Ryan Thomas fought tears returning to Coronation Street set over two-word comment
Ryan Thomas is returning to Coronation Street to appear in Eileen Grimshaw's exit storyline - as he reveals one comment from staff that had him in tears
Ryan Thomas opened up about his Coronation Street return during Friday’s This Morning – revealing he had to fight back the tears after one member of staff’s comments.
It was revealed earlier in the year that Ryan would be reprising his role as Jason Grimshaw later in the year, making a short return for his onscreen mother, Eileen Grimshaw’s exit storyline. Appearing on This Morning alongside his brother Adam to promote their new show 99 to Beat, Ryan revealed his first day back on set was yesterday, and it was an emotional one.
Opening up to Josie Gibson and Dermot O’Leary, Ryan said: “For the first time in almost 10 years, I stepped back on those cobbles and I was in the Rovers all day yesterday.
“It was a real moment. As they opened the gates, the security man said to me: ‘Welcome home,’ and I nearly started crying.
“I was 16 when I started there, and I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for that show. It’s home, it was so lovely,” he said before revealing he had a couple more days on set next week.
At the end of last year, Sue Cleaver announced she’d be stepping down from her role after 25 years. In a statement last year, the star said that the door “is still firmly open” to return to the soap but that she’s ready for “new adventures”.
“I’m leaving now – I’m 61 and this is what my new book is all about. I think we get to an age where society wants us just to shuffle off quietly and I really want to encourage other women that we have so much more to give,” she said during an interview on This Morning.
It was in fact Sue who requested Ryan came back for her exit storyline via a phone call. “When mother says you’ve got to do something, you do it!” he joked.
Ryan played the role of Jason Grimshaw on the ITV soap from 2000 to 2016, when his character left Weatherfield to start a new life in Thailand.
The star’s acting skills have been passed down in the family, with his 14-year-old daughter Scarlett Thomas starring in the BBC revival series of Waterloo Road as Izzy, alongside her uncle, Adam Thomas.
Ryan and Adam’s show 99 to Beat will premiere on ITV on Saturday. The show pits 100 contestants against each other in bizarre and unpredictable challenges, with just one rule. Don’t come last.
Elsewhere in the This Morning interview the siblings announced that their brother, Love Island star Scott Thomas would also be making an appearance in the show.
