BEHIND THE GOODBYE! Coronation Street’s COLSON SMITH Recounts PRIVATE CHAT That Led To SHOCK EXIT And Why He Was READY TO BE BINNED

CORONATION Street’s Colson Smith has revealed the moment when the soap’s boss ‘binned’ him – and admitted he ‘knew it was coming’.

Viewers were heartbroken as Colson’s character Craig Tinker d!ed in heartbreaking scenes last night.

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Colson Smith has spoken out after his final Coronation Street scene airedCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Craig Tinker passed away from injuries after a brutal attackCredit: ITV

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Colson had been playing the role for 14 yearsCredit: itv
The copper succumbed to serious injuries after being attacked by villain Mick Michaelis (Joe Layton).

Speaking on This Morning, Colson shared to presenters Ben Shepherd and Cat Deeley: “I knew – I had a meeting at 7pm one night after work and I was in the Rovers all day.

“I was sat there kind of not saying anything but my brain was, “I know what’s coming tonight”.

“I told Jack and Ben – my two best mates at work. Tonight’s the night, I’m getting binned. That’s what we call it.

“I was like, “Tonight’s the night, will you be there for me? So they were there and I went up to the boss.

“She looked at me and went, ‘this isn’t going to be an easy conversation. I was like, “Well, let’s just go and have it.”

Craig’s final scenes saw him try to arrest Mick for driving under the influence – as well as over concerns he’d hurt wife Lou (Farrel Hegarty).

Unfortunately, Mick overpowered the young policeman and brutally attacked him with a bat – leaving Craig for d3ad.

Much of Craig’s final episode followed him being taken to hospital where he later passed away.

Kirk (Andy Whyment), Maria (Samia Longchambon), Asha (Tanisha Gorey) and PC Jess (Donnaleigh Bailey) watched in horror as Craig was declared d3ad.

Coronation Street favourite d!es in harrowing scenes after being brutally attacked

It comes as Colson issued bosses a clear demand after learning he’d been axed.

The 26-year-old has ruled out reprising the role of Craig as a ghost or in a flashback.

Speaking after his final appearance, Colson revealed he wouldn’t be making a post-d3ath appearance like so many of his other colleagues.

He said: “Yeah, I did say I won’t be coming back as a ghost.

“I was like, the day I leave will be the day that I leave.”

Corrie cash crisis: shock exits for 2025

ITV bosses are locked in a battle to save the cash-strapped soap.

This means that a number of stars have either been axed from or have abandoned the long-running serial drama.

Colson Smith – Craig Tinker

The character of Craig Tinker has been axed by bosses after 14 years. After he was told of the news in Autumn 2024, Colson Smith confirmed that would be written out of the show with scenes to air later this year. Craig’s on-screen mum, Beth Tinker, also left the show in the summer when actress Lisa George was written out from the role.

Sue Cleaver – Eileen Grimshaw

After 25 years playing Eileen Grimshaw, former I’m A Celebrity campmate Sue Cleaver will quit the show. The Sun on Sunday reported in January that she’s already begun to film her exit scenes. However the character will not be k!lled off in case Sue opts to make a return in the future.

Luca Toolan – Mason Radcliffe

Bosses decided to axe the teenage character after just 16 months after he first joined the show. Recent scenes saw Mason stabbed by his criminal brothers after his pal Dylan brought a knife in an attempt to defend him.

Sue Devaney – Debbie Webster

In November 2024, we revealed that Debbie Webster is set to be k!lled off after 40 years on the cobbles. The character will d!e as part of a heartbreaking long-running dementia storyline.

Charlotte Jordan – Daisy Midgeley

The actress became the fifth star to leave Coronation Street in just one month. We revealed that she will bow out of the ITV soap later this year after four years on-screen. Charlotte told sources that she’s hungry to see what other opportunities await.

Shelley King – Yasmeen Metcalfe

The actress has played Yasmeen Metcalfe on the cobbles for the past 11 years and we revealed in January that she finished filming her final scenes. This follows the departure of her on-screen partner Stu Carpenter.

“It feels like it’s done. It feels like it’s finished, like I’ve got everything that I’ve got from Coronation Street and that’s it now.

“So it felt very much like a thank you, goodbye, goodnight type thing, because I know there’s no return for Craig and Colson in the future.

“I have spoke to people who have left and not been k!lled and I just feel like, for me, it was 100% the right way to kind of know that I’m not coming back.”

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Colson appeared on This Morning to discuss his Corrie departureCredit: Shutterstock Editorial