Coronation Street’s Bruce Jones breaks silence on ‘upset’ over Les Battersby death
Bruce Jones has opened up about his reaction to the news his Coronation Street character will be killed off.
Over the weekend, Metro confirmed that bad news about the character, played for a decade by Bruce, will reach his daughters Leanne (Jane Danson) and Toyah (Georgia Taylor), later next month.
Bruce, who is 71, was initially let go from the soap for off-set behaviour, and allegedly insulting fans and eventually revealing plots.
His career has taken quite a different path these days, as he now partakes in professional wrestling.
But Corrie is never far away from him, as one of his most notable opponents was fellow 90s icon Steve Arnold, better known as Ashley Peacock.
The stars thrilled a 200-strong audience with a bout (which Bruce won) before grinning and hugging each other, evidently still friends decades on.
Bruce has now opened up about his character being killed off in the ITV soap, revealing he was told about this via an email.
‘[Show bosses] already emailed me over a fortnight ago to tell me what was happening. I actually thought, well fine, I played him for ten years. It gives me closure. Maybe it will stop people asking me all the time when I’m going back, if I’m going back’, he explained to the MailOnline.
‘People want me back, but it’ll stop all that, in shopping centres, wherever I go. I’m pleased it’s happening but I’m also sad about losing a character I played for ten years. I’m grateful to the street for that. I went out the other day and people asked four times that day, “when are you coming back? The street is dead.”‘
The actor went on to confirm that he doesn’t feel any animosity towards the soap, given the impact his role had on his life.
‘They gave me ten years and I invented a great character and it became a great hit with everyone. I wish them all the luck in the world. I felt relieved, then I felt sadness, then I thought, “well, where would he go?” If he went back, where would he go? How would he get back, what would he do? Where would the storylines take him?’
‘I don’t think they could really do that much with him, which is a shame.’
Pondering over the audience’s reaction to Les’ upcoming death, Bruce added: ‘It will be really strange to see how people react to it. I can imagine some people being really upset and annoyed, other people will be, “well you did your time, it was time to go, we’ve still got you on classic, so there are memories of you there, so that’s fine”.’
‘I think a lot of people will be upset, a lot of people will be, “I’m not watching it again because I watch classic (the old episodes).” I’m just waiting for the reaction when it breaks, when I go shopping or to football with my mates. It’ll be a sad time for everyone. I don’t watch it.’
‘You get told, “I don’t watch it any more, we could do with you going back in”. But I’m not going back. He was a very popular person, Les. I can’t wait to see what the reaction I get, I can’t wait to see what reaction Coronation Street gets.
‘I wouldn’t mind betting they get a big reaction to it, but that’s the end of Les. I had a great time playing him. I’m going to move on and we’ll see what happens.’
Recently, Bruce admitted that he still has nightmares after he was wrongly accused of being the Yorkshire Ripper.
He became a suspect during Peter Sutcliffe’s murdering spree in the 70s after discovering one of the bodies.
In 1981, Sutcliffe was found guilty of murdering 13 women and attempting to murder seven others between 1975 and 1980. Bruce found the body of the fifth victim- 20-year-old Jean Jordan, at an allotment in Manchester in 1977. He had been working there with a friend when the harrowing discovery was made.
Speaking in the documentary The Dark Side Of Fame, the actor said: ‘It actually destroyed me to learn that people can do that to a human being.
‘I had nightmares like you wouldn’t believe.’