Corrie star Lauren Bolton faces trial in dramatic scenes (Image: ITV)
has set the rumour mill abuzz by purportedly extending an invite to an heavyweight to join the Weatherfield ensemble, amidst recent departures making headlines. Notable exits in recent times include Sue Cleaver, Daisy Midgeley, and Yasmeen Nazir, not to mention Helen Worth’s farewell last Christmas.
Despite the raft of departures, appears to be bolstering its ranks with the addition of alum Samuel James, if gossip is to be believed. James earned his stripes as Jimmie Broome on and for his stint as Garth Stubbs on Birds of a Feather.
The Sun has reported that Samuel will walk the cobbles as legal eagle Steven Poyser, who is at the helm of the prosecution in the courtroom drama surrounding Lauren Bolton. Cait Fitton portrays Lauren, who faces charges for the murder of the malicious and manipulative solicitor Joel Deering.
A source told the publication: “Samuel will appear on screen for a number of episodes in a guest role as Lauren’s fate is finally revealed.”
EastEnders star Samuel James is reportedly joining Coronation Street (Image: BBC)
Samuel previously starred in Birds of a Feather, playing the role of Garth Stubbs when it was revived in 2014.
He took over from Matt Willis who didn’t return for the sitcom’s reboot.
The actor has also had a number of appearances in over the last decade.
On Wednesday, another shockwave hit , with Seamus McGoff publicly announcing his soap departure. The actor played Matty Radcliffe and indicated on he had gone “out with a bang”.
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Samuel previously appeared on EastEnders as Jimmie Broome (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes)
Eager fans swarmed the comment section to probe McGoff on his soap opera swansong, with one questioning “Omg are you leaving.”
Another expressed disbelief with “You ain’t done already are you!?!” and yet another quizzed: “Don’t tell me that is your last scene?”.
However, a source revealed to The Mirror that the show has plenty of surprises in store, stating it’s a case of “one door closes and another opens” with regards to the cast.
“Fans can dismiss any notion that the soap will disappear within a decade, as it’s far from teetering on the edge of collapse. There are some thrilling twists ahead for our beloved characters and couples, including a major stunt that promises to deliver high drama, as well as potent storylines that will thrust some of soap’s biggest characters into the spotlight,” they shared.
“It truly is a situation where one door closes and another opens, as while we’ll be saying goodbye to some familiar faces, others will be making a return – and the fresh faces could be just what the show needs. There’s so much more to come, so the idea that ‘s end is near is ludicrous.”
boss Kate Brooks hinted at further cast departures in 2025 towards the end of last year.
“There are a few exits this year, and some unexpected ones that will cause a stir. People might not anticipate the exits, but there are a few,” she disclosed.
In related news, Lucy Fallon, Shelley King, Maureen Lipman recently announced their departure from this year.
However, fans of Evelyn Plummer can breathe a sigh of relief as Maureen Lipman confirmed her exit is not permanent.
“I’ll be absent for a while and then coming back. I’m not going to die, but then I’ll be in and out of it because I want to have a bit of a life. David and I are thinking of having a bit of a gap year,” she declared last year.