Coronation Street's new executive producer Kate Brooks has suggested that she will freshen up the cast in 2025.
Having started in the job last April, moving across from Emmerdale, Brooks's storylines are now starting to be seen on screen - including overseeing a seismic change for the Platt family with the departure of Gail (Helen Worth) over Christmas.
Talking to press recently, Brooks outlined plans to bring in new characters, including a brand new family and a hitherto-unseen Webster sibling, but also revealed plans to axe some existing cast members.
"There are a few exits this year, and some unexpected ones that will send shockwaves," she told The Sun. "People might not expect the exits, but there are a few."
In quotes reported by Metro, Brooks went on to describe her attitude to the soap as it enters its 65th year on screens.
"I've made no attempt to disguise the fact that I am a fan of Coronation Street. I love the show, I think it's brilliant," she said.
"I just really want to make sure that the audience are entertained. I think it's important that we tell gritty, issue-led stories – and we've got those coming up in abundance – but it's about packaging them in the right way and keeping them fresh and different, without losing the DNA of Corrie.
"What makes Corrie so wonderful is the familiarity of it. It's the wit, it's the characters. All of these stories have been packaged with that in mind. That will be at the heart of every one."
She continued: "Coming up in 2025, there's loads of really exciting stuff. There are loads of shocks coming up. Just when you think a story is going in one direction, we do a complete 360 and it goes in a completely different direction.
"The Platts are going to feature really heavily. We've got the Websters, we're building that clan and seeing those dynamics.
"The Connors, with Lisa and Carla and Betsy and Ryan – we're building that family and building the factory. We've got lots coming up that is going to be really exciting!
"My vision is making sure that we keep people engaged, keep people entertained and keep people guessing! We don't want them to become complacent, we want to pull the rug from underneath them sometimes.
"We want them to be sat at home with a cup of tea and a biscuit and have something happen that they did not expect. So, expect the unexpected in 2025!"
Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7am on ITVX and at 8pm on ITV1.
Neil Wilkes
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