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Coronation Street actor Jeremy Sheffield has said that he is proud to have been part of Katherine Kelly's "amazing" exit storyline.
Kelly's character Becky McDonald bowed out of Weatherfield after almost six years on Monday (January 23), jetting off for a new life with her lover Danny Stratton - played by Sheffield.
She earlier crashed ex-husband Steve McDonald's (Simon Gregson) wedding to Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) and exposed her enemy's lies about her miscarriage.
Reflecting on the plot, Sheffield told The Sun: "I have loved playing Danny. The most special thing has been working with Katherine Kelly.
"She is an amazing actress and it's been nice to be part of a storyline that gave her character a happy ending."
Sheffield went on to confess that he was initially apprehensive about accepting a part in Corrie, but found the experience to be "100 times better" than he expected.
"I was really nervous as Corrie is so popular," he recalled. "I was worried I'd have to put on a Northern accent, but they assured me I wouldn't.
"From the word go, people made me feel welcome. I really enjoyed it. I'm sad to leave."
Kelly, meanwhile, has said that she is "delighted" with how Becky left the soap.
"She's had a rough old ride of it over the past few years - which as an actress, has been fantastic to play," Kelly noted. "But as a viewer, I would be upset for Becky, so I think it's nice that we've rounded things off."
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Former Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly has expressed her delight over the "amazing" success of her new stage project.
The actress, who recently bowed out from her role as Weatherfield's Becky McDonald, is currently portraying the lead part of Kate in a production of classic play She Stoops to Conquer at the National Theatre in London. Her performance has secured a warm response from critics in recent days.
Kelly told This Morning today: "The press night didn't happen until a week into the run for us, and the reviews have been amazing. It's lovely being in a hit! But the audience have loved it from the very beginning. They don't stop laughing.
"I had some friends in last night, and they couldn't believe that it was written in 1773. We haven't changed anything - it's the original script, we're in corsets and it's exactly of that period.
"But the director wanted it to be so accessible. He didn't want anybody to leave thinking, 'I didn't really understand that'. You understand the story straight away, so I think that makes it really present and really fun."
Kelly added that her departure from Coronation Street is still sinking in, as she was busy on stage when her final episodes were broadcast on ITV1.
She explained: "I didn't see them [go out]… It's all felt very surreal. The thing that's made it feel like it's actually true is things like Twitter and the messages I've had through."
The more successful she is going to be on stage, the less likely she is going to be back :( but I wish her well :)
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She justly deserves every success , I hope she can do more TV . Bound to have lots of offers of work. Classic ,iconic .Corrie character up there with the other greats.
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Katherine Kelly has claimed that her new role in ITV's Mr Selfridge is not comparable with Becky McDonald in Coronation Street.
The 32-year-old actress said that her new socialite part "couldn't be more opposite" to the downtrodden character she portrayed in the ITV soap between 2006 and 2012.
Kelly told PA: "I love the fact that it's based on the real thing and the part for me couldn't be more opposite to Becky - she is absolutely the top of the social circle, Lady Mae.
"She is the one of all the women who hang around with Mr Selfridge, she is the only one in the pecking order that's three steps above him and that's just a thrill to play."
Kelly will appear opposite Entourage's Jeremy Piven, who plays Selfridges owner Harry in the biopic.
She added: "All I know is Andrew Davies is an amazing writer, I adore the scripts, I think that Jeremy Piven is outstanding.
"I always look at the script and the part and for me the script is excellent, it's based on a true story which I always like."
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Katherine Kelly has insisted that she has no regrets over leaving Coronation Street.
The actress, who played Becky McDonald for six years, revealed that she would "love to go back" to the Weatherfield soap at some point.
Speaking on the British Soap Awards red carpet, she told PA: "I don't regret leaving at all. I haven't had a chance, I haven't had a moment to even think about it.
However, Kelly added: "The door is completely left wide open and I'd be happy to step through it at any point.
"I had a glorious time there and I'd love to go back but I was ready for a change."
Of her attendance at the star-studded ceremony, Kelly added: "Tonight is like a high school reunion for me, that's what I'm excited about. It's nice to come out en masse and celebrate."
The 32-year-old won 'Best Exit' for her departing episode in which Becky jetted off to Barbados with new boyfriend Danny.
Since leaving Corrie, Kelly has signed up for upcoming ITV drama Mr Selfridge.
The British Soap Awards will air tomorrow night (May 2) at 8pm on ITV1.
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Katherine Kelly has revealed that her former Coronation Street co-stars have already been asking her to return.
The actress, whose character Becky McDonald only left Weatherfield in January, admitted that she does "miss" the show.
"When I left the show I made it clear that I wanted the door to remain open so I'd be able to return," she told The Mirror.
"They're always asking me to go back and I think that, one day, I will. I have so many happy memories from working on the Street and I do miss those on the show."
The 32-year-old has also today (May 31) been confirmed for a role on This Morning, following in the footsteps of EastEnders legend Pam St Clement.
