'I know 5 things that are killing off Corrie', says Jim McDonald actor Charlie Lawson

CORONATION Street great Charlie Lawson has blasted the world’s longest-running soap for going downhill, believing some “extremely average” acting is turning off viewers.
Charlie, who has played Jim McDonald on and off on the ITV series since 1989, says he does not recognise the show any more - and claims Sarah Lancashire, who played Raquel Wolstenhulme in the Nineties, feels the same.
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[@johngilmore697]

Jim knows the score, so he does.

[@IanBlack66]

😃

[@stephenogden5470]

He's yer man, so he is!

[@stephenmcconnell1000]

He'll tell you this and he'll tell you no more.

[@johngilmore697]

@@stephenmcconnell1000 To be sure , so he will

[@christschinwon]

What about you there son?

[@Sunshine-Light]

The script has been terrible for years …. Total crap

[@clarkpatient7950]

I agree. People are blaming 'woke', whereas Corrie has always heavily talked about politics (they had endless talks on womens lib in the 80s). Its doing it in a charming and subtle way that theyre incapable of now. It all comes down to the scriptwriters,,, it would still be awful without the "woke" as the writing is so poor.

[@stephenogden5470]

I'm 63 and grew up with Coronation Street, but stopped watching it about 10 years ago, because basically it went from funny and watchable to woke and unwatchable!

[@DianeBonner-g3d]

Same as me 63 watched with my nan not know

[@derekgreenwood9672]

Same age, same opinion.

[@garyturley2435]

well said

[@Ruffbiker68]

I just watch the classic Corrie and classic Emmerdale 👍

[@Ruffbiker68]

​@@nicotoscani1707LOOOSSSEERRR

[@katfanker]

He was brilliant on Corrie. Sadly, I agree with everything Charlie is saying. 😢

[@barry2924]

Loved jimbo in the prison with Peter Barlow it was hilarious

[@gearoidoconnell5729]

I be rewatching the old Corrie on ITV 3 it is so much better and fundy what happens to jokes in the new one the same to remove it.😮

[@GJBraithwaite]

As a close friend of the late Tony Warren, I think he'd be turning in his grave to see what they have done to his baby. I never thought I would ever say this, but Coronation Street is dreadful.

[@homebell4866]

shit has a better smell than that show 🤣

[@Nino-vt9bt]

I only watch the old ones on itv3

[@antpoo71]

​@@Nino-vt9btme too. Its depressing. EE seems lighthearted in comparison (well maybe not) but they're both a turn off. The police in EVERY episode for one, pathetic. Humour free zone. Imo the 80s was the best decade that'll never be matched.

[@stevecharlemagne4496]

Not only Tony Warren but H V Kershaw and Bill Podmore

[@deedeedodo8092]

​@@Nino-vt9bt me too, it's so much better and doesn't have to have Warning Signs at the beginning!!

[@laurenc2976]

I agree how terrible it is now it's gone so woke. You feel like you're being lectured and patronised

[@garyturley2435]

well said

[@EmilyCrayons]

Agreed

[@Illustraful]

Always amusing to see thickos monomaniacally using the word woke and failing to ever explain what they mean by it because they're just regurgitating what they've read on right wing forums or heard from their fellow Reform voters.

[@sharonevans4369]

What program these days isn’t woke? We have it pushed down our throats, from drama, comedy and even the adverts are full of it. I think the producers are too worried about not reflecting the minorities of society today.

[@davidroonmeister]

whats the definition of "woke" here? here are things going wrong with corrie 1) mass murderers every year 2) unrealistic affairs 3) natural disasters. None of these things are "woke" you've just been trained to say that for anything you dont like. its absurd!

[@Thirdfish]

Terrible pc woke show. 90% of the 'diverse' actors can not act.

[@garyturley2435]

well said

[@Illustraful]

Oh dear. Another Reform voter who can't tolerate the existence of black people.

[@funkriderx-djandproducer]

But yet corrie has always had an POC cast lol. Your just an angry bigot lol.

