Coronation Street fans are outraged as ITV gives PC Craig Tinker (played by Colson Smith) a TRAGIC ENDING. Some fans have even suggested, “Let him continue as a GHOST to punish the villains.”

Coronation Street fans fumed that Colson Smith was ‘done dirty’ as they sobbed at his alter-ego Craig Tinker’s final scenes on Wednesday night.

Viewers of the ITV soap fought back the tears as they watched the police officer draw his final breath in hospital.

Craig, who had been a character on the Cobbles since 2011, di3d after he was mu::rd3red by Mick Michaelis (Joe Layton) just moments after the police officer tried to arrest him for driving under the influence.

However the crook didn’t want to be caught and took matters into his own hands by hitting him over the head with a bat, and left him for d3ad.

PC Craig was rushed to hospital and although it looked like he was going to get better, things took a turn in hospital after PC Jess arrived to get a statement off him.

Pal Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey) asked: ‘Are you up for that?’

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Coronation Street fans fume ‘they did him dirty’ as they’re left sobbing by Craig Tinker’s harrowing final scenes and complain ‘he deserved a happy ending!’

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Craig, who had been a character on the Cobbles since 2011, di3d after he was m::urd3red by Mick Michaelis (Joe Layton) just moments after the police officer tried to arrest him for driving under the influence

Clearly still feeling fragile after what happened, but wanting to get on with things, Craig replied: ‘Yeah.’

‘Craig, are you alright?’, she replied.

Kirk Sutherland (Andy Whyment) and Maria O’Connor (Samia Longchambon) burst into the hospital room and he told him: ‘I’ve got your lucky tie.’

The officer looked at two of them and closed his eyes as the hospital machines started bleeping.

Kirk shouted: ‘What’s going on?!’

Doctors and nurses rushed to his side and one put a torch in his eye and noticed that his brain was swelling, and later confessed ‘I can’t feel a pulse’.

One shouted: ‘I’m going to start CPR now Craig.’

At the end of the instalment, while performing CPR, the doctor said: ‘The rhythm is still asystole.

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PC Craig was rushed to hospital and although it looked like he was going to get better, things took a turn in hospital after PC Jess arrived to get a statement off him

‘I don’t think we can reverse anything here. I suggest we stop. Anyone disagree?’

Kirk shouted: ‘Why are they stopping?’

The doctor added: ‘I’m calling the time of d3ath. 19:25.’

Viewers flocked to social media to share their heartbreak over his d3ath, with many complaining that ‘he deserved a happy ending!’

One wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘Nah Coronation Street did Craigy dirty there, we do not want more d3aths he deserved a happy ending.’

‘NOT OUR CRAIGY!!! Justice for Craig.’

‘Not our Craigy. I was hoping they’d let Craig leave happy on transfer to a different district to go further up his career ladder but man #corrie that was brutal.’

‘Sad to see the end of Craig Tinker on @itvcorrie. I wish they could have left the door open for the always sunny character. I found a few drawing I did of him from years back.’

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Many rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their heartbreak over the devastating scenes that aired on Wednesday evening

‘RIP CRAIG . Also known as PC Tinker. The best police officer that the street has ever known.’

‘Not Craig #Corrie.’

‘Absolutely hate that we lost Craig that way – if anyone deserved a happy ending, it was Tinker.’

Speaking about what viewers ahead of the scenes, Colson said: ‘I can’t wait for people to see Craig’s final scenes.

‘It is exactly the exit I wanted for him and we are all really proud of what we filmed in those final weeks. It was actually great fun.

‘I was walking around covered in fake blood for days and I was chuffed that I got to work with so many brilliant people in this final storyline.’

Since November last year, it was revealed a number of stars were leaving, including Colson.

And back in January the star revealed to MailOnline that he was told in Autumn 2024 that he would be written out of the soap.

At the time an inside source also explained that Colson is excited for the next chapter of his career and said viewers should look forward to a ‘brilliant exit storyline’.

Craig Tinker bl00di3d in final Coronation Street scenes after attack

Reflecting on his on the show, Colson confessed that he has loved ‘every single second’ of his time on the show and feels ‘incredibly lucky’ to have been a part of the show for so long.

Colson told MailOnline: ‘Autumn last year I was told that Craig Tinker’s time on the Cobbles is to come to end in 2025.

‘I’ve loved every single second of my 14 year stay as a resident on the greatest street in the world.

‘I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up in, on and around Coronation Street.

‘I’ve learned pretty much everything about life from the people who call it home. I’m excited to play out the exit story for our Craigy.

‘For me, this is the end of the beginning.

‘I genuinely can’t wait to see what chapter two has in store for me.’