Coronation Street actor Charlie Lawson has promised to address the 'many reasons' behind his character Jim McDonald's sudden off-screen death. The 66-year-old, who played the ex-army man from 1989 to 2000 and returned for seven further stints until 2018, took to X after Tuesday's episode where Steve received a call informing him of his father's death.
Lawson said: 'There are many reasons, political ones, which I shall answer over the next coming of time. For all you people who supported me, all the very best. We had a great run and I'm very, very proud of the character we created.'
Fans criticised the swift handling of the death, with one calling it 'disgusting' and 'disrespectful' that Steve only received a quick phone call. Another said it 'felt quite rushed' for such an iconic character, suggesting the actor should have returned for a final scene or Steve should have visited him off-screen.
Lawson had previously criticised his final storyline, which saw Jim con Liz McDonald out of money by pretending his girlfriend was their long-lost daughter. He described the plot as 'weak' and said: 'Now he can't be ruined any more. He's out of his misery.'
