He had not been axed, but Coronation Street bosses today admitted that one of their longest serving stars, Johnny Briggs, will leave the ITV soap in 2006 after they agreed "an exit strategy" for his character, wheeler dealer and factory owner Mike Baldwin.

Although there is a chance this could allow for a return, insiders say it is "highly probable" that Baldwin will be killed off after contracting a terminal illness that has yet to be decided.

After 29 years playing ladies-man Baldwin, Briggs has decided he wants to spend more time with his family and playing golf in Florida.

"It's a health storyline that will take a lot of research. We will also have to develop a parallel storyline, where there will be a battle over Baldwin's money. It's going to be one of the big storylines over the next couple of years," the source added.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcas...311218,00.html

Oh dear he said this morning that he would never be axed! well at least this takes some focus off EE in the press.

Is it 30 years or 29 years?

Actually it's 28 MG (he joined in 1976) and this is already the subject of at least 2 threads here.

G

Yes but this is the confirmed version and not The Sun's make believe story that he had got the axe.

Well I'm not actually sure that 100% confirms it either. The "It's a fair cop guv" moment from Mr Briggs is still missing and it quotes a "source" in a very tabloid manner.

I'd normally believe MG over the Sun but ...

G

How did you manage to read 'he wants to spend more time playing golf' and change it into 'he has been axed'?

It's been known for a long, long time that he wants to spend more time playing golf and less time working. That's why he's winding down and why the other Baldwins have been brought in. But he has a contract until 2006, and will be leaving in 2006. That's hardly being 'axed'.

Evidently you haven't got access to the Media Guardian so you haven't seen the full story. Further down the article it states:

he has "categorically not been sacked", said Coronation Street producers Granada.

Simple enough?

The first thing I said was he had not been axed, thought everyone would get the message...

well no not sacked but axed it is more or less the same as they want him out!

How do you know that?

Because they are getting rid of him doh!

You are saying they want him out.......others speak of him wishing to wind down.
Have you read somewhere they want him to go?
I read they had reached an agreement.
Doh yourself.