Alert – Coronation Street legend Bruce Jones reveals ITV have APOLOGISED for axing his character Les Battersby via email as actor admits he ‘can’t watch’ the soap anymore

Coronation Street legend Bruce Jones has revealed that ITV have apologised to him for breaking the news of his character Les Battersby’s axing via email.

The actor, 71, became a household name after arriving on the cobbles as foul-mouthed Les, head of the equally uncouth Battersby family – wife Janice and their troublesome teenage daughters, Leanne and Toyah – in 1997. 

He suffered a spectacular fall from grace when an undercover reporter filmed him insulting fans and revealing top secret plotlines during a boozy night out, with bosses going on to suspend him in 2007.

Though the character has remained popular with fans over the years with many urging for him to make a comeback, it was revealed last week that Les was being killed off away from screens – with Bruce being informed of the news by email.

And now in a new interview, the ex soap star told how bosses have said sorry for the way in which they broke the news, with Bruce also revealing he can now no longer watch Corrie. 

Coronation Street legend Bruce Jones has revealed that ITV have apologised to him for breaking the news of his character Les Battersby’s axing via email 

In a new interview, the ex soap star told how bosses have said sorry for the way in which they broke the news, with Bruce also revealing he can now no longer watch Corrie [pictured with on-screen wife Vicky Entwistle]

Speaking to GB News, Bruce shared: ‘I got an email from the casting office saying, Dear Mr Jones, I am sorry to inform you Les Battersby will die in the next few months.

‘I read the email and thought, why send me an email like that? Why call me Mr. Jones? Why not call me Bruce?

‘That annoyed me a little bit, but then I felt relieved. Maybe it’s time for me to go now.’

Bruce went on to say that fans are ‘not happy’ with the news of Les’ permanent exit, though he admitted that it’s a ‘relief’ to say a final goodbye to his alter-ego.

He explained: ‘I’ve been out in the streets in the last few days shopping, and I went to watch some football. I went to watch Manchester City on Sunday and people come up to say, “This is ridiculous. They should keep you in.”

‘But it’s their decision. It’s not mine. I’ve got no problems with Coronation Street. I had ten great years with them, but they (the viewers) are pretty annoyed about it. I say, ‘There’s no point having a go at me, it’s not my fault.’

‘I’m sad in one way, but I’m relieved in another. I mean, it’s time to let go now, and I’m quite pleased with that.

‘The fans are not happy and all that, people are pulling me in the street saying, “We’re not watching it. We’re watching classic.” And I’m getting the feedback from these people who were pretty annoyed about it; people who love Les.

Jones became a household name after arriving on the cobbles as foul-mouthed Les, head of the equally uncouth Battersby family – wife Janice (pictured) and their troublesome teenage daughters, Leanne and Toyah – in 1997

Speaking to GB News, Bruce shared: ‘I got an email from the casting office saying, Dear Mr Jones, I am sorry to inform you Les Battersby will die in the next few months’

‘I read the email and thought, why send me an email like that? Why call me Mr. Jones? Why not call me Bruce? ‘That annoyed me a little bit, but then I felt relieved. Maybe it’s time for me to go now’

‘But it’s their decision. It’s their show.’

Meanwhile, as Bruce claimed that fans were switching off because of the news, he went on to tell how he too no longer tunes into the soap, having walked out the room when his wife was watching it recently. 

He said: ‘At the weekend my wife said, “I’m gonna watch Emmerdale”. But I don’t watch soaps. I was 10 years in one and I was in Heartbeat and lots of shows, but I don’t watch soaps.

‘I had no time when I was there to watch it, because I was in it. But I sat and watched Corrie with her on Monday night, and at the end of part one of that show I walked out the room and I didn’t go back until I heard the music at the end. I just couldn’t watch it.

‘Where were the storylines? There was no comedy. My wife said to me when I came back, “Why did you go out?” I said, “Sandra, that is not a show I was in. That was not the show I spent 10 years in.”

‘So no, I’m sorry I couldn’t watch it. I went out and I made a cup of coffee.’

