CORONATION Street star Lucy Fallon has revealed Colson Smith’s shock exit from the cobbles left her in floods of tears.
The Bethany Platt actress is devastated by the Weatherfield copper’s axing after 14 years.
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She wrote on Instagram: “Now that I’ve stopped crying about it, I can’t WAIT to see you slay the day. x”
Tina O’Brien, who plays Sarah Platt, said: “Love you Cols [heart emojis]”.
Jenny Connor star Sally Ann Matthews said: “Grandma loves ya and can’t wait to watch you fly! x”
Georgia Taylor (Toyah Battersby) said: “We love you Cols.”
Colson, 26, plays the role of PC Craig Tinker on the show and will say a sad goodbye later this year.
He revealed how he was told of his exit in an upbeat social media statement.
The actor wrote on Instagram: “Autumn last year I was told that Craig Tinker’s time on the Cobbles is to come to end in 2025.
“I’ve loved every single second of my 14 year stay as a resident on the greatest street in the world. I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up in, on and around Coronation Street.
“I’ve learned pretty much everything about life from the people who call it home.
“I’m excited to play out the exit story for our Craigy. For me, this is the end of the beginning.
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“I genuinely can’t wait to see what chapter two has in store for me.”
Fans are so devastated they’ve launched a petition to save him.
Craig’s on-screen mum, Beth Tinker, also left the show in the summer when actress Lisa George was written out.
He is the latest in a long-list of stars to leave the programme in recent months.
The Sun on Sunday revealed how Sue Cleaver had quit the show after 25 years as Eileen Grimshaw.
Sue and Colson’s departures follow the high-profile exit of Helen Worth as Gail Platt after 50 years.
As well as appearing on the Corrie cobbles, Colson took part in ITV reality show Celebrity Big Brother last year.
He reached the final of the programme – falling just shy of winning behind Strictly star Nikita Kuzmin and reality star David Potts.
Colson also appears on the On The Sofa podcast with co-stars Jack P Shepherd and Ben Price.
Corrie is understood to have been hit by a cash crisis with a series of stars being axed in order to free up funds.
The Sun told how bosses have been unable to guarantee that anyone on the cast will be kept on beyond the end of the year.
