CORONATION Street star Nathan Graham has quit the soap after three years.
The actor – who plays footballer James Bailey in the ITV soap – joined the cast in 2019 as the youngest son of the show’s first ever black family.
Another character will be leaving the cobbles
Nathan Graham will bow out of the ITV soap
He’s been portraying footballer James Bailey for three years and was in a recent dramatic storyline involving his character’s health
However he has now decided to leave the soap and will be written out in the coming weeks.
Viewers have watched in recent weeks as James suffered a heart attack during a friendly football match, putting his career in jeopardy.
A source revealed: “James will have to choose between his love of his footballing career and his health.
“His exit will see him leave behind Weatherfield for a new start away from the street.”
However the source added: “James’ family are still on the cobbles and he will only be a train ride away so it may not be the last viewers have seen of him.”
Nathan’s exit will come as his on-screen sister arrives in the form of actress Channique Sterling Brown.
The soap newcomer will make her debut as the much-mentioned but never before seen Dee Dee Bailey next week.
She is set to cause chaos on the cobbles – but in a refreshing way.
Corrie boss Iain MacLeod teased her arrival to HOAR, saying: “I love this character. I loved her long before she physically existed, just by the way she was described in the Bailey family.
“But essentially, you can expect a certain amount of chaos. She’s got an incredibly big heart. She’s incredibly competent at her job, but you’d never guess that to meet her.
“Dee Dee works in law and she’s the sort of person that will issue a point-on-point take down of a team of hotshot lawyers to defend her client, but will then turn to leave the courtroom and you’ll realise that she’s done the whole thing with her skirt tucked into her knickers.
“She’s just amped up chaos in every regard, apart from she’s got this incredibly sharp mind. But she’s loads of fun.”
But what sort of trouble could she bring to the cobbles and is everything as it seems?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV.
James will be written out in upcoming weeks
His exit comes as a new character – his sister Dee Dee – will be settling in
