reprised the role for a guest stint, as she revealed: “It’s been four years since we first met Nicky and it is once again a pleasure to be back on the cobbles. Stories surrounding women within the sex industry have often been forgotten, shamed or unspoken. But not at Coronation Street, they respectfully explore the world these women live in, the impact it has on the community and at some points dangers attached to the work.
"The story of Lauren Bolton has allowed the safety of other characters to come forward such as Cassie but unfortunately led to the devastating effects of conspiracy theories by other folk. Nicky has fought against all stereotypes and I am looking forward to the audience finding out who and where she is today.”
Violet Wilson
Coronation Street confirmed the return of Violet Wilson (Jenny Platt) after 13 years.
Violet was last seen on the cobbles in 2008 after she gave birth to her and Sean Tully's (Antony Cotton) son, Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne).
The Rovers barmaid and her friend Sean made a pact to have a child together if they were both single and childless by the age of thirty. Violet agreed to the deal due to her reduced fertility and eventually fell pregnant with Sean's baby.
When Dylan was born, Violet moved to London with Dylan and fiancé Jamie Baldwin (Rupert Hill) and cut all contact with Sean when he tried to stop her from leaving Weatherfield.
We last saw Violet when she made a one-off appearance in an episode in 2011, but now Violet is set to return to the cobbles in March to support her son who has recently been exposed for his involvement in the bullying of Liam Connor (Charlie Wrenshall), alongside ringleader Mason Radcliffe (Luca Toolan).
In the coming months, Dylan will face the serious repercussions of his actions and will be needing the support of both his parents.
As Dylan's court hearing loomed for carrying a knife in a public place, Eileen Grimshaw pointed out that Violet had a right to know about the situation. However, Dylan claimed that he had already spoken to his mum and that she was unable to attend court as she was in Ibiza.
Sean and Dylan returned home after court to find Eileen there with Violet who was clearly fuming. Violet turned on Dylan, wondering if there was something he would like to tell her. Eileen revealed she called Violet about not being at the hearing and discovered she had no idea about what had been going on.
Fiz Dobbs
Underworld machinist Fiz Dobbs temporarily left the soap as actress Jennie McAlpine went on maternity leave to give birth to her third child with husband Chris Farr.
She announced that she was six months pregnant back in January and the couple are already proud parents to Hilda and Albert.
Fiz departed the cobbles last year after accepting a job as an Underworld supervisor in Norwich.
Although this meant she had to leave her family for a while, Fiz headed off with the promise of a higher salary and new responsibilities after her husband Tyrone Dobbs encouraged her to take the opportunity.
Now, after giving birth to her daughter Doris in April, Jennie has returned to Corrie and was pictured back on set and returned in March alongside her husband Tyrone.
Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Dobbs temporarily left the cobbles to go to Italy to see his wife, Fiz. In real life, Alan took time out of the soap to recover from his knee surgery.
Now, he and Fiz are back in Weatherfield but things weren't rosy at home as they walked in on Evelyn and Cassie having an argument about who should move out due to it becoming overcrowded.
Fiz gently pointed out to Tyrone that there wasn't room for all of them at No.9 and he would have to choose between his Nan and his Mum.
Ryan Connor
Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) left the cobbles in December after making the life-changing decision to move to Glasgow with his new girlfriend Crystal Hyde.
He decided to take a new job following the end of his love triangle with Daisy Midgeley (Charlotte Jordan) and Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard).
However, he reappeared in the cobbles amid a new drama with Daisy, who still believed there was a spark between her and Daniel after he asked her to look after his son Bertie for a few hours.
Although Daniel has reunited with his ex Bethany Platt, Daisy was hopeful she can win him back.
Later on, Daisy was horrified to see the Chit Chat magazine article Bethany wrote with the headline: "I Had a Torrid Affair with my Acid Attack Hero".
Daniel apologised to Daisy for not warning her about Bethany writing the article and Daisy got Bethany fired from the magazine by making a complaint about the piece.
Bethany accused Daisy of sabotaging her career and while Daisy mulled over her difficult few days in the back room of The Rovers, Jenny Connor revealed that Daisy has a visitor.
She was shocked to see none other than Ryan walking through the door and he confessed his love for her!
