ITV Coronation Street legend 'to be killed off' after 27 years on the cobbles

Fans of the ITV soap are set to be left stunned as it has been claimed that Les Battersby will be killed off, almost three decades after he first arrived in Weatherfield

A Coronation Street stalwart is set to meet his end on the beloved ITV soap, 27 years after first stepping onto the cobbles. Reports suggest that Les Battersby, a character who has been part of Weatherfield since his arrival nearly three decades ago, will be written out of the show.

Bruce Jones, who portrayed the memorable taxi driver Les from 1997, quickly became a hit with viewers. He starred alongside his on-screen family: wife Janice (played by Vicky Entwistle), daughter Leanne (Jane Danson), and stepdaughter Toyah (Georgia Taylor).

Despite leaving the soap 10 years later, Les remains a cherished figure among fans.

In upcoming episodes, Leanne is set to receive a devastating phone call informing her of her father's death, leaving her with the difficult task of telling Toyah the tragic news, as reported by Plymouth Live.

An insider shared with The Sun: "It's a huge snub to kill off a popular character like this. Bruce created one of the Street's most iconic characters in Les and always hoped one day he might return.", reports Lancs Live.

"A lot of the cast and crew have said it's a bit mean. It's also bound to infuriate long-term fans who remember Les with great fondness."

However, when approached for comment, a Coronation Street spokeswoman stated: "We don't comment on future storylines."

Bruce, reflecting on his character last year, expressed pride: "Les is a legend. I'm so proud of him."

In a twist, the actor made his wrestling debut in February, and a nod to this was included in the October 18 episode, where Leanne and Toyah joked about their father being "drunk at the wrestling". The storyline of Janice and Les's dramatic split, which saw Janice move on with Dennie Stringer (Charles Dale) and Les find love with Cilla Brown (Wendi Peters), remains a memorable plotline for many fans.

Reports suggest that Bruce departed after allegations surfaced that he had been drinking with an undercover journalist, during which he disclosed upcoming plotlines and made unsuitable remarks, as per the Mirror.