Coronation Street has been rocked by countless tragedies over the years.
The ITV soap, which is celebrating its 64th anniversary, has introduced 100s of stars to audiences. And for many of them, their characters find themselves firmly in the hearts of fans.
But sometimes, due to actors deciding to leave or bosses writing characters out, fans have to say goodbye to their favourites. And in true soap fashion, plenty of the exits have been seriously dramatic.
Soap anniversaries usually come with their fair share of dramatic moments – but Coronation Street’s 50th anniversary saw the death of many fan favourites too. Beloved Weatherfield butcher Ashley Peacock was one of the residents to die in a tragic tram crash, leaving fans in tears as the long serving resident left the cobbles for good – several years after the murder of his wife Maxine.
Ashley had been in the Joinery Bar celebrating Peter Barlow’s stag night, but a tram derailment caused the roof to collapse and in a moment of heroism, Ashley held part of the roof up so Peter and Nick could escape – knowing that he would die instead.
The tragic tram crash not only took the life of Molly Dobbs, but it also led to a bombshell revelation as she confessed to Sally Webster with her last breaths that she had an affair with Sally’s husband Kevin – and he was the father of her baby.
Vera Duckworth’s sudden death
Corrie were fans devastated by Vera’s death(Image: Mirror Screen Grab)
Weatherfield legends Jack and Vera Duckworth were known for their comic antics, but Vera’s death struck a heartbreaking chord.
After asking Jack to spend the evening at home rather than heading out to the Rovers’ Return, Vera passed away in her sleep from heart failure, leaving both Jack and viewers utterly heartbroken.
Kylie Platt’s murder
Kylie Platt was murdered just before she and David were set to leave for a new start(Image: ITV)
In another gut-wrenching moment, fans mourned alongside David Platt when his wife Kylie was murdered.
The couple was on the verge of a fresh start in Barbados with their son Max when a robbery turned deadly, and Kylie was stabbed. Her final words to David, “tell the kids I love them,” were uttered before she died in his arms, leaving viewers and David devastated by the loss.
Hayley Cropper dies
Hayley Cropper died in Roy’s arms(Image: © ITV)
And who could forget the poignant departure of Hayley Cropper, who died beside her beloved husband Roy?
Soap fans were left heartbroken when Coronation Street’s golden couple, Hayley and Roy Cropper, faced the ultimate separation with Hayley’s tragic death. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Hayley’s initial relief after her tumour removal was short-lived as the disease returned with a vengeance, leading to her heartbreaking choice to end her life in 2014.
In one of the soap’s most poignant departures, she died peacefully in Roy’s arms.
Sinead Tinker’s cancer
Sinead Tinker’s cancer storyline was devastating
Tears flowed for Sinead Tinker’s gut-wrenching departure from the cobbles in October 2019, as she succumbed to cervical cancer surrounded by her loved ones. The hour-long special brought viewers into the intimate and final family moments, including Sinead’s fears for her son Bertie’s memory of her and her plea to husband Daniel to “don’t forget about me, but do forget about me,” before passing away during her boy’s bedtime story.
Rana dies on her wedding day
Rana Habeeb’s death on her wedding day was another tragic moment. Rana Habeeb and Kate Connor seemed destined for a long-lasting relationship after tying the knot, but their joy was short-lived.
A devastating factory collapse, orchestrated by Gary Windass, trapped Rana under debris and she bid farewell to her new wife in her final moments. Her emotional last scene saw Rana pass away holding Kate’s hand, still clad in their wedding dresses as their joyful day turned into a disaster.
Aidan’s devastating suicide
Shayne Ward’s character Aidan tragically took his own life(Image: ITV)
Back in 2018, Aidan Connor (played by Shayne Ward) tragically died by suicide after a number of set backs in his life. The storyline was introduced to highlight mental health – particularly with men.
His moment of death was not shown on screen. Instead, viewers saw his dad Johnny find his body after the fact.
At the time, actor Shayne said: “We have all heard stories like Aidan’s when it was too late, when people looked back and wished they had spotted the signs, but it isn’t always possible. If we can encourage someone who is feeling low… to realise they need to talk, then we have achieved what we set out to with this story.”
