The fans are right, it’s time Coronation Street cleared out deadweight characters – here’s who needs to go
SOAP viewers have been pleading with soap bosses to axe a string of Weatherfield residents for several months - and they're right.
Many Coronation Street characters have seemingly been forgotten and neglected. Perhaps a fresh start away from the cobbles is their best option?
A plethora of posts and comments emerge on social media platforms such as X, formerly known as Twitter, and Reddit every week about the events that unfurl on our screens.
Viewers of the ITV drama have grown accustomed to share their opinions about upcoming storylines, feuds, affairs and deaths online and in recent months, soap watchers have reached the same conclusion - bosses need to be selective with the characters they allow to roam in the cobbles.
As storylines continue to unfold on our screens, from Paul Foreman's MND ordeal to Sarah Barlow's rekindled romance with Damon Hay, viewers have been begging showrunners to axe a string of characters.
These have been mostly standing on the sidelines, away from all the main drama, suggesting their presence may not be as essential as it was once deemed.
More Corrie
Among them appear several Corrie legends that have been a part of the show's history for decades - but is it finally time for them to bow out for the benefit of new characters and fresh storylines? Here's who we think is ripe for the chopping block.
Simon Barlow
Alex Bain's on-screen alter ego has been rubbing up fans the wrong way, particularly after he became involved in exposing Ryan Connor's affair with Daisy Midgeley.
Viewers were shocked when the twenty-year-old turned to Daniel Osbourne, sending him a video in which both Daisy and Ryan admitted sleeping together and they took to social media to ask for his immediate exit.
"Simon Barlow. Most useless character currently on Corrie", one viewer commented.
Another asked: "What even is the point of Simon?", while a third remarked: "Simon has actually got a bit of a storyline. Could do without him easily in Corrie."
"Why is this Daniel/ Ryan story still going and why is Simon still a thing?", one final fan asked.
Viewers may eventually get what they wish for.
In more recent scenes, the Underworld telesales agent was unable to wave his father Peter Barlow goodbye as the stalwart left Weatherfield and Carla Connor to travel around the world with a friend.
The long-running soap has seemingly confirmed that Simon will be pushed into a downward spiral following his father's exit and it could all culminate into his exit as actor Alex Bain has reportedly quit the program.
After less than two decades, as he has been portraying Simon for the past fifteen years, Alex is due to leave the cobbles in an explosive final storyline airing next summer.
Stu Carpenter
Former homeless man Stu Carpenter made his Corrie debut in late 2021 and became an immediate fan favourite as he bonded with wayward teen Kelly Neelan.
He was soon given the chance to have a fresh start in Corrie when Yasmeen Nazir allowed him in the Speed Daal kitchen.
Times have since changed for the chef as he managed to rekindle his relationship with his long-lost daughter Bridget before she was sent to prison, leaving his granddaughter Eliza Woodrow behind.
But in a shock twist, the schoolgirl recently tried to bond with her own father Dom and a desperate Stu resorted to paying him off to keep him away from Eliza.
Viewers have grown tired of Stu's storyline and many have demanded that Bill Fellows leaves the cobbles altogether as a result.
"I can't stand Stu, he is boring and I couldn't care less about his storyline, it needs wrapping up. It's so boring", one of them commented on a Digital Spy forum in late 2023.
Another jumped in, adding: "Yes totally. And take Yasmeen with him. Her acting is appalling."
Fans of the Manchester-based program have been convinced Yasmeen could embark on an illicit romance with Roy Cropper, breaking Stu's heart and convincing him to leave Weatherfield.
Will it really play out that way?
Ed Bailey
Money worries have spiralled out of control for Ed Bailey (played by Trevor Michael Georges) after the builder became consumed by his gambling addiction once again.
On Christmas Day, his family was even left without any presents due to a loan shark coming to get his dues from Ed and the confrontation turned into a brutal showdown.
Tensions have been at an all-time high between Ed and his son Michael and recent spoilers have confirmed the hunk will be trapped in a blaze at the builder's yard.
