Corrie’s Les Battersby ‘murdered’ as fans ‘expose killer’ – and it’s someone on cobbles
Coronation Street’s Les Battersby has been killed off, according to eagle-eyed fans who reckon they’ve figured out the culprit.
The character, portrayed by Bruce Jones, first made his mark on the soap in 1997, alongside his wife Janice (Vicky Entwistle), daughter Leanne (Jane Danson) and stepdaughter Toyah (Georgia Taylor). His menacing yet cunning antics certainly stirred up the famous cobbles, but he also added a dash of humour to the long-standing ITV show.
After Janice and Les’ notorious split, triggered by Janice’s new romance with Dennie Stringer (Charles Dale), Les found love again with Cilla Brown (Wendi Peters). However, in 2007, actor Bruce exited the show, and Les hasn’t been seen since. But in October this year, it was announced that the soap would be writing off the character.
This week on the cobbles, it was disclosed that Les had died off-screen. In Friday’s episode (November 29), Leanne was informed of Les’ death by a police officer, who revealed he had passed away at work, reports Lancs Live.
The news left Leanne and Les’ former stepson Chesney (Sam Aston) heartbroken. However, fans are speculating a shocking murder twist. Furthermore, next week’s episodes hint at more secrets surrounding Les’ death.
Corrie fans are on the edge of their seats after spoilers hinted that Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson) has some bombshell news for Leanne and Les’s former stepchildren Toyah Habeeb (Georgia Taylor), Fiz Dobbs (Jennie McAlpine), and Chesney. It turns out the abattoir where Les worked is offering a hefty £50,000 compensation for his workplace death, but there’s a catch they must sign an NDA.
This has viewers convinced that Les was bumped off in a shocking plot twist. On a Coronation Street Facebook fan group, one viewer lamented: “Gutted about Les! ” The comments section quickly became a hotbed for theories, with one fan speculating: “Anyone else think he was killed? ” Another chimed in: “There’s something dodgy happening definitely.”
Speculation didn’t stop there, as another fan suggested Leanne could be behind it all, given her tumultuous year: “Leanne killed Les? Hear me out, she could be in the middle of a breakdown after the institute and Toyah’s affair? ” Others agreed enthusiastically, while some fans turned their suspicions towards his ex, Cilla Brown (Wendi Peters), with one saying: “Or what about Cilla? She could come back then,” prompting another to add: “That’s ‘true’! I miss her so much.”
![Les Battersby [Bruce Jones] and Cilla Brown [Wendi Peters]](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/tv/article34216380.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_coronation-street-weddings.jpg)
Cilla first made her appearance on the famous cobbles back in 2003. Initially introduced as Les Battersby’s love interest, Cilla quickly became a fan favourite. She was part of several unforgettable moments, including the iconic scene where Cilla and Les (Bruce Jones) crashed through their ceiling after their dog Schmeichel disrupted their bath.
However, in 2007, soap enthusiasts were left disappointed when Cilla bid farewell to the cobbles. A year later, Wendi made a brief appearance as Cilla Battersby in the soap spin-off Coronation Street: Out Of Africa. And in 2014, the character made a short return. But since then, the outspoken soap darling has been missing from Weatherfield.