Coronation Street legend Bruce Jones breaks silence as Les Battersby killed off

Coronation Street star Bruce Jones’ character Les Battersby has been killed off – and he’s not happy about it.

The TV star, 71, played the larger than life character from 1997 through to 2007. But he was told Les was being killed off over email. Bruce left show bosses reeling with anger in 2007, after an undercover reporter filmed him insulting fans and exposing secret plot lines of the ITV show, during a boozy night out on the tiles.

And it took no time at all for bosses to suspend him for his faux pas – and he never returned to the show again. But now, after learning that his character was being killed off, the actor has hit out and said fans want him to return to the show but bosses are ignoring the demand.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “[Show bosses] already emailed me a over a fortnight ago to tell me what was happening. I actually thought, well fine, I played him for ten years. It gives me closure. Maybe it will stop people asking me all the time when I’m going back, if I’m going back.”

He added: “People want me back, but it’ll stop all that, in shopping centres, wherever I go. I’m pleased it’s happening but I’m also sad about losing a character I played for ten years. I’m grateful to the street for that.” He then went on to say: “I went out the other day and people asked four times that day, ‘when are you coming back? The street is dead.'”

When asked if he held any resentment towards show bosses over their decision, he replied: “No, none whatsoever. They gave me ten years and I invented a great character and it became a great hit with everyone. I wish them all the luck in the world. I felt relieved, then I felt sadness, then I thought, ‘well, where would he go?’ ”

He added: “If he went back, where would he go? How would he get back, what would he do? Where would the storylines take him? I don’t think they could really do that much with him, which is a shame.” Speaking about fan reaction to news of his character’s death, Bruce was quick to add that some will see it as a natural evolution of the show, while others will be “upset.” He also believes that some people, who are die hard fans of his character, will threaten to boycott the show.

He said: “I’m just waiting for the reaction when it breaks, when I go shopping or to football with my mates. It’ll be a sad time for everyone. I don’t watch it. You get told, ‘I don’t watch it any more, we could do with you going back in’. But I’m not going back. He was a very popular person, Les. I can’t wait to see what the reaction I get, I can’t wait to see what reaction Coronation Street gets.”

He continued: “I wouldn’t mind betting they get a big reaction to it, but that’s the end of Les. I had a great time playing him. I’m going to move on and we’ll see what happens.” Bruce claims he no longer watches the show as he prefers to spend his time watching “good documentaries” but also prefers to read.