Alex Bain reveals ‘surreal’ and surprise addition to his final Coronation Street scene

Coronation Street star Alex Bain is set to bow out of his role as Simon Barlow in upcoming episodes, after 16 years on the show.

Recently, Simon announced that he would be joining dad Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) on his yacht, and he is set to leave for his adventure in the coming days.

In his final episodes, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) returns from her retreat and is horrified to discover that he is leaving.

Furious, she insists that she should have been consulted over the decision, but when Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) assures her that they left a message with Rowan Cunliffe (Emrhys Cooper) to pass on, she flips and accuses him of conspiring with Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) behind her back.

With the decision having already been made, Leanne has no choice but to wave Simon off to begin his new life on Peter’s yacht.

While these scenes will be Simon’s last on the show, actor Alex Bain revealed that his final episodes were filmed out of order, so his very last scene was actually something completely different.

‘It was incredibly emotional which is understandable as it has been a huge part of my life,’ he said of wrapping on Corrie.

‘We filmed out of order so my last scene that I filmed wasn’t Simon’s last scene in the show, but he was in Roys Rolls saying goodbye to Carla.

‘My parents Debra and Paul had come in to watch the scene and the director kindly suggested that they could be background artists in the cafe. So there I was discussing Simon’s mum and dad with Carla whilst my own mum and dad were sitting at a table behind me having a coffee, how surreal! It was so special for them and me.

‘My mum was my chaperone when I first started and both of them have been so supportive of me throughout my time on Corrie so it was a real moment for us all that they are in one of my final scenes.’

As his time on the ITV soap came to an end, Alex reflected on his very first memory of the show, and how Deirdre Barlow star Anne Kirkbride inspired him.

‘I was only six when I started but I remember doing the scene with Chris where we are getting out of the taxi and he says let’s go in and give them the shock of their lives. My first word was “tired”.

At that age you don’t realise the enormity of what it means to be joining one of the longest running shows in the world and be part of the family that were in the first episode in 1960. Obviously I came to appreciate that as I got older and also to have the privilege of working with some amazing actors.

‘I remember my first scene with Anne Kirkbride, she was so kind and helpful, she looked at me after the scene and said ‘you will go far’. That has always stayed with me.’