[@stanleywoodison8699]

I must say I had noticed that...

[@mavisusername]

90% of all the actors on the show can’t act… nothing to do with the diversity on it, LOL.

[@Cycle.every.day.]

Woke will destroy eveything it touches.

[@Illustraful]

The funny thing about far right Reform voting types who monomaniacally use the term woke is that they can never ever explain what they mean by it. What exactly is woke about Coronation Street? Is it because it has gay characters and black cast members? Help me out here with your dazzling intellect.

[@David-h4z2s]

Pure evil woke

[@Illustraful]

@@David-h4z2s I bet you can't even define what you mean by woke.

[@dokkenratt]

Ain't THAT the truth!!

[@four-twenty4205]

​@@IllustrafulI can... Pure shite. Can't even make a simple joke without somebody crying about it...

[@kookiemonster9222]

Can only with sadness agree with everyone. I sorely miss the “old” Coronation Street. The script was so funny & snappy & dramatic events were carefully spaced out otherwise the program relied on the humour of everyday events. Used to have great scripts, great humour…

[@anty2020]

I totally agree its terrible nowadays...Can't beat the days of Jack and Vera and Mike Baldwin... Golden days

[@Yorkshirepetrolhead]

What they supposed to do when they all get older and retire or die?

[@Sean-Ireland]

The golden days were Hilda' Stan and Eddie yates not Jack n Vera

[@joeblogs-vx4ep]

Stan and Hilda Ogden ⭐

[@joeblogs-vx4ep]

​@@Sean-Ireland 100% agree

[@eamonnquigley2125]

or hilda / stan/ eddie yeats ... brilliant .................. its terrible nowadays

[@dianewallace993]

nice to hear him he talks sense. and he was great on Coronation St.

[@KRPTV]

So he was!😄😄

[@dilloncharles8126]

​@@KRPTVwhy are you laughing at your self in every single comment

[@SistorCarrera]

Love you Charlie,we need more people like you.

[@KRPTV]

So we do!😄😄😄

[@lennykelly9952]

He’s probably right about the plots no matter who wrote the scripts he still can’t act.

[@SistorCarrera]

if you let ppl treat like you shit etc

[@davidbutter7433]

Certainly not ,cant stand the character, he cant act,so it is ,god how boring please no.

[@stephenguppy7882]

I watched it from the 60s to the 90s. It used to be so well acted and written and it reflected real life. I saw it again recently. It is truly dreadful. Most in it can't even act.

[@JamesA4]

I watch classic Corrie on ITV3. It's currently showing episodes from early 2005 - and is miles better than what we have now. The programme actually used to have a soul.

[@MichaelHoare-bh5pg]

Yes,I agree back then the drama was tempered with subtle humour just like both Brookside and Take the High Road did with their storylines.

[@teresabenson6087]

I watch Classic Coronation Street too I loved Blanche she is one of my all time favourite characters and getting to see her again on Classic Coronation Street is fantastic she was amazing.

[@mickyeverton]

My Mum has been watching Corrie since day 1, she packed it up a year ago & said she has lost interest!! I never ever believed Mum would ever stop watching!! 🤔🤔🤔

[@antpoo71]

My mum gave up abt 5 yrs ago now, like you I was completely surprised. I thought she'd be a lifelong viewer/fan. I can't say I blame her. Its total misery now.

[@benleatherland7020]

Hardly surprising really, your mum is old and won't have any interest in the younger generation and the story lines of Corrie. She probably just doesn't get it.

[@rickyodriscoll9729]

I gave up watching after 35 years. Last year it’s lost its honour and the storylines were awful

[@JoanneRachel-m6j]

Never watch it now I got bored with it ❤❤❤

[@bollywayne14]

True. After Covid. It went down faster than a led balloon.

[@KRPTV]

So I did!😄😄😄

[@juliewoolley8579]

And emadale both boring ,the story lines go.on to much ,and it's getting very woke

[@chriswaring5565]

I STOPPED WATCHING IT SO I HAVE

[@ivysmamache]

This man has the best accent, the most soothing voice. Miss him on corrie.

