Johnny Briggs: Corrie is no fun anymore
Johnny Briggs is "heartbroken" over the state of 'Coronation Street'.
The 75-year-old actor - who played knicker factory boss Mike Baldwin for 30 years until 2006 - criticised the lack of humour in the ITV1 soap and says he can no longer bear to tune in because the new, younger characters have derailed the soap.
He said: "There's no laughter or humour. The Duckworths have gone, Hilda Ogden is gone, the comedy and drama is dead. People were once happy in the soap. There is no one in it I recognise now.
"I watched the 50th anniversary episode in December but could only stand five minutes before I flicked over to the golf. There is no fun in the show any more. The writers have lost their way by bringing in all these unknowns and trying to make it interesting by introducing different characters.
"I haven't watched it recently so I don't know about the new gay characters, but my philosophy is: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's so sad to learn the ratings have gone down. It's heartbreaking. It used to be a great show - it was an old friend to me. Now I can't bring myself to watch, what a terrible shame."
Johnny - whose character was killed off after battling Alzheimer's disease - even claimed he could be tempted out of retirement to return to the show.
He told the Daily Mirror: "I might have to come out of retirement to return to the Street. I would seriously consider going back if they paid me the right money.
"I was the J.R. Ewing of Weatherfield - and that's what the show lacks, another great villain, a big star."
