Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson has said that he fears he might never return to the ITV soap because his character Jim McDonald might stir up controversy with today's audiences.
The 62-year-old first joined the soap in 1989 and remained a regular cast member for 11 years - reprising the role for several short-term stints since, most recently in 2018.
His character's storylines have often revolved around his family, which includes wife Liz McDonald ( Beverley Callard, 64) as well as their two sons Andy McDonald (Nicholas Cochrane, 48) and Steve McDonald ( Simon Gregson, 47).
The family haven't been seen together on-screen for years and although Charlie "would love" to reunite with his former castmates, he thinks it would be a challenge for the show.
He opened up about potentially returning in an interview on the Distinct Nostalgia podcast last month, telling its host Ashley Byrne that Jim McDonald could now seem outdated.
He said: "My gut instinct is in these days that we live in now, I think it would be very hard, and this is not a criticism, I'm just not sure the writers would know what to do with Jim."
The actor described his character as an "old beast from a different age" and further commented that his concept of "political correctness would be non-existent."
Charlie however said that he thinks that the "ambience" of Coronation Street has "changed completely," with the actor now unsure of how his character would fit into the ITV soap.
He said that there are potentially only two ways to bring the character back, with his first suggestion being the "old" Jim.
The other option, he said, is for a modernised version of the character where the storyline would likely be "his demise."
Jim isn't the only member of the McDonald family who has been absent in recent years, with Andy having not been on-screen for more than a decade. And Charlie's on-screen ex-wife Beverley hasn't appeared on the show since 2020.
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Following her stint on I'm a Celebrity the same year as her departure from the ITV soap, Beverley said that she doesn't have any plans to return as Liz.
As previously reported, she said last year: "I had time to contemplate and I decided this time I'd say never again. I need more time to be me and do other things."
The full interview with Charlie Lawson is on the Distinct Nostalgia podcast. Coronation Street continues tonight on ITV from 7.30pm. You can catch-up through the ITV Hub.
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