Shayne Ward is "gutted" Alison King has quit 'Coronation Street'.
Shayne Ward
The 31-year-old actor - who plays lingerie factory manager Aidan Connor in the long-running soap - only joined the programme nine months ago but managed to strike up a close bond with his on-screen half-sister, who portrayed hard-faced Carla Connor, and believes he owes a lot to her because she taught him the ropes.
He explained to the Digital Spy: "Everyone is gutted that Alison has gone, especially me because she was in the very first scene that I did last year. Even without her trying, she taught me so much when she was here. I could go and see her and ask her about things, like how I could deliver a certain line. She also might give me a bit of direction ... Alison is a brilliant actress and she made such a positive impact on the show, so I'm positive that they'll keep the door open if she wants to return in a couple of years' time."
Meanwhile, fans were reduced to tears in last night's (26.05.16) episode when Carla fled the cobbles in order to start a new life in Devon after she cracked under pressure and blurted out that she cheated on her new husband Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) with her arch-enemy Tracy Barlow's (Kate Ford) lover Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill) following a boozy session a few months ago.
However, although viewers are devastated to see Carla go, Alison is looking forward to spreading her wings after 10 years on the soap.
She said recently: "I'm going to miss the people here, I've made a lot of great mates, but I'm tired. I'm going to take a while off and then see what happens. I don't know what I'm going to do next, something completely different, maybe a comedy."
Tagged in Alison King Coronation Street Shayne Ward