Linda Hancock
Joseph Brown’s (William Flanagan) glamorous grandmother Linda Hancock (Jacqueline Leonard) returned to the cobbles as Joseph's health is set to rapidly decline.
She causes strife for the Winter-Brown family as she starts splashing the cash and is back at a difficult time for the Browns, leaving Chesney (Sam Aston) and his wife Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) conflicted about accepting Linda's help.
Iain MacLeod told What To Watch: "Joseph's issues culminate in him falling behind at school. Joseph's fairy godmother turns up in the shape of Linda. She decides that she's going to fix all this and starts throwing money at the situation, which puts Chesney and Gemma in this impossible quandary – in that by accepting financial help from Linda, they're giving up control of Joseph's life.
"They feel: 'This is our son and we should be making these decisions'. It doesn't feel right that Linda is wading in with her chequebook and saving the day. But on the other side of it, they have to prioritise what's right for Joseph, who is having a hard time and could do with the support."
Damon Hay
Damon Hay (Ciaran Griffiths) returned to Weatherfield in the new year and was pursuing former lover Sarah Barlow (Tina O'Brien) ever since.
Damon was run out of town by his love rival Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson) after he found out his wife Sarah was having an affair with the drug dealer and was pregnant with his child.
Corrie executive producer Iain MacLeod teased some details about Damon's explosive return, telling What To Watch: "It kicks off in the first moment of the new year is revisiting the unfinished business between Adam, Sarah, and Damon...
"He wants to get his revenge on Adam and also he wants Sarah back because he feels like she is the one and he will essentially have to contend with the fact these two plans might not be compatible, can he have his revenge and have Sarah?
"Adam decides in his mind that in order to protect Sarah he might want rid of Damon, his plan will see him pay a little visit to Damon's half-brother Harvey because he is no fan of Damon's either."
Harvey Gaskell
Harvey Gaskell was last seen behind bars and was brutally beaten up in prison on his half-brother Damon's orders.
Adam was determined to not let Damon stay in Weatherfield, so he decided to visit Harvey in prison to form an alliance to get rid of Damon for good.
In order to convince Harvey to join forces, Adam made Harvey an offer to help him with his murder appeal and insisted: "He ruined my life, it's time to return the favour."
Harvey later called Adam from his cell and informed him that he was in and would take care of it.
Who is arriving to Coronation Street in 2024?
We're set to welcome two exciting newcomers to the soap...
Anthea and Gus Deering
Joel Deering's parents, Anthea (Carol Royle) and Gus Deering are set to arrive on the cobbles.
Joel's disapproving mother Anthea and his father Gus come to Weatherfield to meet his girlfriend Dee-Dee Bailey.
It is an uphill battle with Joel’s parents Anthea and Gus, who make their disapproval of Dee Dee clear. Ed calls in the bistro and Dee-Dee introduces him to Joel’s parents but Anthea’s disdain is evident and when she makes a patronising remark, Dee-Dee storms out.
She is stunned when Joel calls at the corner shop flat and after apologising for his Mum’s behaviour, drops on one knee and asks Dee-Dee to marry him.
Who arrived to Coronation Street in 2024?
We introduced a new character who called Coronation Street their new home...
Rowan Cunliffe
Emrhys Cooper joined the cast of Coronation Street as charming wellness mentor Rowan Cunliffe, who leaves his mark on Leanne Battersby when he meets her after Simon Barlow attends one of his talks.
As she quickly falls under his spell we start to wonder if there’s more to Rowan and "the institute" and what he really wants with Leanne.
Who left Coronation Street in 2023?
In 2023, we bid farewell to some major characters who made a big impact in Weatherfield...
Peter Barlow
Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) made a heartbreaking exit from the cobbles after 23 years on Boxing Day.
Peter was struggling to cope after he killed Stephen Reid when he ran him over with his taxi thinking that he was going to kill Jenny Connor (Sally Ann Matthews).
Noticing how much he was struggling, his wife Carla bought him a one-way ticket out of Weatherfield. After an emotional heart-to-heart, Carla persuaded Peter to join his friend Mickey on his yacht and ended their relationship.
