Eileen Grimshaw’s world starts to fall apart as her last Coronation Street scenes are on the horizon. With shock impairing her decision-making and the authorities closing in, she makes one telephone call that alters the course of events. But who arrives to rescue her?
Accusations Fly and Eileen is Sent Down Behind Bars
Sue Cleaver, who announced her departure earlier this year after 25 years on the cobbles, is at the centre of a tragic exit storyline. Her character, Eileen, finds herself accused of being responsible for the death of her sister, Julie Carp.
Police call in Eileen for questioning and tell her that if she’s found guilty, she might spend up to 14 years in prison. Desperate and distraught, she seeks the help of her son, Jason Grimshaw.
Coronation Street: He’s There to “Save” Eileen
Ryan Thomas, reprising his role as Jason, confirmed on an appearance on Loose Women that he’s returning specifically to help Eileen in her hour of need. Sitting next to his brother Adam (of Waterloo Road fame), Ryan explained that Sue approached him personally to be involved in her exit. “Mother rings me asking, ‘Will you come back for my exit storyline?’ and I went, ‘Yeah,'” he explained.
Ryan called the return nostalgic and emotional. He described it as something that “takes you down memory lane—the place it all started.”
A Quiet Goodbye with Big Emotions
In January, Sue Cleaver spoke about her departure. She is now 61 and revealed that she wanted the next decade to be about herself. “Like most mums, we have responsibilities… I’ve got the stage—my son is grown up now, he’s 29—I don’t have any responsibilities. I want to do something new,” she said.
In early April, Sue finished wrapping her last scenes. She described the goodbye as “emotional,”. She told that Antony Cotton had arranged an intimate dinner with 12 close co-stars the night before she wrapped. “We had a good time, and then we wrapped up filming on Friday,” she continued.
Stay up to date with Soap Opera Daily for all of the dramatic exits, and heartwarming returns from Coronation Street.