ENNISKILLEN actor Charlie Lawson said he was ‘very proud’ to have played Jim McDonald in ‘Coronation Street’ after his long-running character was killed off.
Charlie (66), who spent his early life in Fermanagh, is a hugely experienced actor who made his debut on the iconic ITV soap opera in 1989.
The Enniskillen man enjoyed an 11-year stint on the cobbles, continuing to make some cameo appearances on ‘Coronation Street’, even though he decided to pursue other career opportunities.
Since 2018, when he last appeared on the show, speculation had been mounting that the character of Jim McDonald could be axed.
In an episode aired last night (Tuesday), Steve McDonald received a phone call which informed him that his iconic father, Jim, had died off-screen.
Reacting to the news, in a video shared through his social media channels, Charlie expressed his thanks to everyone who supported him during his career on ‘Coronation Street’.
“I tuned in tonight for the end of the character I played for 11 years and returned seven times to Corrie playing Jim McDonald and tonight [Tuesday] he died,” Charlie told his fans.
Raising a wine glass to the camera, Charlie extended his best wishes to all the ‘people who supported’ him since his debut in 1989.
“But for all you people who supported me and the character for all these years – here. All the very best. We had a great run and I’m very proud of the character we created,” he added.
While Charlie has made his exit from the street, he’s certainly gone out with a bang, with reports suggesting that the show will reveal he has another secret son.
Over the next few weeks, ‘Coronation Street’ will explain a back story, with Jim McDonald at its heart, that could lead to him being exposed as new character Ben O’Driscoll’s father.