Peter bid an emotional farewell to his family, apart from his son Simon who was nowhere to be seen and he was forced to run off and catch the tram without getting the chance to say goodbye.
Jacob Hay
Jacob Hay (Jack James Ryan) made his unexpected exit from Weatherfield in January after he was forced to leave by his drug dealer dad, Damon (Ciaran Griffiths).
The teen got into drugs trouble and angered his father by disposing of a large package of cocaine that was concealed in a Bistro delivery.
Damon said to him that he’d told his accomplices that Jacob had stolen the drugs and threatened to hurt his girlfriend Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) if Jacob didn’t leave the Cobbles immediately.
Desperate to protect his girlfriend, Jacob faked a phone conversation to make Amy think he was dealing again. He then left in a cab, as a heartbroken Amy wrongly believed that he’d gone back to his bad ways.
Faye Windass
Coronation Street star Ellie Leach, who plays Faye Windass, left the soap after 12 years.
Ellie, who appeared on the soap since she was ten years old, departed Weatherfield for a new life in Slough with her ex boyfriend Jackson Hodge and their daughter, Miley.
Her recent storyline saw her reconnect with Miley, who went to live in Canada with her father Jackson after Faye wasn't ready to become a parent.
When Jackson and Miley invited Faye to a final family outing, a heartbroken Faye was consumed with guilt as she wanted to be with Jackson, but felt that she couldn't leave her boyfriend Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) because he knew something that could send her back in prison.
Craig was covering up for Faye and Emma Brooker's hit and run in 2022, which killed elderly man Ted Spear.
But sensing how upset she was about Jackson and Miley leaving, Craig suggested that she should go with them to Slough if she wanted to.
Faye appreciated his offer and left with Jackson and Miley as a heartbroken Craig watched on.
Karen Rutherford
Lynn Kennedy, who played Karen Rutherford on the soap, confirmed her exit from Coronation Street and left the soap in June 2023.
On her Instagram Stories, the actress posted a mirror selfie wearing a long red ITV coat in her dressing room and captioned the image: "And just like that, Karen’s off. Bye @coronationstreet it’s been amazing!!”
Her character, Karen was the estranged older sister of Daisy Midgeley's (Charlotte Jordan) stalker Justin Rutherford (Andrew Still), who was sent to prison for the horrific acid attack he committed on Daisy's wedding day.
She first appeared in March to warn Daisy about her brother's obsessive and violent behaviour. She later returned in May with a sadistic plan to secretly find ways to get Justin out of trouble.
After finding out some information about Daisy's manipulative past, she used this to her advantage and handed it over to Justin's defence lawyer in an attempt to make him look innocent.
However, Justin was found guilty of the acid attack and wept as he was escorted out of the courtroom to be sentenced at a later date.
Aaron Sandford
Aaron Sandford (James Craven) left the cobbles after dropping the libel case against Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) after she revealed in an online blog post that he sexually assaulted her a few months ago.
During his final episode, Amy was worried about the financial implications of fighting the case as her mum Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) was selling her florist shop to cover the legal fees.
Amy decided to write a public retraction, despite always telling the truth about what Aaron did to her. But as he tried to point out the inconsistencies in her story to try and make himself look innocent, an ashamed Aaron revealed that he was dropping the libel case.
Aaron ran out of Amy's house in shame to his dad's car, who was waiting outside. Before he got in, he no longer denied that he attacked her and apologised to Amy. Aaron and his dad then drove off, leaving Weatherfield for good and not receiving any punishment for his crime.
Spider Nugent
Martin Hancock bowed out of the soap 26 years after joining Coronation Street as the iconic character Spider Nugent.
The undercover police officer returned last year after being away from Weatherfield for decades and rekindled his relationship with Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor). The pair later became engaged in 2023.
However, after a horrifying shooting ordeal where Toyah was kidnapped by someone from Spider's past, they decided to end their romance once again after Spider was forced to choose between his police job or his relationship.
After just being offered a new job away from the cobbles, Spider thought it was the right time to carry on his work as an undercover police officer and picked his job over Toyah. The couple bid an emotional farewell as Spider left Weatherfield.
Stephen Reid
Serial killer Stephen Reid's (Todd Boyce) reign of terror came to a dramatic end during Super Soap Week.
