Colson Smith has officially said goodbye to Coronation Street, ending a remarkable 14-year journey as fan-favorite Craig Tinker. The actor first joined the show when he was just 11 years old, and in an emotional and dramatic storyline, his character was recently killed off. Craig, who had become a fictional police officer in Weatherfield, died in the line of duty after being brutally attacked by villain Mick Michaelis.
Although some viewers initially held out hope when Craig briefly showed signs of life in the aftermath, his condition worsened, and doctors ultimately declared him dead, marking the end of his long run on the ITV soap. Colson described the exit as a perfect and fitting conclusion to his time on the show. He said dying in the line of duty felt right for his character and brought a sense of closure: “It feels like it’s done. It feels like it’s finished.”
In interviews, Colson revealed that he had known for some time that his journey as Craig was coming to an end. He recalled the moment when producer Kate Brooks told him about the plan to write him out. Colson said he had mentally prepared himself, knowing that Craig had reached a point in the storyline from which he couldn’t return. During their conversation, he even asked directly if his character would be killed off and told her that he believed it was the right move.
He explained that he didn’t want to leave any room for future returns or lingering “unfinished business.” For him, ending the story definitively — even through death — provided both him and the audience with closure. Colson said he felt lucky to have had such a powerful send-off and joked that he wouldn’t be returning as a ghost.
The emotional toll of leaving was significant, especially on his final days on set. On the night before his last scenes, Colson spent an hour sitting quietly outside the Rovers Return pub set, soaking in his surroundings and saying a personal goodbye to the place that had been his second home for more than a decade.
While Colson felt ready to move on, not all of his castmates were as prepared. He shared a touching story about fellow actor Andy Whyment, who plays Kirk Sutherland. On Colson’s final day, Andy arrived in tears, visibly shaken and emotional over his departure. The two remain very close, and Colson said Andy still calls him regularly with updates from the set, making it feel like he’s still part of the Corrie world.
As a final gesture to the cast, Colson gifted each of them a Lego figure modeled after his character, Craig Tinker. Each came with a note: “PC Tinker will always be there when you need him. I will miss you forever.”
Leaving Coronation Street was deeply personal for Colson, who said it’s hard to imagine anything in his future career matching what the show gave him. He admitted that he misses working and having a daily routine, and while he’s excited about new possibilities, he knows that Corrie was a unique and life-defining chapter.
“I do miss Corrie. I miss going to work. I miss having a job,” he said. “I can do anything else in my career, and it will never be what Corrie was. That’s what I’m grieving.”
Reflecting on how much the show shaped his life, he added: “I wouldn’t say it changed my life — I’d say it was my life. I’ve been Craig Tinker since I was 11. That’s all I’ve known. Every opportunity I’ve had, every achievement, has happened while being part of Coronation Street.”
Despite the sadness, Colson is optimistic about what lies ahead. He continues to co-host the On the Sofa podcast with Corrie co-stars Jack P. Shepherd and Ben Price and has ambitions to become a presenter. He shared that presenting has become a new passion for him and something he wants to explore fully now that he’s left the cobbles behind.
After so many years in the same role, Colson says he’s eager to try new things and embrace fresh challenges: “At the moment, there are irons in the fire. And to do the typical showbiz thing — yes, I’ve got stuff going on, and I’m excited.”
As he transitions into the next phase of his career, Colson is still winding down emotionally from the long run, but he’s ready to move forward and begin a new chapter.