Coronation Street’s beloved Eileen Grimshaw is set to wave goodbye to Weatherfield after 25 years.
Actress Sue Cleaver, who has become a household name thanks to her role as Eileen, has filmed her final emotional scenes on the show.
In an affectionate Instagram story post, co-star Tony Maudsley (George Shuttleworth) captured the poignant moment as cast and crew applauded the much-loved actress.
Amidst a sea of blooms and heartfelt presents, Sue beamed with joy, giving the thumbs up while standing alongside her on-screen sons Ryan Thomas and Gareth Pierce, who portray Jason and Todd Grimshaw respectively, joined by Tony himself.
It was back in January that Sue broke the news of her departure, telling The Sun on Sunday, “I’ve had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street.”, reports Belfast Live.
Embracing a new chapter, she added, “The door is still firmly open, but as I reached my 60th year, I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly.”
Rumours are swirling about her next move, with Betway Insider hinting that Sue might stir things up on BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef or perhaps take the reigns of her own show.
Punters are even placing their bets, with Sue tipped at enticing odds of 4/1 to either join the culinary competition or potentially launch her very own TV project, especially given her status as a familiar face on Loose Women.
Rumours are swirling that Coronation Street’s Sue Cleaver might be swapping the cobbles for the dance floor with bookies slashing odds to just 6/1 that she’ll shimmy her way onto Strictly Come Dancing. Despite whispers of a switch, Sue seems set to keep it in the Corrie family, as chances of her turning up in Emmerdale or EastEnders are more of a long shot, at 12/1 and 16/1, respectively.
Corrie’s producer Kate Brooks shared the show’s sentiments about Sue’s departure, saying: “We’re sad to bid farewell to the wonderful Sue Cleaver.”
Paying tribute to Sue’s character Eileen Grimshaw, she added: “Over the past 25 years, Eileen Grimshaw has been at the heart of some of the most memorable and iconic Corrie storylines, and her on-screen rivalry with Gail Platt will undoubtedly go down in Corrie folklore.”
She concluded with appreciation, stating: “There’s certainly no one quite like Eileen, and her character will be hugely missed on the cobbles. We wish Sue all the very best as she embarks on her next exciting chapter.”