After attacking Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) and stealing Underworld's funds, Stephen made a desperate bid for freedom as the residents realised his crimes.
However, he was forced back to Weatherfield after his girlfriend Jenny Bradley (Sally Ann Matthews) stole his passport, preventing him from leaving the country and getting away with his crimes.
He then attacked his niece Sarah Barlow and held Jenny hostage in front of the whole street.
In a shock turn of events, a furious Peter Barlow ran over Stephen, sending him flying and he died in his mum Audrey Roberts' (Sue Nicholls) arms.
Courtney Vance
Fiery Coronation Street character Courtney Vance (Stephanie Davis) left the cobbles after a dramatic affair storyline.
Hollyoaks star Stephanie Davis landed the role of temptress Courtney Vance just a few months ago as part of a steamy affair storyline with Aadi Alahan (Adam Hussain).
The Sun reported that Stephanie's stint on Corrie came to an end despite the fact she had impressed bosses with her work on the soap.
Aadi and Courtney's love affair brutally ended in November after she went back to her ex-husband Darren.
Aadi was desperately trying to keep Courtney happy after she left her husband for him. But cracks began to show when she struggled to adjust to living in the rundown precinct flat after being in a lavish house with Darren.
Courtney seemed unhappy with her new life and when Aadi told her that he got the job at Freshco's, she told him that he'd be "running the place by Christmas."
Later, Aadi had the unwelcome surprise of Darren on his doorstep demanding for Courtney's things as he announced that they were giving things another go.
Henry Newton
Gemma Winter-Brown's (Dolly-Rose Campbell) wealthy ex-boyfriend Henry Newton made his comeback to Weatherfield as actor George Banks briefly reprised the role after five years.
As revealed in the TV Times soap summer preview, Gemma started a new job working for her former lover Henry following her and her husband Chesney Brown's (Sam Aston) recent financial struggles.
Chesney was far from happy to see Henry and even punched him after he caught him and Gemma have a meeting together at a hotel!
During his return, Gemma took advantage of Henry's attraction to her to persuade him to convince his father to buy the Rovers to save it from closing down. As a result, Newton & Ridley soon bought the Rovers, keeping Jenny on as manager.
While it looked like the Rovers' future was secure, it was soon revealed that Newton & Ridley was being bought out by pub chain LS Waterford.
Brewery heir Henry first appeared in Coronation Street in 2017 and began dating Gemma as part of a cruel bet with his friend.
He returned in 2018 to win Gemma back and they tried to buy The Rovers together but lost out to Jenny and Johnny Connor.
Henry then caused chaos when he threatened to sue Jenny and Johnny over a fake broken arm as he became desperate for cash to pay off thugs who worked for the family of his ex-fiancée Cressida Lanscombe.
His last scenes saw him being kidnapped by gangsters and driven away in Chesney's stolen car.
Owen Longford
Former Hollyoaks star Ben Hull joined the cast of Coronation Street as Owen Longford, who was a representative of an American distribution company that showed an interest in Underworld’s Nippersnapper range.
Arriving in the UK with Angelique Simmons (Lauren Carse), he was first seen attending a meeting with Sarah Barlow about the products.
However, Underworld’s former manager, Stephen Reid interrupted the meeting and declined their offer, asking for a higher figure.
The pair accepted and Stephen got his job back, but was secretly drugging Underworld boss Carla with LSD.
Owen and Angelique left and returned a few episodes later after serial killer Stephen was blackmailed by Rufus Donohue (Steve Meo) who discovered he had been spiking Carla.
Stephen showed the duo around Underworld and went for celebratory drinks over a second order of products. At the Rover's Return, he caught the eye of landlady Jenny Connor (Sally Ann Matthews) and a jealous Stephen lied about Owen having a 'sleazy past,' though his efforts failed as the pair became an item.
However, Jenny later dumped him for interfering when he encouraged her to raise Glenda Shuttleworth's (Jodie Prenger) rent.
Who returned to Coronation Street in 2023?
Some familiar faces finally made their long-awaited comeback to Coronation Street...
Bethany Platt
Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) returned to the cobbles and wasted no time in getting back with ex-boyfriend Daniel Osbourne, much to the disapproval of Daniel's recent ex, Daisy Midgeley.
