Coronation Street actor Andy Whyment, who plays much-loved character Kirk Sutherland in the ITV soap, has denied rumours of a cast revolt - and his co-stars have chimed in too.
"There is a story about @coronationstreet in the press nearly every day at the moment," he exclaimed as he took to Instagram to share his response. "I’d just like to say that the show is not on its knees and there is most certainly not a cast revolt as one article has said."
He urged: "Please don’t believe everything you read, I for at least one cast member am extremely happy and feel very grateful to still be working on Coronation Street." More than 3,600 fans hit the like button in under an hour, as they called for an end to the shadow that the speculation has cast over the show.
His co-star Jane Hazlegrove, who's well known for her role as Bernie Winter, wrote back: "Well b**ody said! Brilliant bunch of kind clever creatives both in front of the camera and behind! Away with the negativity!" Andy agreed: "So true!"
Jane Danson, who's had a huge storyline recently with her character Leanne Battersby getting brainwashed by a cult called The Institute, also had her say. Amen to that," she wrote, punctuating her words with a love heart emoji.
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"Also we are a cast and crew who care and respect each other deeply - through good times and bad. Through life and work. We are family xx," she concluded.
Vicky Myers, who is also known as policewoman DSI Swain and having an on-screen affair with Carla Connor (Alison King), added: "Absolutely!! Well said Andy. xx"
Talk of a revolt first began when news emerged about a cast shake-up, with familiar faces set to leave the cobbles amid a ratings dip.
Luca Toolan, who plays Mason Radcliffe, Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw), Colson Smith (Craig Tinker), Charlotte Jordan (Daisy Midgeley) are all leaving in 2025.
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Lucy Fallon (Bethany Platt) and Maureen Lipman (Evelyn Plummer) are also stepping away, although it's believed these are not permanent departures and that both will subsequently return.
Maureen quipped to The Sun that she might have a "gap year", sharing: "I'll be absent for a while and then coming back. I'm not going to die, but then I'll be in and out of it because I want to have a bit of a life."
News of the six cast members set to leave comes shortly after Helen Worth shocked the nation with her plans to say goodbye to her role as Gail Platt after 50 years.
Meanwhile, Sue Devaney, who plays Kevin's sister Debbie Webster, is set to act in a heart-breaking dementia storyline later this year, which could end in her departure from the show too.
Some disgruntled viewers have been complaining about the "dark and gloomy" storylines they've seen of late, and ratings have recently taken a hit, but the show still has millions of diehard fans.
Some declared on Andy's post that Corrie was "the best soap on telly", while one vowed: "As long as it’s not cancelled I’ll keep watching. Let’s hope for more of ‘Our Kirky’ in 2025."