[@lennykelly9952]

He is to acting as King Herod was to child minding

[@ivysmamache]

@@lennykelly9952 dont be a hater

[@rosemariemcgowan6388]

Yes he was a butcher in Wilt 😅😅😅😅😅

[@davidbutter7433]

@@ivysmamache he was a boring bully ,

[@joekavanagh7171]

​@@davidbutter7433he was playing that role. It's called acting.

[@TheMartinDuggan]

No wonder Helen Worth MBE is leaving, I can't say I blame her

[@marcse7en]

She HAS been a regular for 50 years!

[@TibetanFox68]

​@@marcse7enShe's been on it less and less. Her character was turned into a joke (that wasn't funny).

[@marcse7en]

@@TibetanFox68 I don't agree! I think older Gail is really funny! I love Audrey too! ... But one of my favourite characters is Roy! He's just an absolute classic!

[@samgalloway7141]

It's dark and dingy, just ain't the soap that it used to be

[@tiger100ss3]

Yes I agree very dark old bean!

[@johngilmore697]

it'a not the soap I'd wash my privates with.

[@MichaelHoare-bh5pg]

@@samgalloway7141 Maybe they should finish off the soap very much like what's happened to Doctors which is finishing in December.

[@catherineclark4484]

I hate corrie now, I watch the old, it was funny, good writers, the acting was better, only for Ken rita all the originals, as soon as they had Tracey calling someone an anti vaxer I stopped watching and never watched since

[@MANOFKNOWLEDGE1000-nn7mj]

Don’t you think it’s good to give the message that everyone needs to be fully vaccinated?? We are just out of a major pandemic didn’t you know??

[@joeegg124]

Yeah, and now the vaxxed are the ones whose health are more at risk..

[@Paul-010]

@@MANOFKNOWLEDGE1000-nn7mjDo some intelligent research into how much damage has done to many people’s heath because they followed government advice and took the experimental vaccine.

[@gillianbarker2663]

Younger woke writer's no doubt....

[@GWJUK]

@@MANOFKNOWLEDGE1000-nn7mjhave you learnt nothing?

[@James-b7p2k]

I agree with Jim so I do I miss the days of Jim being in the big house

[@bergkamp9566]

So you do 😅

[@markwinter8315]

Absolutely 😂😂😂😂

[@lizzieh5284]

I watched Coronation Street for 50 years. I remember watching the first episode with my mum. I would never miss it but stopped watching a few years ago as storylines were so far fetched. It stopped being about ordinary people and events in their lives. I know times change but the writers have lost touch with all reality! I miss the great characters and Jim McDonald and his family made me laugh so much. There was humour and great dramatic moments which werent overdone and didnt go on for episode after episode. A great tv icon destroyed. So sad.

[@teresabenson6087]

Sally and Tim have humour they have been hilarious with Steve recently and then there is the fantastic Maureen Lipman her character Evelyn is fantastic.

[@sfglamorgan8078]

I miss all the wonderful older characters who you’d get to see almost every episode back in the day, chatting in the shop or the pub. So full of character and often full of humour too. I miss this side to Corrie SO much! Where has all the warmth and humour gone? It used to live so happily alongside the drama. What a cracking show it was.

[@michaeljohnson5365]

Long gone are the days of Jack Duckworth, The Purple haird old lady and Reg Holdsworth and Jim McDonald it was really interesting 30 minute show that had lots of serious and funny moments

[@marvinnappermarvo]

Phyllis. Put the kettle on Percy love in her husky voice.

[@gillianbarker2663]

Looks like there gunna make Carla go down the Lesbian route....Why ? Just not believable ....if she's gunna have an affair let it be Kit...its just shite pandering to the left ...boring...!There was 5 gays once on that street .......Nah

[@stevenpaulgoulding]

Phyllis Pearce.

