End of an era! Coronation Street star ‘positive but sad’ to leave after 16 years

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Simon says goodbye to Leanne in Coronation Street
The end of an era (Picture: ITV)

Alex Bain, who has been portraying Simon Barlow on Coronation Street for sixteen years, is thinking ahead to his departure.

Next Monday, Alex, 22, who started the ITV serial opera at the age of six, will leave it.

The last several months have been difficult for Simon since he used drugs after his father Peter’s (Chris Gascoyne) departure, is now being prosecuted for driving under the influence, and is involved with a dark cult led by Rowan Cunliffe (Emrhys Cooper).

In addition, he endured physical abuse at the hands of his adoptive mother, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), contended with Peter’s alcoholism, and endured being wrongfully imprisoned for Tina McIntyre’s (Michelle Keegan) death.

He was hired as a drug dealer by Harvey Gaskell (Will Mellor) a few years ago, and he collaborated with Jacob Hay (Jack James Ryan) on a contentious county borders scheme.

Leanne comes back right before Simon says goodbye. (Image: ITV)

It seems like Simon is more than worthy of a fresh start, and that’s precisely what will happen when he leaves to work with Peter aboard a boat.

Alex stated upon his departure that the ongoing drama had been “the backbone of [his] life” and that he felt “very positive about it,” but that he was now 22 and that it could be time to explore what was next.

You become a member of a family there, and I will always have those individuals in my life; it’s more than just a job. They are buddies as well as coworkers. Of course, saying goodbye to folks makes everyone leaving upset, but that grief only makes up a small portion of it.

Leanne has been coding reality shows (Image: ITV).

“That doesn’t take away the excitement and anticipation,” he said. After Chris left, it seemed right that Simon should follow in his father’s footsteps because he had gone through a lot and was alone without him. I may now go on new experiences of my own because Simon is off on his expedition.

He’ll be packing his things when Leanne returns to Weatherfield, so his final moments will be clouded with melancholy. She has been separated from her family and has been “reality coding” at one of Rowan’s retreats.

It is unclear what these retreats truly involve.

He will, however, ultimately find happiness: “With his dad, he is literally sailing off into the sunset, and his future is bright.” Alex continued.

Since he hasn’t died, I don’t need to weep for him. He is not incarcerated. I can picture him enjoying himself greatly with his father, sipping orange juice on the boat in the middle of nowhere.

“I think this is the best their relationship has ever been.”

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