ITV Coronation Street actor breaks silence on Simon Barlow exit weeks after ‘devastating’ goodbye
Coronation Street star Ryan Prescott has spoken out over Simon Barlow actor Alex Bain leaving the ITV soap, after reports emerged in recent months that the character was leaving the show
One Coronation Street actor appeared surprised, as they addressed the exit of one of their co-stars set to air later this year.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Ryan Connor actor Ryan Prescott addressed the upcoming departure of his co-star Alex Bain, after reports in December revealed he was leaving the show. The Simon Barlow actor has been on the soap for 15 years, with claims he is ready to move on.
Ryan told The Mirror at the TV Choice Awards 2024 how he’d heard the reports that Alex was leaving the show, as he addressed the recent exit of another co-star. Ryan seemed surprised by the news, while he said it wasn’t uncommon for soap stars to try other things after decades in a role. The actor also teased it might not be over for the character, hinting he may return in the future.
Ryan told us: “I heard, yeah! Which is… I think people have done 25 or 30 years and they want a little more time with their family and they’ve earned it so. Hopefully they’ll go on and do more of what they want to, but they’ll probably be back.”The ITV soap has yet to confirm the news, but Alex is said to be bowing out of the show this summer. That follows the exit of Simon’s dad Peter Barlow, played by actor Chris Gascoyne.
Ryan also addressed the “void” left behind by soap legend Chris’ exit, admitting he will miss him on set. He said: “I’m gutted, devastated. There is a bit of a void left behind especially someone like Chris Gascoyne, he’s a legend and a mentor to anyone without trying to be. You just learn from him. I miss him, I love Chris.”
It comes after sources revealed Alex’s exit was on the cards last year. “Alex is sad to be leaving Coronation Street because it really is like a family — but he realises that the time is right to move on,” a source told The Sun before adding: “He’s very excited about the future and other opportunities.” It’s claimed that he will leave the soap in the summer of this year.Meanwhile after an abrupt exit months ago, Ryan confirmed his return to the ITV soap. He told The Mirror: “Is he still not back? He should be back this week.. He’s in Glasgow, a resident DJ with Crystal who’s managing the PR for him. But he should be back, I thought he was. Filming is six to eight weeks ahead of transmission so I’ve been back a month, and so it’s soon, yeah. But sometimes they stretch it out a little bit.”
On whether there could be a reunion for Ryan and Daisy, he spilled: “It’s like a love square now. There is room for disaster that’s for sure, I think he’s always going to have a bond with Daisy, there’s always possibilities in the future. I think when you have been through something to the degree of trauma that they have together, there’s an invisible, everlasting bond. It’s a basis for the foundations of a relationship, whatever relationship flourishes from it. He left right in the middle of it all, so lots of room for something to happen there.”