Coronation Street actor Gareth Pierce, who plays Todd Grimshaw, has paid a heartfelt tribute to a departing cast member, describing it as a “real privilege” to feature in her final scenes. The Grimshaw family first arrived on the cobbles in 2000 and have remained a cornerstone of the ITV soap ever since.
Recent storylines have seen the family endure considerable hardship, with Julie Carp (Katy Cavanagh) losing her battle with cancer, while her half-sister Eileen Grimshaw (played by Sue Cleaver) has relocated to Thailand with her eldest son, Jason, after deciding to invest in his business venture.
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Now the sole remaining member of the original Grimshaw trio from the early 2000s, Gareth recently told Inside Soap about his pride in appearing in Sue Cleaver’s final scenes: “It was a real privilege. Eileen is an icon of the show, and we’ll miss Sue (Cleaver, who played her) so much.”
Gareth Pierce
The Grimshaw family joined the street back in 2000 (Image: Getty Images)
With Ryan Thomas making a brief return for Eileen’s departure, Gareth commended the programme’s writers for their approach to Todd’s relationship with his elder brother.
He explained: “There was a sense of a full circle with Ryan (Thomas, aka Jason) coming back. It was our first time on screen as Todd and Jason, and it was a masterstroke to have us as warring brothers, rather than going straight to something more heartfelt.”
Sue Cleaver
Eileen was recently seen leaving the cobbles with Jason (Image: ITV)
He added: “That was much more realistic of the way Todd and Jason generally interacted!”
Eileen’s exit from the cobbles marks the departure of one of Coronation Street’s most enduring characters, as Sue Cleaver bids farewell after a 25-year tenure on the show.
During her quarter-century stint, Sue’s character became well-known for her sharp humour and occasionally fiery temperament, which led to memorable spats with another Weatherfield legend, Gail Platt, portrayed by Helen Worth.
Ryan Thomas
Sue has established herself as one of the most popular characters in her time on the show (Image: ITV)
Following the announcement of her decision to leave the role, Sue expressed her feelings in a statement: “I’ve had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street.”
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She continued: “The door is still firmly open, but as I reached my 60th year I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures, and live fearlessly.”
Sue Cleaver
She said that that the door is still ‘open’ to a future return (Image: Getty Images)
Sue has taken occasional breaks from the soap in the past, such as when she starred as Mother Superior in Sister Act. She also ventured into the jungle for I’m A Celebrity in 2022, where she came in ninth place.
Fans can catch the next episode of Coronation Street tomorrow (July 2) at 8 p.m. on ITV.
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