But with Ed's wife Aggie going missing from the cobbles for several weeks on end, and apparently settling down in Birmingham until further notice, viewers have begun to speculate that he may be better off away from Corrie.
Many soap watchers are demanding that Ed leaves Weatherfield after almost five years as the storyline continues.
But one viewer threw his entire family into the mix, clearly disappointed.
"I'm surprised there's not been similar things said about the Baileys who have had appalling stories and dodgy acting since arriving", they commented.
Ed and his family first showed up in Coronation Street in June, 2019, and moved into No.3 after Emily Bishop sold up.
Could Ed be pushed out of the cobbles to recover from his gambling addiction, or even killed off?
Craig Tinker
The police constable has been a part of life in the Street since mid-2011, when he first showed up in the cobbles alongside his single mother Beth Tinker.
Craig, who has been played by Colson Smith since his Corrie debut, has been involved in plenty of dramatic storylines from helping his pal Faye Windass through motherhood as a teen to his first meeting with his disinterested and incarcerated father Darryl Parkins.
In 2017, Craig was then involved in his own storyline shining a light on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) before eventually embarking on a romantic relationship with Faye.
The pair were going strong until Faye was reunited with Jackson Hodge and their daughter Miley.
Unable to resist the idea of being present in Miley's life, Faye left Coronation Street after more than a decade in May, 2023, and after initially fighting her decision, Craig let her go.
Since then, however, Craig has been living alone at No.2 but he has also been kept at arm's length from all the drama, with the exception of a few storylines in which the police have to be somewhat involved.
Could this distance from the limelight be leading up to a shock exit for Craig?
Kirk Sutherland
Twenty-three years have gone by since Andy Whyment first showed up in Corrie as the heart-warming Underworld packer.
Since then, Kirk has been thrown in turmoil on multiple occasions and has been particularly mistreated by women.
In more recent years, however, Kirk managed to find love in the form of Underworld colleague Beth Tinker and the lovebirds went on to tie the knot in 2015 during an 80's themed wedding ceremony.
However, Kirk hasn't been seen on our screens as often as some expected, prompting multiple viewers to demand he was thrown out of Weatherfield altogether.
Recent reports have also revealed that Beth Tinker actress Lisa George would also be leaving the cobbles after starring in Coronation Street for thirteen years.
Could Kirk and Beth, after encountering their own share of marital troubles, decide to have a fresh start away from the cobbles? And could Craig leave with them?
The Winter-Browns
Speaking of families, Gemma Winter and Chesney Brown are getting on a lot of nerves.
While the latter has been living on the Street since 2003, Dolly-Rose Campbell's character joined in 2014 before bonding with Sam Aston's alter ego in Dev Alahan's Prima Doner.
The pair tied the knot in late May, 2023, with many viewers moved by the ceremony which was followed by Paul Foreman's intense MND diagnosis reveal.
However, this may not have been enough for soap fans to take a liking to Gemma Winter.
For many months, fans of the Manchester-based drama have shared their dislike for the character through multiple social media platforms.
Most have asked soap bosses to not only get rid of her but also give the axe to her husband Chesney, a long-term Weatherfield resident, and their four children.
"Please get rid of Gemma", one viewer commented as another agreed: "Chesney and Gemma should leave they bore me."
Another penned: "Chesney get the message, Coronation Street isn't a safe place to bring up a family. LEAVE, take Gemma and the Winters."
Gemma was initially introduced to fans as a fun party girl but she has since been turned into a struggling mother of five, which fans are far from happy about.
To top it all off, Gemma's quadruplets are barely ever seen on screen, which was enough to convince viewers that Gemma and her entire clan need to leave.
However, one member of the Winter-Brown family has managed to dodge complaints - Jane Hazlegrove's Bernie.
"Axe Gemma Quads and Chesney then move Bernie Mary and Glenda into a flat! I'd love to see it!", one fan wrote on Twitter.
Bernie is currently helping her son Paul throughout his MND ordeal, a hint that Gemma, Chesney, Joseph Brown and the quads may not need any of the spotlight after all.
And with Linda Hancock's return to the cobbles, the option of them leaving all together to live abroad with the wealthy character could be in the cards.