Bethany was last seen on the cobbles in 2020 after she left Weatherfield for a magazine internship in London following the breakdown of her engagement to Daniel.
Tommy Orpington
Heartthrob Tommy Orpington (Matt Milburn) returned to the cobbles on Christmas Day.
The former Weatherfield County FC footballer is a local celebrity amongst the residents and has been in and out of the soap since 2016.
Tommy came back at Christmas in very different circumstances following his football retirement as he is now gone back to his old trade as a painter and decorator.
He set his sights on Tracy McDonald (Kate Ford) after a chance Christmas Day encounter.
After an argument with husband Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), she went to her flower shop and met Tommy, who needed a last minute present for his mum.
The pair had a little flirt, before he wished her a Merry Christmas and left. Now Tommy and Tracy are set to have a passionate affair behind Steve's back as he decorates their house.
Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod previously teased that Tommy would be "more involved" this time around and a potential romance between him and a mystery Weatherfield resident could stir up trouble, kicking off a big storyline over the next 12 months.
Who arrived to Coronation Street in 2023?
We introduced some new characters who called the cobbles their new home...
Bobby
Carla Barlow received an unexpected Christmas present this festive season in the form of a surprise family member — her nephew Bobby.
Actor and comedian Jack Carroll joined the cast as Bobby, the son of Carla’s brother Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis), who is serving life in prison for the murder of Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) and was unaware he had a son until recently, but hadn’t managed to let Carla know.
Bobby turned up out of the blue just after Christmas having fallen out with his mum and looking for a place to stay.
He was described as: "A livewire chip off the old block, with the gift of the gab and an eye for the ladies, Bobby runs rings round his Aunty Carla and it soon becomes evident that he plans on sticking around."
Jack said of his role: “I’m delighted and honoured to be playing a part in the history of the cultural institution that is Coronation Street. I hope Bobby brings viewers a lot of laughs in the vein of some of the street’s classic comedy characters”.
Mason
Luca Toolan joined the Coronation Street cast as Weatherfield High's Year 11 bad boy Mason.
The new character is part of a school bullying storyline which will unfold over autumn and involve current young characters Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne) and Liam Connor (Charlie Wrenshall).
We caught a first glimpse of Mason on Monday, September 11, where he was seen making fun of Ruby Dobbs, which lead to Ruby's sister, Hope Stape confronting Mason, Dylan and Liam.
However, things are set to get worse as Mason quickly takes Dylan under his wing and they choose Liam as their new target.
In the coming months, Mason’s torment of Liam will escalate, setting not only the pupils but the parents against each other, with Dylan's dad Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) and Liam's mum and stepdad Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) and Gary Windass (Mikey North) pointing the finger of blame at each other's sons.
Joel Deering
Hollyoaks star Calum Lill joined the soap as duty solicitor Joel Deering, who is also a love interest for Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown).
Joel first arrived in Weatherfield to help troubled Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) after she trashed the salon and has since grown closer to solicitor Dee-Dee.
Calum is best known for his role as PC Carlton Smith in Hollyoaks and has also appeared in Holby City and Doctors.
Cassie Plummer
Brookside legend Claire Sweeney joined Coronation Street as the biological mother of Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and the long-lost daughter of Evelyn Plummer (Dame Maureen Lipman).
Back in 2018, Tyrone went in search of his biological family after discovering that Jackie Dobbs, who had raised Tyrone from a baby, wasn't actually his birth mother.
Tyrone's search for the truth led him to Evelyn after working out that her daughter Cassandra was his biological mother.
Evelyn admitted that she had abandoned Tyrone at a police station in 1982 after not trusting Cassandra to look after him properly due to her drug habit. He was then found by Jackie who brought him up as her own.
However, Tyrone was stunned when his mother arrived, after believing that she was dead all these years, due to Evelyn lying that Cassie had died.
Coronation Street revealed: "Evelyn is faced with a real dilemma as she has to decide whether to come clean to Tyrone about her lies.
"Now Tyrone faces more heartache as secrets and lies from his past threaten to destroy his relationship with his grandma and he has to navigate a new relationship with his mother."
Coronation Street airs hour-long episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 pm on ITV — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITVX.
