Collinson to axe Corrie's younger cast?

[Perdita]

Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has signalled that he is axing a number of young stars, a source claims.

According to The People, Collinson believes that the serial is becoming too similar to Channel 4's Hollyoaks.

"Phil feels Corrie has become too much like a teen soap like Hollyoaks," an insider claimed.

Chesney Battersby-Brown (Sam Aston), Ryan Connor (Ben Thompson) and Gary Windass (Mikey North) may be written out of the show, the report says.

[alan45]

This would be the same Gary Windass that is getting a whole new storyline about his career as an army EOD officer. Not hard to guess how that will end.

[Dazzle]

I wouldn't miss Chesney or Ryan, but Gary Windass is quite good.

[alan45]

CORRIE favourite Ryan Connor has become the latest character to be axed by new producer Phil Collinson.
The news comes just a day after Vicky Entwistle quit her role as Janice Battersby.
Ryan - played for four years by Ben Thompson, 18 - goes in October.
Viewers will see him reject his place at a university close to the Weatherfield cobbles to study in Scotland instead.
Ryan and mum Michelle, played by Kym Marsh, have been involved in several exciting storylines.
Even so, Collinson picked him out as the first of the younger generation to be axed from the Street.
A source said: "Phil has made no secret of the fact he thinks Coronation Street has too many teenagers.
"He reckons it needs more 'real' characters like Eileen Grimshaw and is worried it's too much like Hollyoaks."
The source added: "By sending Ryan to Scotland, he leaves the door open for him to pop back.
"But it's definitely the beginning of the end. His character is on the very periphery, if there at all."
Last night a Corrie spokeswoman confirmed Ben's contract will not be renewed, but said he may be paid episode-by-episode if needed.
Since taking over early this year, Collinson has axed Ashley and Claire Peacock, played by Steven Arnold and Julia Howarth.
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Molly Dobbs (actress Vicky Binns) and Natasha Blakeman (Rachel Leskovac) will also go this year.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3080873/Corries-Connor-is-a-goner.html#ixzz0vancivZH

[Perdita]

Coronation Street bosses have dismissed claims that teen character Ryan Connor has been axed from the soap.

Earlier today, a tabloid newspaper reported that Ryan's future in the show was uncertain as he will be leaving Weatherfield to study at a university in Scotland in October.

The leaked plot was described as "the beginning of the end" for Kym Marsh's screen son, with insiders suggesting that he would subsequently be on "the very periphery, if there at all".

However, show producers have insisted that they remain committed to Thompson's character and exploring his relationship with mum Michelle.

It is understood that Ryan will still return to Weatherfield regularly when he has university holidays.

An ITV spokesperson this morning told DS: "Ryan hasn't been axed from the show and is still very much a part of Michelle Connor's life. There are plans to see him in future episodes when he returns from university for holidays."

Thompson has been part of the Coronation Street cast since 2006.

[lizann]

Please let him fire Rosie Webster

[Abbie]

I dont understand the need for this, Its not like theres loads of teens anyway!
I hardly notice them

This is just silly

[Katy]

i hardly notice them as well. I dont mind the ones they have in fact i quite like them, especially the ones that can act.

[tammyy2j]

I hope Ryan dont die that will be both Michelle's brothers and son dead :(

[Abbie]

Ryan is so annoying though

[tammyy2j]

Ryan is so annoying though

Not as much as Rosie

[Dazzle]

Rosie is the first person who should be axed from Corrie.

[Perdita]

She has major new storyline coming up, she is not going :nono:

[Dazzle]

She has major new storyline coming up, she is not going :nono:

:crying: :crying:

[Abbie]

Not as much as Rosie

Thats true, I just have this urge to want to slap her when she comes on the screen

[alan45]

Coronation Street's Ben Thompson has revealed plans to launch a music career as his role on the show is reduced.

In August, it was confirmed that Thompson's Ryan Connor had not been axed, but would only appear occasionally in the ITV soap after going to university in Glasgow.

The actor told The Bolton News that he was "sad" to have had his role reduced by producer Phil Collinson, but said that he planned to focus on launching his singing career.

"It wasn’t my choice to leave Coronation Street," he said. "But a new producer came in and wanted to shake things up.

"I am one of the characters that sadly wasn't part of the plan. Ryan is being sent off to university and can come back, but I don’t know if that will happen for the foreseeable future."

He continued: "I am sad, because it has been the biggest part of my life for the past four years. It has given me the freedom to work on my music, though. Writing music is something I have always done, but I've never been able to focus on it before because I had to do Coronation Street.

"It's nice to be able to do something completely different to acting."

However, Thompson said that he was grateful for the opportunities being in the soap had presented.

"Coronation Street has been a fantastic springboard for me - it's a national institution. People hear about my gigs and want to see Ryan from Coronation Street play songs," he said."

"It's nice that people support me because I've been on Coronation Street, but I want to impress people with my music."

He admitted that he is aware of the stigma attached to soap actors who pursue music careers.

"I know it's hard to be credible when you come out of a soap and people might think I'm singing just because I've been on television," he said. "I'm not going to be on TV with make-up on and my top off, though.

"I want to do this because I've written these songs and I want to play them for people."

Thompson also confirmed that he will return to Corrie to film scenes for Christmas episodes later this month.