From Monday, June 11, Kelly will front a four-part weekly segment in the programme entitled Kelly's Heroes, which sees the star tour the country to meet charity campaigners and other unsung heroes.
"I'm really excited about the This Morning project, although I had no idea just how difficult presenting actually is," Kelly said.
"I got to meet all these ordinary people doing extraordinary things - all oblivious to how inspirational they all are. It was very humbling."
According to a source, ITV is keen to establish Kelly as one of its "golden girls", claiming she has a "big future" with the broadcaster.
The insider added: "Kate was immensely popular with Coronation Street viewers, and ITV bosses thought she'd be a natural in front of the camera, if given her own format. The hope is that [Kelly's Heroes] will lead to other things."
Katherine Kelly is soon to star in ITV's high-budget drama series Mr Selfridge alongside Entourage's Jeremy Piven.
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Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas has revealed that he would like Katherine Kelly to return.
The actor, who plays Jason Grimshaw in the ITV1 soap, said he would love her character Becky McDonald to make a cameo appearance on the Cobbles.
"I'd like to see Becky's return some time, I miss that character very much and I miss the person very much, Katherine, I think if she ever came back as a guest appearance it would make my day," Thomas told MSN.
He also told the website that he has a great relationship with co-star Sue Cleaver, who plays his on-screen mum Eileen.
"We're quite protective over each other and we look after each other. She brought me up in a way," he said. "It's been great to have such a great mum on and off screen."
Speaking of younger brother Adam, who stars in Emmerdale as Adam Barton, Thomas added: "I'm very proud of him. It's great that me and Adam are both working in soaps. To see him doing it as well is great.
"There's never any rivalry between any of the soaps. We're all doing the same job, we're all very close and get on quite well. I've got a lot of friends from different soaps."
Kelly quit Coronation Street last year to pursue other projects. Her final scenes aired in early 2012.
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Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas has revealed that he would like Katherine Kelly to return.
The actor, who plays Jason Grimshaw in the ITV1 soap, said he would love her character Becky McDonald to make a cameo appearance on the Cobbles.
"I'd like to see Becky's return some time, I miss that character very much and I miss the person very much, Katherine, I think if she ever came back as a guest appearance it would make my day," Thomas told MSN.
He also told the website that he has a great relationship with co-star Sue Cleaver, who plays his on-screen mum Eileen.
"We're quite protective over each other and we look after each other. She brought me up in a way," he said. "It's been great to have such a great mum on and off screen."
Speaking of younger brother Adam, who stars in Emmerdale as Adam Barton, Thomas added: "I'm very proud of him. It's great that me and Adam are both working in soaps. To see him doing it as well is great.
"There's never any rivalry between any of the soaps. We're all doing the same job, we're all very close and get on quite well. I've got a lot of friends from different soaps."
Kelly quit Coronation Street last year to pursue other projects. Her final scenes aired in early 2012.
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Former Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly has revealed that she would never rule out returning to the soap.
The actress, who played troubled Becky McDonald, left the show last January.
Speaking to new! magazine, Kelly said: ''If I was going to be in a soap again, I imagine it would be Corrie.
"I've always said I'd never rule out a return. I had a great time there. I'd always consider it."
However, the one thing the actress doesn't miss about her most famous character is her dyed blonde hair.
"It was hard work being a blonde when you're as dark as me. Thankfully, I had a brilliant hairdresser otherwise my hair would have just dropped out," she added.
Kelly also revealed that she has no plans to move to the US to try and chase a career in Hollywood anytime soon.
"I lived in America as a child. I've got a Green Card, so I could go over if I wanted to, but things are going so well for me in the UK, I don't know why I'd want to. I think we make fantastic television."
Kelly recently played the part of Lady Mae Loxley in ITV's drama series Mr Selfridge.
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Katherine Kelly has ruled out a Coronation Street cameo as Becky McDonald when Hayley Cropper bows out later this year.
Viewers have recently seen Hayley diagnosed with stage two pancreatic cancer. The character is expected to lose her battle with the disease later this year, as actress Julie Hesmondhalgh exits the soap after 15 years.
Despite Kelly's previous suggestion that she may return to the show if Becky's close friends Roy and Hayley were in trouble, the actress told The Sun's TV Magazine that a cameo is unlikely.
She said: "Unfortunately there's a really boring logistical problem. There's such a tight window between when Corrie film the episodes and when they broadcast them - and I'm shooting Mr Selfridge from now until November.
"So even though I've always said I'd love to pop back, I don't think that will be a possibility. Isn't that sad? It's a shame, because Becky would definitely have come back."
Kelly also revealed that her role as Lady Mae in Mr Selfridge has allowed people to accept her as someone other than fan-favourite Becky.
She said: "When I took two months off last Christmas and went on holiday to Australia the air hostesses were like: 'Aw, Becky.'
"But when I came back after Mr Selfridge had been on, people were all: 'Hi, Lady Mae.' I was like: 'Yes!'"
