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It\u2019s no secret to disappointed Coronation Street fans that Chris Gascoyne is leaving his role as Peter Barlow in coming months \u2013 and his co-star Alison King shares your sadness!<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no wonder either; the pair have worked closely for years, portraying a fiery, complex and passionate relationship and marriage between Carla Connor and her husband. <\/p>\n
Over the years, they have portrayed difficulties with issues including alcoholism and psychosis, and the chemistry of the stars is clear. <\/p>\n
Chris was recently confirmed to be in for an exit as he takes on other roles; but thankfully a very final ending such as death has been ruled out, with the actor far from ruling out a return in the future.<\/p>\n
For now, though, Alison has shared her thoughts on the departure in an exclusive interview with Metro.co.uk.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s always sad without Chris but it\u2019ll be alright,\u2019 she told us. \u2018He\u2019s my husband! It\u2019ll be okay. We\u2019re such good friends now that we\u2019re in each other\u2019s lives and at home. Caroline [Chris\u2019s wife] will take care of him for me!\u2019<\/p>\n
Chris isn\u2019t the only one having goodbye to the cobbles either, with Todd Boyce hanging up killer Stephen Reid\u2019s holepunch. Having been involved in very intense scenes with the actor, Alison also shared her feelings on his exit, insisting that she will be staying in touch with him.<\/p>\n
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\u2018I will never have to say goodbye to Todd, because now I\u2019ve got his number! I love him so much. Obviously, Carla can\u2019t stand Stephen, it couldn\u2019t be more opposite in real life, I think he\u2019s amazing.<\/p>\n
Funny she should say that \u2013 as Carla will be instrumental in a final week of episodes, which see Stephen\u2019s criminal world collapse, and the truth come out. <\/p>\n
Whether he gets his comeuppance, and in what capacity, remains to be seen \u2013 but Alison is thrilled with how the episodes have turned out.<\/p>\n
Having joined Metro.co.uk in a viewing of the final stand-off, she enthused: \u2018It was the first time I\u2019ve seen it! Obviously, it\u2019s been a long time coming, this build up, I\u2019ve been working very closely with Todd who\u2019s just blown me away! <\/p>\n
\u2018There wasn\u2019t a man in the world who\u2019s worked as much as him this last kind of year and a half, two years, he didn\u2019t moan, he didn\u2019t say anything, he just got on with it which is amazing. <\/p>\n
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\u2018It was fun and brilliant to work alongside him, and me and Tina [O\u2019Brien, who plays Sarah], we just have a laugh, there wasn\u2019t much funny in that episode but behind the scenes it was great. Jam packed!<\/p>\n
\u2018There were lots of different elements and I wondered how they would work, so now actually seeing it, it\u2019s all fitted together really well.\u2019<\/p>\n
What Stephen did to Carla was despicable, as he had spiked her with LSD, causing her to believe her psychosis had returned and sending her mental health spiralling.<\/p>\n
Addressing this turn of events, Alison mused: \u2018I thought it was an interesting choice [Stephen drugging Carla with LSD]. It shows how, even though he wanted to believe he wasn\u2019t a twisted character, he was a bit like Rumpelstiltskin! That was very much pre-meditated. <\/p>\n
\u2018It shows that Stephen\u2019s core is evil, it couldn\u2019t have been more pre-meditated. It was different, because the medic guy who told me what it would be like with LSD, he was different from the psychosis experts who helped me through that storyline.<\/p>\n
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They were saying, it just depends on what state your mind is in when you consume the LSD. <\/p>\n
\u2018If you are not expecting it, it\u2019s just going to make you angsty and anxious. I was thinking, am I playing this right?\u2019 <\/p>\n
She added reflectively: \u2018I liked the way they took it, it\u2019s one thing you don\u2019t want to go back to. It was a great experience to tell that story, but it\u2019s something in real life that somebody would be petrified about going down that rabbit hole again. I\u2019m glad I\u2019m not doing it all the time!\u2019<\/p>\n
The episodes kick off next week, and Carla is in the thick of the action. With Peter also fighting her corner against Stephen, fans will be pleased to be seeing plenty of scenes of them together.<\/p>\n
We will have to make the most of it, as Peter\u2019s goodbye will come around much quicker than we\u2019d like!<\/p>\n