The 64-year-old actor who has played Jim McDonald on and off since 1989 says the soap

is now ‘completely different’ Coronation Street legend Charlie Lawson has shared his fears

that the ITV soap won’t be around in a decade. The 64-year-old actor –

who has played Jim McDonald on and off since 1989 – has slammed the ‘extremely average’ acting which he claims is ‘putting off’ viewers.

Charlie also claimed that the older cast members are so ‘exhausted’ with their heavy workload, and that he can’t see them sticking around much longer.

The actor said that he and Sarah Lancashire, who played Raquel Watts from 1991 to 1996, recently discussed their fears for the show at the funeral of former writer John Stevenson, who died aged 86 in September.

He told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: “I fear that ‘Corrie’ might not be here in ten years’ time. Sarah and I were talking. We both agreed John wouldn’t recognise the show.

“We felt it was a completely different animal, so fundamentally different from our day – and the viewing figures have plummeted.”

Charlie warned the likes of Sue Nicholls, 80, and 90-year-old Barbara Knox – who play Audrey Roberts and Rita Tanner respectively – could follow veteran star Helen Worth out of the door after she announced she is leaving her role of Gail Platt after 50 years.

He said: “The workload is huge. The cast is huge, there’s less time for enjoyment, for fun, to get to know the vast quantity of people there. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of the stable of elderly actors leave too. I know they are not happy, it’s not the happy ship it used to be.

“They are the foundation of ‘Corrie’, and the young ones have to try and live up to that. But I’m afraid most of them never will. Some are great but many performances from some of the younger cast are extremely average, sometimes disappointing.”

He added: “They use Alison King all the time because she’s a f****** brilliant actress. But I know she gets absolutely knackered. If you’ve got the best centre forward on the park, you use them. And they do, with Simon (Gregson) too. They are quality, they get flogged sometimes.”

Charlie last appeared on the show in 2018 and while he’d like to return again, he fears it would only be for his alter ego to die. He said: “The only way I can see him going back is to die.

“How could Jim fit in now? Television has become dipped in a large bucket of PC woke s***e. You’d have to change him completely, cut his nuts off. I couldn’t play that.

“It would be a disservice to every ‘Corrie’ writer past and present and to the character, who became a legend. It’s sad. I want the character to stay alive for ever.”