Coronation Street legend Bruce Jones has revealed that ITV apologised to him after informing him via email that his character, Les Battersby, would be written out. Jones, who played Les for 10 years, expressed both frustration and relief about the news.
In an interview with GB News, Bruce shared: “I got an email from the casting office saying, ‘Dear Mr Jones, I am sorry to inform you Les Battersby will die in the next few months.’
“I read the email and thought, why send me an email like that? Why call me Mr. Jones? Why not call me Bruce? That annoyed me a little bit, but then I felt relieved. Maybe it’s time for me to go now.”
He explained that fans have been approaching him since the news broke, with many expressing their disappointment.
“People come up to say, ‘This is ridiculous. They should keep you in.’ But it’s their decision. It’s not mine. I’ve got no problems with Coronation Street. I had 10 great years with them, but they (the viewers) are pretty annoyed about it. I say, ‘There’s no point having a go at me, it’s not my fault.’”
While acknowledging mixed feelings about his departure, Bruce added: “I’m sad in one way, but I’m relieved in another. I mean, it’s time to let go now, and I’m quite pleased with that.”
Fans remain upset about the decision, as Bruce shared: “The fans are not happy and all that, people are pulling me in the street saying, ‘We’re not watching it. We’re watching classic.’ I’m getting the feedback from these people who were pretty annoyed about it; people who love Les. But it’s their decision. It’s their show.”
In addition to discussing his exit, Bruce reflected on the current state of Coronation Street when asked about comments that the show has “gone woke”.
He admitted: “I had no time when I was there to watch it, because I was in it. But I sat and watched Corrie with my wife on Monday night, and at the end of part one of that show I walked out the room and I didn’t go back until I heard the music at the end.
“I just couldn’t watch it. Where were the storylines? There was no comedy. My wife said to me when I came back, ‘Why did you go out?’ I said, ‘Sandra, that is not a show I was in. That was not the show I spent 10 years in.’”
Bruce also looked back on his time working with his on-screen family, saying: “I love acting and I love working with Vicky Entwistle and the two girls. We actually became a unit. I think the only mistake in my mind that we ever made was splitting Les and Janice. They should never split Les and Janice. I think that was the end of the Battersbys when that happened.”
Despite the frustration, Bruce said he appreciated the apology from ITV: “But at least I’ve had an apology from the press office for [telling me by email], which I’m grateful for.”
Bruce’s departure from Coronation Street was confirmed in May 2007, when it was announced that he would be suspended until his contract ended in September of that year.
It was later stated that his character had moved to Dublin after his suspension, which followed a reported incident where Bruce got drunk with an undercover journalist.
