Coronation Street could be axed within 10 years, says ITV soap legend
CORONATION Street legend Charlie Lawson has revealed that the ITV soap could be axed within 10 years.
The actor – who played Jim McDonald in the programme – thinks that it’s a possibility as the popular of streaming services continue to rise.
Charlie, 63, took on the role of the crook in 1989 until 2000, but has been back to Weatherfield a number of times since then.
The star thinks that there is a possibility that Coronation Street could come to an end at some point in the future.
“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.
“In 10 years who knows if we will have a Coronation Street.
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“We’re all changing our viewing habits as it is already,” Charlie told the Daily Star.
The actor thinks that the show’s number of viewers will continue to drop because of the politically correct storylines.
He confessed: “People are getting a little bit gobsmacked and fed up with all this.”
And he thinks that because of that, he definitely won’t make a return.
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Charlie said: “Jim wasn’t exactly politically correct, never mind woke!”
Earlier this year the telly star revealed why he thinks the soap was better in the 80s and 90s.
Previously speaking to Daily Star, Charlie said the quality of acting and scripts was better in his days as a regular.
He said: “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.”
He added: “Good acting is about people talking to each other, it’s the spoken word.
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“That’s why radio is the finest medium there is.
“You don’t need to shoot pretty pictures.”