[@harryraiswell2158]

​​@@marvinnappermarvoI loved watching Phyllis and Percy on the ITV3 repeats. Phyllis was real comedy "Aye up' Percy, fancy a trip to the pictures this evening!" or "Ello' Percy, fancy getting into bed with me tonight? You can have my hot water bottle if you like!" or "Hiya' Percy, do you fancy sharing your toasted teacakes with me!" Legend 👌🏻

[@ryanohara476]

Jill Summers was incredible as the gravel voiced purple hair rinsed Phyllis Pearce. Jill appeared from 1982 onwards. She was absent for most of 1994. But she was back for the Christmas special that year. The famous Corrie Comedy dialogue from that particular episode. Phyllis: Here Percy are you going to kiss me under this mistletoe? Percy: I wouldn't kiss you under an anesthetic! 😂 Summers remained in the role until May 1996. So sadly it isn't as amazing as it once was they do have outstanding acting and special episodes with Paul's MND! Tony Warren would hate how it's declined now!

[@rogerramjet5302]

Met Charlie at Old Trafford once as an Arsenal visiting fan. Good lad and took time to chat.

[@ABMultimediaDesigner]

The problem is with Corrie (and all other soaps) is that some of the storylines are questionable and have no meaning behind them, most of the characters get portrayed as very hypocritical and have short-term memory in terms of storylines being completely forgotten about when they have been executed, or don't have a serious end to them. One of the existing storylines going on right now in Corrie with this whole "cult" angle, and then locking up Roy Cropper in prison over allegations, I'm thinking...is this happening for real? We know that storylines have to keep with the times, and the modern societies that represent everyday life, but I just think that Corrie and other soaps just take things out of proportion - and that's what separates soap with real life. The golden eras of Corrie was mimicking real life for real, and wasn't somewhat of a pantomime of how they thought real life was portrayed. If the writer just watched a few weeks of past Corrie from different eras, it would show a major comparison, and would perhaps explain in clarity where Charlie is coming from.

[@Illustraful]

The cult storyline is based on scientology and it's actually much tamer than the horrific reality.

[@MichaelHoare-bh5pg]

Touching on The Cult storyline they've done that one before on Brookside and most American and Australian soaps.

[@warrenbyrne4994]

I’d disagree Eastenders has turned a new corner much better then the rest of them right now

[@joekavanagh7171]

Poor old Roy locked up? That's like shooting Bambi

[@R88-w7k]

Loved his character but now I like him even more. He's spot on the country has gone woke now. Can't say this and can't do that. Says it how it is. What a legend

[@salfordiandy4987]

I’d rather be woke than a total moron.

[@vivienwade4378]

Well said Charlie 👏

[@wizzgamer]

Couldn't agree more I hardly watch it myself now it went downhill massively in the early to mid 2000s.

[@teleaddict23]

The 2000s for Corrie weren’t too bad. I’m watching classic Corrie on ITV3 and it still had the humour then and great characters like Deirdre, Blanch, Fred, Mike etc. I would say the steep decline has come in the last ten years.

[@kieranwhite6647]

I lost interest after the Richard Hillman storyline finished in 2003

[@deanscott4956]

Disagree 2010 even have some great years so ye nah but I do agree that it shifted when 2010s came in just like emmerdale

[@garyturley2435]

well said

[@stephaniemcquillan1930]

When he says “crap” it’s censored but “for christ sake” wasn’t 😂 Crap isn’t even a bad word. I say it in front of my mother all the time. She says it.

[@joekavanagh7171]

PC gone crazy, proving his very point

[@GREGROWBREY]

When Julie Goodyear left in 1995, the show was ever the same after

[@steveblack610]

Every storyline is an “issue”. Way better when Alec was spitting his brew out cos Bet had bought a new dress.

[@doctorwhoproductions834]

I thought he was just going to blast it and say stupid things but I think he was very respectful and stated some facts, he didn’t just belittle it, he just gave reasons why it’s different, I personally still love Corrie but I can see where he’s coming from

[@simonhodgetts6530]

What killed all of the soaps for me were the increasingly harrowing storylines. When one of the soaps (cant remember which) carried a rape storyline on Christmas Day - that was the end for me.

