I've read that the actor is taking a break, but what have the writers come up with to explain his absence? I've missed a few episodes here and there and other than him being in Spain, I don't recall hearing a reasonable excuse for him still being there after the honeymoon.

Is the actor planning on returning?

The actor is planning on returning yes. I think he's stayed there cos Andy his brother broke his leg and he's found he's enjoying himself...something like that anyway.

Simon Gregson has been filming for a few weeks now, I think he'll be back on screen in a couple of weeks. Bev Callard has been signed off now so they'll have to come up with an exit for Liz. Probably send her off to help Andy next.

Thank you both.

Steve is back Soon.

The reason given is ridiculous! You might help your brother out for a few weeks but months down the line it seems a bit strange unless he is thinking that him and Michelle are no longer an item. I would be furious if I was Michelle.

Hope they don't go all lovey-dovey when he returns as he obviously hasn't missed her at all.

how long does a broken leg take to heal??

Exactly this!! I'm getting really sick of the anti Michelle comments on here now where Steve is concerned!!
Yes I accept & wholeheartedly agreed at the time that the way Michelle (and Liz) were treating him at the time probably contributed heavily to his depression, but to give her due, since she found out about his diagnosis Michelle has been nothing but lovely to him, giving him support while he was there, fighting his corner with anyone who had a go & promising to keep things ticking over for him while he went off for some recuperation time!!
Even when he announced he was staying over a while longer to help out Andy when he broke his ankle she didn't complain!!
That was now months ago & Steve is now completely taking the p*** as Steve is very good at doing (ok I know it's cos of Simon's illness leave but we're looking at things in a story context from Michelle's point of view here!)
If I were Michelle I would be feeling exactly as she is now & I would be sorely tempted to have a bit of fun with the first bloke who showed me some attention but she won't do it because, for all her many faults, she is nothing if not loyal!!
Liz was completely & utterly out of order wih her sanctimonious, screeching, arrogant interfering last night & if I'd have been Michelle I'd have given her the slapping of her life!!
She was spot on with her comments that Steve is now just being selfish & seems to have given up on their marriage & if Liz really wants to help she should go across there herself & kick his butt so hard he ends up back in England....unless of course he really has given up on the marriage, in which case he should have the guts & decency to face Michelle & tell her so, something else feckless Steve has never been very good at!!

I have never been the world's biggest Michelle fan by a long way, but in this case I am 100% behind her!!!

I think it's obvious that Steve is about to return.

They've gone from mentioning Steve every now and again and 'oh, he's having to help Andy out' to 'My Dad doesn't love me' and being the worst husband in the world ...

I hope it's sooner rather than later because a) I miss Steve and b) I don't want to hear Michelle moaning she's running 3 businesses ( I assume Liz doesn't contribute to running the pub at all )

Mrsutie has just assured me that (having had one) it takes six weeks.

I agree that it's not a very good excuse and that falls entirely on the writers. Hopefully they'll have come up with something when he returns or use it as a plot device for Michelle to break up with him. I get that their hands are sometimes tied when the actors take time off but this one was very poorly thought out by the writing team.

B.i.b. Absolutely!

I don't care because it is just a contrived storyline to set up Steve's return. All of a sudden she is underappreciated and who happens to show up? A good looking bloke she happened to date many years ago, which we know will lead to him possibly wanting to have an affair with her. All of a sudden Liz has gone from kissing Michelle's backside to criticizing her at every turn.

I don't get why Steve can't return off-screen anyway. I know Simon Gregson has been ill and I am sorry about that, but being gone this length of time is taking the piss.

It is nonsense like this why Corrie is awful.

Still Andy is a young bloke who surely should be able to take care of himself. I wouldn't want to be a relative of anyone living on Coronation Street as you are at risk of being in accidents, breaking legs, falling seriously ill (which stretches out for six months to even a year).

And no doubt

I agree it is appalling writing, continuity, everything we've come to expect from Blackburn's Corrie & as I say I've been hyper critical of Michelle in the past, especially her behaviour towards Steve in the lead up to his depression, but the fact remains, even leaving out all this 'stress from running three businesses' crap that appeared like yesterday from absolutely nowhere, Steve the character is seriously taking the pi*s where Michelle & their relationship is concerned now!! If he wants out of their marriage he should have the guts to tell her, if not he should get his arse back home & prove it!!

In the present storyline, Steve has not only abandoned his wife for months, but his little daughter as well. I am sure a good writer could have written a more plausible story to explain Steve's absence. Steve can't hold the licence for The Rovers; as he has a criminal record. does anyone know whose name is over the door?

Apparently it is Michelle, although I would have thought it would be Liz.

Steve bought the pub for Michelle!! Liz only put up some of the money!! Doesn't stop her thinking she has a God given right to order everyone around & act like a school bully though!!

Who Michelle?

The whole thing is symptomatic of crappy writing leading to the whole "assassination of absent character". It was done with Zainab and Martin in Eastenders.

Not only is the continuity rubbish (as 8 months at 14 doesn't allow for the love of her life to become that, and get her pregnant in time to have a baby at 15, unless she dropped 'em straight away), but the direction is so predictable.

Yes Michelle has a right to be upset but why is she spilling all her private business to this guy? This isn't the first time the "hard done by harridan" is justified in straying. Only the character being strayed from has been destroyed by writing from afar. As stated, they could've been more inventive but this is the easiest and most used formula.

Rubbish.

Unless it gets infected in which case it then can takes months to heal (having had one)

Mine took about six months. I broke the fibula and medial malleolus (ankle bone) and have a metal plate and six screws in. I had the plaster on for 10 weeks and used crutches for about 3 months, but I was still limping after six months.

Getting sick of "I am getting tired of running three job's"

Lets face facts. Steve has been having a fine old time in Spain.

Look at whose waiting for him back in Weatherfield. McMutton and Miss Hell. Two people who were responsible for giving him his breakdown

No Liz!!!!

Think you're getting a bit mixed up here!!

This guy isn't Ryan's Dad, that was Dean who was killed in a car crash!! (For simplicity's sake please don't remind me that Ryan wasn't really Ryan, he was Alex )

This guy is someone she dated at school presumably!! She must have started with Dean fairly soon after splitting from this one though!!

As for 'assassinating Steve's characacter from afar' it might be worth reminding you that last time Steve buggered off to Spain for a lengthy spell, when he was with Michelle first time round, it was because he was running away from the fact he'd slept with Becky, leaving Lloyd to face an inquisition from Michelle!!

On returning he decided he would rather be with Becky & embarked on a 'bad boyfriend campaign' with Michelle, treating her like shit in the hope she'd finish with him & leave him clear to be with Becky!! All because he hadn't the guts to just tell her straight!!

Steve is FAR from being as blameless as some on here make him out to be!!