Coronation Street star Bill Fellows has opened up about his decision to leave the ITV soap after 3 years.
The actor, 67, will depart his Stu Carpenter role in tonight’s episode.
Metro exclusively revealed his departure in August, which was Bill’s own choice.
The character has featured in a number of key storylines during his time in Weatherfield. He was introduced when Kelly Neelan (Millie Gibson) encountered him while living on the streets.
However, had he been successful in an earlier audition, we could’ve seen him as Roy Cropper’s (David Neilson) estranged half-brother Richard Lucas.
‘I wasn’t right for the part but it was for three weeks so it was fate really because I got this part and stayed three years’ Bill explained.
‘I am so proud to have been in Corrie. It is a massive part of all our lives, especially at my age, 67, it has been around all my life.’
In more recent months, we’ve seen him take on a parental role to youngster Mason Radcliffe (Luca Toolan), who has found himself on a troubled path.
‘I was glad that we have revisited the original Stu and his history’ Bill added.
‘He started out by helping Kelly, played by Millie Gibson and I loved that storyline and working with Millie.
‘Now he is trying to help someone else who he believes should be given a second chance. So we have come full circle.’
The story has echoes of Stu’s first story with Kelly Neelan (Picture: ITV)
In tonight’s instalment, we’ll see him decide to move to Germany to live with granddaughter Eliza (Savannah Kunyo).
Things have been frosty between Stu and partner Yasmeen Nazir (Shelley King) during his quest to mentor Mason, and after realising that both her and the Speed Daal restaurant are at risk, he decides it’s best to move away.
On his decision to leave, Bill said: ‘The three years have flown and this felt like the right time to go, I always knew I would go at the end of [that].’
‘I was on set recently and I was just looking around at all the photos of everybody and I just thought “Wow, I have been a part of this”
‘[And] the fact that I have worked alongside William Roache and who is a truly lovely man – it has been wonderful.’
