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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Daniel Bird

Coronation Street star claims ITV soap 'could be axed in 10 years' as fans get 'fed up'

Coronation Street's Charlie Lawson claims the ITV soap could be axed in ten years due to the rise of streaming services.

The actor who played notorious criminal Jim McDonald also quipped that viewing figures could have dropped as fans are getting "fed up" with the storylines on the soap.

Charlie, 63, played the hardman from 1989 until 2000 has made brief cameos since he walked away from the famous Manchester cobbles but believes time could be up.

The Irish star who is no stranger when it comes to sharing his views said: "I was there in the 90s for 11 years and we were getting between 16 and 20 million – and 5 million (viewers now) is not a lot.

Charlie Lawson believes that Coronation Street may be off screens in ten years (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"In 10 years who knows if we will have a Coronation Street, we're all changing our viewing habits as it is already."

He also believes that the show will lose viewers due to "politically correct" storylines, including the ongoing issue of Max Turner being groomed by far-right extremists.

Charlie said: "People are getting a little bit gobsmacked and fed up with all this," before adding that political correctness is a reason he may not make a return to Weatherfield.

He claims his character was far from politically correct (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
The actor starred in the soap between 1989 until 2000 (WireImage)

"Jim wasn't exactly politically correct, nevermind woke!" he exclaimed.

But Charlie also believes that the acting and the script writing during his time on the fan favourite soap was better than today.

He told the Daily Star: "Do I think it was better in the 80s and 90s? I would have to say yes, that's not the cast’s fault. It's very hard when you've got 70 people and six episodes to do a week.

"Good acting is about people talking to each other, it's the spoken word."

The Jim McDonald actor believes the soap peaked in the 90s (ITV)

The actor recently became embroiled in a heated exchange as he slammed Just Stop Oil protesters who have recently brought parts of the country to a standstill.

While appearing on GB News, Charlie discussed the protesters who have also spraypainted several buildings and defaced statues – including pouring excrement over a statue of the late Sir Tom Moore.

Charlie quipped: "This is starting to wind me up and also I have to say funnily enough the quality of protesters.

"I mean these people in Kensington or wherever it was today.

"They are a bunch of time-wasting professionals," while adding that they should face tougher consequences than the ones they have faced, including a suspended sentence.

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