Toyah Battersby
As one of the longest standing Weatherfield residents on this list, Toyah Battersby has been portrayed by Georgia Taylor since her 1997 debut in the cobbles.
Toyah left the Street a first time in 2003, after finding out that her then-boyfriend, John Arnley, had cheated on her with Maria Sutherland.
After several years away, mostly focusing on her job as a drug rehab counsellor, she fell for Peter Barlow and left her husband of five years, Toby Chapman, behind to head back to Corrie.
Since returning in 2016, Toyah was involved in a handful of explosive storylines, one of which involved the death of her late husband Imran Habeeb.
After losing Imran and being cleared of his murder despite deliberately crashing their car (which led to him having a fatal heart attack), Toyah reconciled with her old boyfriend Spider Nugent.
Everything seemed set for the couple as they were ready to tie the knot after Spider revealed what he was doing for a living and Toyah chose to support him.
However, Spider had to make a choice and in mid-2023, he left the cobbles for good when he chose his undercover police work over his relationship with Toyah.
Since then, Toyah has remained on the side-lines and only resurfaced back into the spotlight when her ex-fiancé Peter Barlow was struggling in the aftermath of Stephen Reid's death.
With her fiancé Spider gone and no family to hold her back with the exception of her sister Leanne Battersby, many viewers believe Toyah should written out by bosses to make room for fresh storylines.
Fiz Dobbs
Much like Toyah Battersby, Fiz Dobbs has been a highly familiar face in Coronation Street since she first appeared in 2001.
From taking charge of her younger brother Chesney Brown to marrying serial killer John Stape and giving birth to a daughter named Hope, Fiz has had her fair share of ups and downs in the cobbles.
The Underworld machinist and antiques dealer then embarked on a relationship with on-and-off flame Tyrone Dobbs and after jumping through many hurdles, the pair tied the knot on Christmas Day in 2022.
But since then, Fiz had to leave the Street in May 2023 when serial killer Stephen Reid told her to head to another Underworld factory in Norwich, for a six-month secondment.
Off-screen, Fiz actress Jennie McAlpine gave birth to her third child with her husband Chris Farr.
Although Fiz is a fan favourite, many viewers couldn't help but notice that six months had flown by and she still hasn't made a reappearance in the cobbles.
This has led them to think Tyrone could have his own storylines, shaken by the chaos his mother Cassie Plummer brings into his life, while Fiz stays in Norwich.
However, they may be surprised to hear that Jennie McAlpine will make a return to our screens as she was recently seen back on the set of Coronation Street.
Sean Tully
Corrie legend Sean Tully has surprisingly left fans wondering if he'd be better off leaving Coronation Street, particularly as his son Dylan Wilson faces a harrowing bullying ordeal at the hands of Mason Radcliffe.
Antony Cotton first took on the role in the early noughties, while he was looking for lodgings, and became the first male Underworld employee.
During his time in the cobbles, he has become a surrogate son for Eileen Grimshaw but has also played second fiddle to her biological sons, Todd and Jason.
In 2007, he agreed to help Violet Wilson have a baby on the condition he had no part in the child's upbringing but as viewers will remember, he was eventually allowed to be a part of Dylan's life.
During his time in the cobbles, and due to the transitory nature of his life, Sean has often lived on the breadline but a particularly low point came in 2018 when he wound up homeless.
Sean lives with Eileen and Todd at No.11 but while his son Dylan is tormented by Mason and the bullying could be set to turn deadly, viewers have agreed a fresh start away from Weatherfield may be the best option for the father-son duo.
Eileen Grimshaw
Sean Tully's potential exit could also be the opportunity for Eileen Grimshaw to leave the cobbles herself.
The no-nonsense resident portrayed by Sue Cleaver has been living in Coronation Street since 2000 and has remained at No.11 over the years.
Tough as nails but fiercely protective, Eileen raised her two sons alone without any help from their fathers and heavily disapproved of their romantic entanglements with Sarah Platt.
Eileen is also best known for her ongoing feud with Gail Platt and the pair have come to blows over the decades.
