CORONATION Street’s Sean Wilson secretly split from his girlfriend before his shock departure from the soap.
The actor-turned-cheesemaker, 59, had been dating Susie Fenwick since 2016.
Insiders said the pair quietly ended their romance before Sean returned to Corrie as Martin Platt.
A source said: “Sean and Susie’s relationship ended some months ago.
“There was no bad blood and they had had a wonderful relationship during the many years they were together.”
Actress Susie appeared in 1993 film Aspects Of Love and is now a West End stage performer.
She struck up a romance with Sean following the breakdown of his 16-year marriage to wife Gaynor in 2013.
The Sun revealed on Saturday that Sean had mysteriously left Weatherfield following his high-profile return.
His character was back for scenes with on-screen ex-wife Gail as part of Helen Worth’s exit storyline.
Soap bosses declined to give any explanation, insisting that Sean had “stepped down for personal reasons”.
Insiders later revealed he was summoned to ITV’s offices and never returned to the set.
A source added: “A lot of people at Corrie didn’t know Sean had gone.
“Whatever it is, lawyers are involved because very senior soap bosses are not allowed to discuss it.”
John Thomson has been drafted in for a different Gail romance.
A source said: “It’s been a frantic, incredibly stressful, few weeks.”
