Coronation Street viewers were devastated when Ashley Peacock met his tragic end following a dramatic incident on the beloved ITV soap.

Ashley arrived in Weatherfield back in 1995 to work at the family butcher’s shop, quickly winning over audiences with his charm.

The character initially believed he knew his father’s identity, only to discover in a shocking twist that he was actually the son of his supposed uncle Fred Elliott (John Savident) – famous for his “I say” catchphrase – and Kathleen Gutteridge (Elizabeth Rider).

Fred’s sister Beryl and her husband had brought Ashley up as their own child, with Ashley thinking Fred was merely his uncle until the dramatic revelation unfolded in classic Corrie fashion.

Beyond the family secrets, the butcher proved irresistible to Weatherfield’s women thanks to his mischievous charm and generous heart, reports Leicestershire Live.

Ashley wed his soulmate Maxine Heavey (Tracy Shaw) in September 1999. Heartbreakingly, just four years later, Maxine fell victim to Corrie’s notorious serial killer Richard Hillman (Brian Capron).

The widower eventually discovered love once more, tying the knot with Claire (Julia Haworth) during a festive Christmas Day episode in 2004, and together they welcomed son Freddie.

Though adored by soap enthusiasts, Ashley met his demise in 2010 during the catastrophic tram crash that commemorated the programme’s 50th milestone.

He perished when the roof collapsed on him after courageously rescuing Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).

Who played Ashley Peacock in Corrie?

Steven Arnold, known for his role as Ashley Peacock on Coronation Street from 1995 to 2010, was born on 12th December 1974 in Warrington, Cheshire, England.

His drama teacher at school encouraged him to audition for a part in a National Film and Television School production titled This Boy’s Story, which later bagged a BAFTA for Best Short Film.

After leaving the cobbles, Steven has had a successful stage career and even showed off his ice-skating skills on Dancing On Ice in 2011.

He’s also made appearances in Casualty, Thick As Thieves, and On The Market, but most of his work has been in short films, with numerous credits to his name.

In 2023, he participated in The Big Soap Quiz: Coronation Street v Emmerdale, hosted by Stephen Mulhern, and played a detective in Dan Hawk Psychic Detective in 2024.

Steven competed against Charlotte Crosby, Dawn Ward, Ewen MacIntosh and Jay Hutton in Celebrity Come Dine with Me 2020.

Since leaving the cobbles, Steven surprised fans with his unexpected job away from the limelight – working as a butcher, mirroring his character’s profession, according to The Mirror.

Customers were amazed to spot the familiar face working hard behind the till at the high street establishment Bennett’s of Yorkshire Quality Butchers in Leeds.

Steven was photographed taking a selfie with a delighted fan who recognised him.

The woman shared her astonishment at being served by Steven, commenting: “What a lovely burger served by an equally lovely guy.”

Other shoppers were equally bewildered by Steven’s new role. One observed: “Oh so he’s a butcher in real life and not just on TV.”

Another mentioned: “Last time I saw him he was selling meat from a butchers wagon at Skirlington market.”

Corrie enthusiasts have recently been campaigning for Ashley Peacock’s children and former wife to make a comeback to Weatherfield 15 years following his demise.

Posting on Reddit, one viewer asked: “Should Ashley peacock kids and ex wife return?”.

Another responded: “Well, in a way, I’d like to see them, but seeing the amount of characters who Corrie ruined when they brought back, not so sure.”

A third contributed: “Maybe she could drop in and goes to the Rovers and encounters Kirk and they develop into a romantic relationship over time.”

“Be interesting, but what would Claire do? they cant write stories and scripts, they wont remember Claire’ character, and they probably make Joshua and Freddie be a problem men probably into crime and they will blame Claire for the death of Ashley”, one fan explained.

“Or they could write as Joshua coming back to Coronation Street to learn about his mother and why she die”, another suggested.