CORONATION Street star Ryan Russell has sparked fears he’s secretly quit the soap with a cryptic post.
And it comes just a day after soap legend Helen Worth, 73, announced she’s to quit the cobbles after 50 years.
Ryan, 33, took to Instagram yesterday with the music video for Snky Bnz’s The Broken Man, in which he stars.
The actor, who has plays Michael Bailey on Corrie since 2019, was seen roaming the streets in a hoodie against the track.
But, after he wrote in his caption: “It’s been fun. Bye for now,” an onslaught of speculation ensued from fans.
One commented: “Are you leaving corrie?” with another adding: “Are you OK?”
Ryan also completely cleared his grid, as well as his bio.
The star would be following in the footsteps of Helen, who played Gail Platt for half a century but will film her final scenes later this year.
The Sun revealed Helen will start filming her exit story next month and the emotional scenes will be on screen at the end of the year.
In a statement Helen said: “This year felt like the perfect time to leave the show after celebrating 50 years in the most wonderful job on the most wonderful street in the world.
“I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers who were very kind and understanding.
“I have been truly blessed to have been given the most incredible scripts week in week out, and to have worked with fantastic actors, directors and a brilliant crew.
“The past 50 years have flown by and I don’t think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet.”
Executive Producer Iain Macleod added: “The words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ get used a lot these days but they genuinely do apply to Gail and to Helen Worth.
“However, given her humility, I know Helen won’t thank me for saying so! In Helen’s hands, Gail has been a huge part of Coronation Street for five decades and at the centre of some of the most memorable storylines – often deriving from her catastrophically bad luck in choosing husbands!
“Her ill-fated marriage to Richard Hillman was one of the most ground-breaking stories in soap history and cemented Gail’s already established status as one of the Corrie greats.
“As the matriarch of the Platt clan, her affectionately prickly relationships with her kids and flighty mum Audrey epitomise what makes the show great: complicated family dynamics brought to life impeccably by Helen’s dramatic and comedic chops, alongside those of her fictional clan.
“Gail has given us countless hours of entertainment but it should also be said that Helen herself is a consummate professional and a thoroughly good egg.
“Everyone connected to the show will miss having her around the place just as much as the viewers will miss having her on their screens and we wish her all the very best for the future.”
Helen’s exit will come towards the end of the year with bosses working on a goodbye worthy of the character.
With the ITV soap teasing it will be an emotional exit, it seems likely that viewers will be saying a final farewell to Gail.
Coronation Street's shock exits 2024
Corrie has said goodbye to several cast members this year. Let's break down who's left the famous soap:
Eliza Woodrow (Savannah Kunyo) has said farewell to Corrie to start a new life in Germany.
The youngster moved to live with her dad Dom Everett, who went back on the £10,000 bribe Eliza’s grandfather Stu had offered to keep him out of her life.
Paul Foreman will bow out of the soap this summer when he loses his fight with motor neurone disease (MND) in tragic scenes.
After being diagnosed last year, the fan favourite, portrayed by Peter Ash, was devastated to learn he only had months left to live.
Viewers know he is planning to take his own life to end his suffering.
Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) departed the cobbles after being offered the opportunity of a lifetime to study in America.
Though she struggled to decide with her stepdad Paul’s impending death from MND, she was convinced she had to live her life to the full.
Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) has struggled with the sudden departure of his father Peter from the cobbles.
The Weatherfield legend left his family and loved ones behind on Boxing Day, 2023, when his wife Carla Connor encouraged him to travel around the world with a friend.
Simon’s been on a downward spiral ever since and his exit could end in tragedy.
Alya Nazir is set to leave the cobbles as actress Sair Khan prepares to go on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her first child.
It looks likely she’ll be heading to Dublin after securing a lucrative new job, leaving her colleague and fling Adam Barlow behind.
Show stalwart Eileen Grimshaw is taking a break to star in the Sister Act The Musical UK tour.
She’s had to leave the Street immediately after her son Jason broke his back after falling off a moped in Asia. She will be back filming in May once her dates on the tour come to an end.
And they are already emotional over the upcoming goodbye.
One wrote: “The mention of ’emotional scenes’ has me a bit worried about a possible death but I hope not. Maybe I’m just reading too much into it.”
A second said: “She might not be in it a lot these days but Gail will still be such a massive loss to Coronation Street. An amazing character with such a rich history on the show.”
Another added: “Helen Worth’s portrayal of Gail Platt has been stupendous throughout her five decades on the Street, but Gail’s Monologue from six years ago remains one of the best performances I have ever seen on television to date.
“I’m so sad that Helen will leave the cobbles, but she will leave with our enduring gratitude for her hard work over the last 50 years.”