[@Boilingfrogg]

True they always seem to have a negative storyline during Christmas. Or any other Christian holiday .

[@criddyla696]

Exactly right

[@drbloomer6380]

Much respect to Charlie. Says it how it is but is a kind man.

[@RogerMelodicMusic]

It’s the same old bollocks with all these soaps, Eastenders, Emmerdale and this Coronation Street all of them always arguing it’s depressing to watch i gave up watching all these shows 8 years ago and it’s the best thing I ever did.

[@whateversunpopular1338]

That’s the problem these days, they try to stretch the most mundane plot lines over an hour long every night it’s on. It’s exhausting and too much to keep up with it.

[@bletheringfool]

Is it on for an hour now? Haven't watched it in years

[@huiawalker203]

I have been rewatching from 90s to 2012.....riveting and engaging storylines

[@lorrainemackin3749]

Ive not watched it for about 5 years. It's Terrible how these New Writers have ruined it. It's nothing like how it used to be when the Characters in it were all about people you could relate to in real life. But now it's all about Serial Killers The writer's should also change the Programme name Coronation Street and rename it to Murder Street.

[@AnneMelb2010]

Sometimes things don't adapt to the changing times. The new generation is not wanting to engage in Corrie which might mean it will have to end in the next few years. I agree with how different and difficult it must be for the original cast that are still there. Times are a changing and it isn't a good change.

[@KRPTV]

The title of this video should have been "I know 5 things that are killing off Corrie, so I do!"😄😄😄

[@dilloncharles8126]

What is it with so I do so it was your coming up with random words that makes no sense

[@darrensmall5548]

I never missed an episode in the 70s 80s and 90s. Cant get through 5 minutes of the trash now. Corrie wont last another decade. The writing is terrible and the iconic characters are all gone sadly.

[@Boilingfrogg]

True I miss old Stan hilda and Eddie. Them were the day's

[@ACNC1]

when ken Barlow dies the show will end

[@metalman4141]

He still in it then ?

[@TheRustylungs]

Hes been replaced with clones multiple times

[@homebell4866]

😂​@@TheRustylungs

[@homebell4866]

@CarlyHawthorne He's nearly 100 years old - Have some Respect - The show is finished after all it started in 1960 🤣

[@joekavanagh7171]

Ken Barlow IS Coronation Street

[@megansavage7152]

I don't watch anymore but my mum still watches it

[@gavinreid8937]

I dont follow corrie like I used to but when I see the new cast I think "wheres the strings." Stand there,read this, next. Never having time to really show emotion or genuine character building cause the show is on nearly every night regardless,

[@joyceowen6495]

Your right there's very little emotion I stopped watching a year ago.

[@scottpeacock5492]

I haven't watched Coronation Street since Duckworth left, I dipped in now and again and it not the same as it was, i think once William Roaches who play Ken Barlow and Rita Fairclough passes away, i think it will be the end, Just as itv did with Crossroads, the lead character Noele Gordon who played Meg Richardson was sacked and the actress died a few years later which the soap departy in 1988, only to come back 13 years later for the character Jill Richardson to be killed off for the soap be axes again, this is the beginning of end of Corrie as Helen Worth who plays Gail is about to depart.

[@anglodoomer5995]

Jim McDonald had an affair with his son’s black girlfriend in 1997. That would be considered woke now

[@Raider577]

It would not be considered woke as it only one event In the Seventies Deidre's first husband ran off with a mixed race girl that worked in the cafe. Now virtually every new character is an ethnic minority, gay, trans, disabled, asylum seeker, refugee, or HMS(Hindu Muslim or Sikh).

[@sd-11-11-sd]

But the problem is that storyline was not led by political agendas, just interesting storytelling.

[@Illustraful]

​@@sd-11-11-sdWhat's the political agenda now?

[@Mary-lx3zs]

I thought he only had a daughter

[@Mary-lx3zs]

LOL

[@hx7193]

I watch loads of old Corrie on you tube . 1970s are especially hilarious Haven’t watched Corrie on tv for soooo many years !!!!!!!