Recalling his time on the iconic soap, Bruce concluded: ‘I love acting and I love working with VIcky Entwistle and the two girls. We actually became a unit. I think the only mistake in my mind that we ever made was splitting Les and Janice. They should never split Les and Janice. I think that was the end of the Battersbys when that happened.

Meanwhile, as Bruce claimed that fans were switching off because of the news, he went on to tell how he too no longer tunes into the soap, having walked out the room when his wife was watching it recently.

‘But at least I’ve had an apology from the press office for [telling me by email] which I’m grateful for.’

It comes after the actor criticised the show for ignoring public demand – and claims fans have told him the show is in sharp decline. 

‘[Show bosses] already emailed me a over a fortnight ago to tell me what was happening,’ Jones told of the moment he discovered Les was being killed off.  

‘I actually thought, well fine, I played him for ten years. It gives me closure. Maybe it will stop people asking me all the time when I’m going back, if I’m going back.

‘People want me back, but it’ll stop all that, in shopping centres, wherever I go. I’m pleased it’s happening but I’m also sad about losing a character I played for ten years. I’m grateful to the street for that.’ 

He added: ‘I went out the other day and people asked four times that day, ‘when are you coming back? The street is dead.” 

Asked if felt any animosity, he said: ‘No, none whatsoever. They gave me ten years and I invented a great character and it became a great hit with everyone. ‘I wish them all the luck in the world 

Jones says he has mixed feelings about the decision, and wonders where bawdy Les would fit into the modern landscape if he did return to the soap.  

He said: ‘I felt relieved, then I felt sadness, then I thought, ‘well, where would he go?’ If he went back, where would he go? How would he get back, what would he do? Where would the storylines take him?’

‘I don’t think they could really do that much with him, which is a shame.’

Jones believes die-hard fans will react badly to news of his legendary character’s death – and some might stop watching the show altogether. 

He starred on the long-running soap opera for a decade before ITV bosses suspended him in 2007 for revealing show secrets

The actor is pictured with Vicky Entwistle, best known for playing his screen wife Janice

‘The reaction will be strange at first, once it breaks,’ he said. ‘It will be really strange to see how people react to it. 

‘I can imagine some people being really upset and annoyed, other people will be, ‘well you did your time, it was time to go, we’ve still got you on classic, so there are memories of you there, so that’s fine.’

‘I think a lot of people will be upset, a lot of people will be, ‘I’m not watching it again because I watch classic (the old episodes).’  

‘I’m just waiting for the reaction when it breaks, when I go shopping or to football with my mates. It’ll be a sad time for everyone. I don’t watch it.  

‘You get told, ‘I don’t watch it any more, we could do with you going back in’. But I’m not going back. He was a very popular person, Les. I can’t wait to see what the reaction I get, I can’t wait to see what reaction Coronation Street gets.

‘I wouldn’t mind betting they get a big reaction to it, but that’s the end of Les. I had a great time playing him. I’m going to move on and we’ll see what happens.’

‘[Show bosses] already emailed me a over a fortnight ago to tell me what was happening,’ Jones told of the moment he discovered Les was being killed off

While his TV career has waned over recent years, Jones, who previously admitted to living off benefits after blowing his £1million fortune, insists he has ‘no animosity’ towards the show

While his TV career has waned over recent years, Jones, who in 2015 admitted to living off benefits after blowing his £1million fortune, insists he has ‘no animosity whatsoever’ towards the show.   

‘They gave me ten years and I invented a great character and it became a great hit with everyone,’ he said. ‘I wish them all the luck in the world.’ 

The actor has also given up watching the show that made him famous, but believes it will go on forever, despite a perceived dip in popularity.  

He said: ‘I’d rather watch good documentaries. I tend to read a lot rather than watch TV a lot. I didn’t get much chance to watch it when I was in it, because we were always working. 

‘I don’t listen to people who say how bad it is. Coronation Street will always be there. They say we don’t watch it, we’d rather watch the classic.

‘I don’t watch it, so I can’t say anything which is a shame really. I should watch it, but there are too many memories, so I’d rather not.’