CORONATION Street star Bill Fellows has quit the soap after three years.
The actor – who plays Stu Carpenter in the ITV soap – will bow out in a major storyline later this year, The Sun can exclusively reveal.
A source said: “Three years is a long time to spend playing one role and while Bill has loved his time at Corrie, he’s ready to move on.
“He told bosses earlier this year that he would like to leave at the end of his three year contract and they have crafted an exciting exit storyline for him.
“He will still be on screen for some time yet but it gave him chance to say yes to a number of jobs he was keen to do later this year.”
Bill joined Coronation Street in 2021 fresh from his role as George in international hit Ted Lasso – a role he continued to play until the AppleTV series ended.
He’s had a long career starring in shows like Downton Abbey, Broadchurch and Casualty.
Viewers have watched recently as formerly homeless Stu has decided to take bullying thug Mason under his wing having discovered he was sleeping rough.
Stu offered him a job at Yasmeen’s restaurant Speed Daal – despite local outcry – and even given him his granddaughter’s room at Yasmeen’s house.
However Stu has no idea that thug Mason was the one who ran his granddaughter Eliza down – breaking her arm – earlier this year.
The reveal is set to be explosive and could see Stu back behind bars – but this time for a murder he did commit.
He will become the latest star to depart the cobbles this year with a host of other exits coming too.
Paul Foreman actor Peter Ash will soon depart the soap as his character dies of motor neurone disease.
And The Sun exclusively revealed how actress Lisa George had quit the show after 13 years playing Beth Tinker.
The star will depart in the coming weeks having filmed her final scenes last month.
And Corrie icon Helen Worth announced she is leaving the soap after 50 years playing Gail Platt.
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 (Peter Ash) 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 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 Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen Grimshaw, is taking a break to star in the Sister Act The Musical UK tour. She will be back filming in May once her dates on the tour come to an end.
Her character left the Street after her son Jason broke his back after falling off a moped in Asia.
She will depart around Christmas in a huge storyline that sees the return of her ex-husband Martin, played by Sean Wilson.
Coronation Street has been contacted for comment.