[@PaulLancaster-hj3kx]

Ive not watched it for 10 years. I used to love Corrie. Apart from the Wokery what street with 8 houses can possibly have 4 Serial Killers.

[@JoGray1987]

Charlie is so right. Woke as hell, absolute crap now. I love watching the classic Corrie. Quality

[@garyturley2435]

well said

[@Illustraful]

Is woke code for they have gay characters? Hate to break it to you but the creator of Coronation Street, Tony Warren, was a gay man.

[@Illustraful]

@@JoGray1987 How is it woke then?

[@Illustraful]

@@JoGray1987 In what way? It's a perfectly simple question that none of the people commenting here seem able to answer. You say it's woke as hell and too political. That's vague and nondescript. How is it woke and too political?

[@doctors8966]

Me to there's no characters anymore like jack verea to name a few it was about working class people Yeats ago

[@standenberg]

From the late 1970s I used to love watching it with my old Nan, and never really bothered watching it again (much) since she died 25 years ago. I recall a few women at work were chatting about the latest Weatherfield murderer etc a year or so ago…the youngest one (in her 30s) asked me “Do you watch Corrie?” To which I replied “Not watched it since Hilda Ogden left”….”Who?” she said, I told her Hilda was the best ever, she was the cleaner and even her feather-duster was a better character/actor than the crap we see in the programme nowadays 😁

[@lizzieh5284]

Totally agree.

[@XXXSHARONOXXX]

I stopped when Deirdre Barlow died......Loved the Hilda days.....I sometimes watch really old episodes from 60's to 70's to 80's......The old ones were the best

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Hilda, Stan, Eddie Yeats - definitely my favourite Corrie characters.

[@lizzieh5284]

@@simonhodgetts6530 mine too.

[@Ksim3000]

I have only started to catch up lately with the Ogdens. I only started watching Corrie in the late 90s when I was a kid so for me, I grew up mainly watching Jack and Vera who filled that role the Ogdens left.

[@daviddowns8068]

Should of kept it like it was 2 half hour shows a week monday and wednesday, kept people wanting more

[@garyowens1517]

My wife and i stopped watching 15 years ago. It became ridiculous with some of the story lines. Sad the way it has gone.

[@David-h4z2s]

Charlie's right no more work nonsense When he was in Coronation street it was getting 15 million viewers Now it's getting barely getting 2 million viewers it's over for Coronation Street now all the self older characters are leaving

[@joemorris9501]

he dropped a "so it is" in there. nice!

[@MrSargemneil]

An absolute legend.

[@John-qy9nw]

Best character on any show ever! Long live Jim McDonald!

[@sashaking1115]

You’re so right Charles! The great thing about Classic Corrie is that it feels more like real life. There’s a good balance between happy scenes and sad ones. Corrie 2024 is a chore to sit through at the best of times lol

[@crb1939]

Jim is absolutely right. When Coro people were characters as in Doris Speed, grand landlady of the Rovers, Hilda Ogden and her husband, great fun, and many more lovable characters, and when a sinister one introduced it had such impact. , AND plenty of Nothern wit.

[@StephenH-ms9og]

Charlie Lawson is the best. Grew up watching him in numerous productions. My favourite was Trigger in The Firm.

[@TheWillHadcroft]

The golden mix for me back in the day was the juxtaposition of heightened drama with simple, even boring everyday storylines like stressing over exams (and in the very first episode someone fixing a puncture on their bicycle in the living room!!). There seemed to be a shift towards more sensationalism after the Richard Hillman storyline. Murders, burning down the Rovers, etc, etc, and less of the everyday. Tony Warren intended it to reflect the lives of Manchester people. I don't think it does that now. I gave up watching circa year 2000 (I recall watching the tram crash for the 50th). I always wanted to write for it myself, back in the day. I might struggle now.

[@ibaisaic]

I stopped watching after the tram crash episode, I don’t know why but my interest in the programme suddenly stopped. I do enjoy dipping in and out of Classic Coronation Street on KZbin. I think I’m up to 1992 at the moment.

[@maggieb369]

He’s completely right, so he is😊

[@chrisoultram9458]

Never watch it forgot it was still on stay safe x

[@annrobertson109]

I watched it and the other soaps until 2021, they were all awful in the end, never seen so many crap storylines, prison, hospital, police station, murder and affairs all the time. The days of the soaps is totally over, RIP 😢

[@metalbearuk]

We all know it's dreadful these days with poor acting for the most part, but the programme bosses won't listen? Why? And surely advertisers aren't happy with the smaller audiences?

[@TibetanFox68]

Unfortunately the advertisers seem to be driving the woke crap we see on everything now. Gay woke billionaire shareholders want to force their viewpoints onto everybody and try and brainwash us by normalising the abnormal and desensitizing us to it.

[@joanneholmes1603]

Corrie has become too woke and political. It is unwatchable lately.

[@edmundblackaddercoc8522]

Not watched it since mid noughties, went woke and bad stories.

[@TheEternalOuroboros]

Corrie was never exactly the height of television in the first place...

[@zanducktv2398]

I concur Charlie. John Stevenson penned so many iconic episodes back in the day, for just about every big classic storyline we remember, like Alan Bradley’s tram death. Another outstanding writer was Adele Rose who was great at gutsy scenes like Bet & Rita’s pals, pals? Row and Gail & Alma coming to blows over Mike facing bankruptcy because of Stephen. Of course the cast is too big now, there are too many episodes and too many sets. They may as well rename it Weatherfield. Helen’s already announced her departure and I can’t see the other veterans like Bill, Barbara and Sue continuing much longer. I remember Julie Goodyear saying one of the reasons she left was cos she wanted to see daylight! The McDonalds were great in the ‘90s, not so much now. I commented on the Katy back from the dead story, cos it made a complete mockery of the original sensitively written and acted episodes when Liz lost her baby. I’ve got the ‘70s - ‘90s box sets, and while there are some lacklustre episodes the quality of the writing and acting is so much better than today. Back then each episode was a treat to be savoured, always looking forward to the next episode to see what happens next. Now it’s just something to watch if you choose to, so far removed from Tony Warren’s original vision. Serial killers, vapes and sex tapes? No thanks. I yearn for the days of Betty’s hotpot, Jack’s pigeons and Mavis’s budgie!

[@TheUltimateBlue]

Yep. Most normal people know the issues but it's great to hear someone in his position say it like it is. I gave up on Corrie and Emmerdale a few years ago because of the ludicrous, manufactured anti-white, anti-male agendas. For woke culture racism and sexism only works one way of course.

[@jaycollins9845]

What i hate is the recent storylines on the three main soaps,alot of times your left saying,well that would not happen in real life,i feel alot of times,the writers are writing storylines to win that soap of the year award.And in every soap they seem to enjoy having a psycho in it,Corrie does not seem to take a breath between psycho`s on the loose,i often forget im watching a weekday soap,it feels like Midsomer Murders.There used to be funny moments in these three great soaps,but the writers have lost that,instead we are subjected to misery and gloom,and we have all had that before Emmerdale,with 1 hour 30 mins of news.And the carricter`s have become so judgemental,this attitude that they have done nothing wrong in their lives,and that bond the Dingle`s had,its perished.

[@Seamus1966]

GO WOKE, GO BROKE.. GOODBYE..

[@garyturley2435]

well said

[@salfordiandy4987]

@@garyturley2435yeah almost Shakespearean 🙄

[@stephielulu9096]

I'm watching 70s Corry and it's brilliant. Can't stand it now, and haven't watched it for around 20 years

[@NoName-y6w3p]

I'm not going to be very popular but I speak as I find it is so ridiculously Woke the current storyline of child grooming/abuse is of course focusing on white abusers when it is well known that the majority of peodophile abusers are Asian guys (2 of my nieces were grabbed in separate incidents in Birmingham (by Asians in a van) I'm not saying all abusers are Asian but the storylines should reflect the truth and not just portray white people as abusers. People even the police are afraid to speak out about Asian grooming gangs and they know about them but are too scared to speak the truth. There I've said it.

[@moodyguymick]

It's been awful for at least 20 years. Pretty much since the set was moved from Quay Street in Manchester to Salford Quays.

[@ashleyburns6752]

I remember an episode of EastEnders about 12 years ago. They randomly introduced five characters in to the show, something like an asian family (muslim), someone in a wheelchair, a dwarf, a black guy etc. All shows in the West now arent thinking about entertainment, they are thinking purely about social and political issues, most of which have the theme of being anti-white, anti-heterosexual, anti-tradition and so on. Essentially soap operas which were about representing the white working class through social realism have turned their back on their audience.

[@jayradical3515]

Totally agree with him

[@juliewoolley8579]

I stoped watching coronation Street and emerdale last year,the story lines ,go on and on and on,you know what's going to happen and what the ending is going to be before they do

[@Boilingfrogg]

Yeah very long storylines and when the final conclusion accures You've lost interest by then?

[@ronmccullock1407]

Sad words spoken by Charles but true

[@rtlinson]

Can't latch onto any one character these days. All insipid, weak, no wit, no fun, just bitter and twisted.

[@wesstarmedia]

He is a great actor with an equally good character, and he speaks from the heart. The woke/political correctness cancer has been poisoning tv for a good fifteen to twenty years. I don't watch it anymore as the grittyness and realism has gone.

[@Boilingfrogg]

Agreed

[@Illustraful]

Is woke code for they have gay characters and black cast members?

[@wesstarmedia]

@Illustraful eastenders in the 80s did, but it had grittyness and realism, too.

[@unusedsub3003]

Jim McDonald got released under the Good Friday Agreement, so he did.

[@herberthartwig8544]

Definitely gone down hill Now, would have been a time where I wouldn’t have missed a episode!

[@jakebiomask]

Charlie is a legend, so he is.

[@alanhodges8839]

You’ve got it right Jim.

[@brunobruno-r3w]

We would love to see you back on the show‼💕

I stopped watching it years ago. Absolutely rubbish.

[@JohnnyOrgan]

Great honesty, insight and doesn't sound in the least bit bitter, which is refreshing in this day and age.

[@neilburton6121]

So many channels to watch now too much competition,people tend to get bored easy these days...

[@stephenholmes1036]

I've never seen coronation street since 1973. Charles Lawson is a first class actor, watch him on stage or in Harry's game. Linda Robson in Harry's game is first class, she had a great Belfast accent. Plus Derek Thompson as the provo gunman.

[@loganwatkins97]

A legend

[@PeaveyPV20]

Charlie aint far wrong, i whish more would speak up. What alot fail to mention though is apart from too many episodes, too big a cast and naff acting the production is crap these days, barely any extras, night shots and location

[@mattylamb9194]

That's probably the worst thing of all about it

[@fernandopestana3383]

I'm watching classic coronation street from 2004 on itv 3, it's a completely differently show now in 2024, it will be axed soon.

[@RaikenXion]

All soaps need to end cause there's no new, original storylines left now.

[@David-h4z2s]

Coronation Street is utter woke crap these days 😫 It was great in the late 80s To late 90s when Charlie Lawson 👍🍺 was in it A great Uk Actor ✊🇬🇧💪🌅

[@dlbia9569]

AMEN fair play to him speaking his mind 👍🏻👌🏻 he's spot on

[@iainprendergast8311]

The 5 people that watched it don't watch it anymore.

[@Adam-o1x2t]

Theirs a reason why i watch old episodes of emmerdale, Coronation Street, and eastenders because the shows have not been the same for years and years. Great interview this was i totally agree with everything he says.

[@haydoncooper3744]

I hve not watched it for years as it is 'Car crash ' TV

[@kevinwhelan9607]

When phone lines are added... dear God. One fatuous "issue" after another. The best drama touches on the heart, All our hearts❤ Shakespeare knew this.