Having never married, Eileen welcomed a series of lodgers at No.11, but she finally made it to the altar with merciless criminal and serial killer Pat Phelan in 2017.
The thug was killed by Anna Windass, allowing Eileen to finally move on but she has since been extremely cautious with the men she allows in her life.
Eileen has been romantically involved with George Shuttleworth in recent years, living in No.11 with lodgers Sean and Mary Taylor.
But viewers of the Manchester-based program couldn't help but notice that her role has been reduced to comic relief storylines - and they have had enough of bosses wasting her character.
Soap fans have asked for Eileen to be scrapped altogether if she was due to remain overshadowed.
Brian Packham
Initially introduced as a side character in 2010, as John Stape was desperately trying to cover his tracks, Brian Packham quickly became a familiar face in Coronation Street.
The teacher portrayed by Peter Gunn embarked on a relationship with Julie Carp but after a first exit in 2013, he returned with the intention of making their romance work.
This didn't last and in 2016, the pair parted ways again, leaving Brian a single man.
In 2018, he returned to teaching but he was bullied in his workplace by the deputy headteacher Phil Gillespie, which was enough to convinced him to retire from the profession and took over The Kabin after Norris Cole's own departure.
Brian moved on from Julie Carp with Cathy Matthews but she ended their relationship in 2022 by leaving the Street herself.
Following the breakdown of the romance, Brain has been less present in the limelight and has only had one storyline which has kept viewers somewhat interested in his character development.
In 2023, Brian looked for his Italian relatives and met his overbearing cousin Isabella who tried to drive a wedge between him and pal Mary Taylor.
However, Brian's latest stunts in the cobbles haven't left viewers with a good feeling about his future in the Street and many are considering him deadweight in the show.
With his character failing to be pushed back into the spotlight and no big storyline for him ahead, could Brian be written out?
Izzy Armstrong
The daughter of Owen Armstrong, Izzy has been portrayed by actress Cherylee Houston since her first appearance in 2010.
Izzy first rocked up the cobbles to meet face to face with Kirk Sutherland, whom she had spoken to prior on a dating platform.
Unfortunately, she wasn't happy with what she saw as Kirk had used a photo of Jason Grimshaw on his profile.
This eventually led her to meet Gary Windass and the pair navigated through their own share of issues, particularly as the hunk enlisted in the army and suffered from severe PTSD after his experience in Afghanistan.
Gary and Izzy welcomed a son named Jake in 2013 with the help of surrogate mother Tina McIntyre.
The relationship came to an end when Gary canoodled with Alya Nazir and they agreed to remain friends.
Izzy then had her share of trouble with her family, particularly her mother Linda and late sister Katy, and is the last Armstrong family member to remain on the Street.
In 2016, Izzy landed herself in plenty of trouble with the law as she turned to marijuana to help her chronic pain and received a two-month sentence for possession of drugs and assaulting a police officer, though this was accidental.
Due to her Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and being wheelchair bound, Izzy Armstrong only made sporadic appearances in the cobbles during the 2020 Covid pandemic.
While she returned to Weatherfield and has appeared in several scenes since, many soap watchers believe writers haven't made her contribute to the unfolding drama around her, convincing them that she could also be a character that would benefit from an emotional exit.
Ken Barlow
Corrie's longest-standing resident Ken Barlow was born in the midst of drama in the cobbles in 1939 and he has appeared regularly on our screens since 1960.
Through his explosive marriages to Deirdre Barlow, tumultuous affairs and hard-hitting family drama, the retired teacher has become a fan favourite over the many years he has stayed in Weatherfield.
Ken, who has been played by soap legend William Roache, only left the cobbles once in 2013 and, since Deirdre's death, he has spent time reconnecting with his large family - but he failed to form a bond with his long-lost son Lawrence.
In recent years, Ken has settled down at No.1 with daughter figure Tracy Barlow, her daughter Amy and son-in-law Steve McDonald.
But his time at the centre of all the attention is clearly over as Ken mostly assists his loved ones with their own troubles.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Ken's son Peter, as mentioned above, has left Weatherfield himself to sail around the world with a friend - could he be tempted to follow suit?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV.