A CORONATION Street villain has left soap fans shocked with his transformation –

three years after quitting the soap. With windswept hair and an untrimmed beard,

actor Sam Retford is barely recognisable from his time on the long-running ITV favourite.

Fans will know Sam, 25, best as villainous heartthrob Curtis Delamere, having appeared in 60 episodes of the long-running drama.

Having left the soap in 2021, the Australian-English has this week been spotted swapping cobbles for coastline, during a well-earned break in Scotland.

According to his biography, Sam once aspired to be a marine biologist, so it’s no wonder he’s chosen to holiday by the sea.

He posted pictures on his Instagram showing him soaking up the natural beauty of the Scottish shores – though he appeared a little more hairy than fans are used to.

Other images show the adventurous actor climbing rocks, doing a Scottish jig, visiting a castle and preparing for a dive in the pristine waters.

One wrote underneath his post: “Great pics Sam! Looks like you are loving life.”

Another called him: “Absolute king”, while a third said tongue-in-cheek: “I hope you have lower items of clothing on in that first picture.”

Sam’s alter-ego Curtis was at the centre of a dramatic storyline in 2021 that involved him duping his hairdresser girlfriend Emma Brooker, played by Alexandra Mardell.

Just as the couple were set to marry, she discovered that Curtis had deceived her about his fatal heart condition and was a compulsive liar.

He was also unmasked as a conman after stealing thousands of pounds from Emma’s father, Steve, played by Simon Gregson and fled Coronation Street with his reputation in tatters.

Since his Corrie days, Sam has appeared in the fourth series of All Creatures Great and Small.

He joined the cast of the popular Channel 5 drama last year as Royal Air Force commander FO Woodham.

First airing in 2020, the drama is based on the books by Alf Wright and follows the experiences of dedicated vet James Harriot, played by Nicholas Ralph.

Other credits to Sam’s name include Cory Wilson in Channel 4’s Ackley Bridge, Death in Paradise and The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family.

The heartthrob is next slated to appear as Dougal MacKenzie in the upcoming Outlander prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood.