Coronation Street spoilers have announced the return of a major character on the ITV soap next week, months after his abrupt vanishing act sparked concern with fans

Coronation Street spoilers have announced the return of a major character(Image: Getty Images)
There’s a comeback for one missing Coronation Street character next week, after viewer concern.

Fans have been questioning the abrupt and unexplained exit of a character, and others, who didn’t appear on the street past January. Gary Windass will return to screens next week and soon finds himself caught up with villain Mick Michaelis.

But it comes after Gary, played by actor Mikey North, stopped appearing in episodes around the time of the Mason Radcliffe murder plot in January. It would seem Gary has not been on the show since then, with his onscreen partner Maria Connor also AWOL for some time.

There was no explanation though about Gary disappearing, and why he has spent months off the cobbles – or at least offscreen. He has not been mentioned as far as fans are aware, and hasn’t been in a single scene with it not really said if he’d left or not.

Instead, the character has been AWOL without reason but next week he is back on the show. He makes a big decision and confides in Maria about his plans to sell his shop, wanting to buy the builders yard instead.

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There’s a comeback for one missing Coronation Street character next week(Image: ITV)
Spoilers reveal that Mick encourages the character to go ahead with the plans despite him revealing Maria isn’t keen, not thinking they can afford it. Mick tells him to go for it, and soon the pair are toasting his big news as Gary pushes ahead with it.

Maria finds them together and is upset Gary did not consult her and even more so when she learns he’s offered troublemaker Mick a job too. Maria fears, given his drama with other residents, that Mick will being trouble to their door.

Gary assures her that she has nothing to worry about and that he’s going to make a success of the builder’s yard. But Maria warns him about his decision to work with Mick, soon telling Mick he isn’t welcome.

But there could be a moment where Mick helps them out, when a group of lads target her son Liam Connor. As they snatch his phone and terrorise him, Mick heads over – but what will he do and will Maria be grateful to him?

Gary Windass will return to screens next week and soon finds himself caught up with villain Mick Michaelis(Image: ITV)
It’s yet to be revealed what happens and whether Mick can get Gary onside, but Maria is sure he will live to regret taking him on at the yard. Viewers were stunned by the news of Gary’s abrupt return after his disappearing act, with one writing on X: “Great to see Gary back,” as another said: “At last! There’s ar Gary!”

People had been asking for weeks what had happened to the character. One fan said: “Gary needs to come back,” as another said: “Where is Gary Windass?” A third viewer asked: “Where’s our Gary may I ask? He hasn’t been on screen since January.”

Another fan commented: “Gary & Maria have been AWOL for months,” while another added: “Anyone know where Gary has gone??”. A further post asked: “Where is Gary Windass?”