Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver shares plea to Ryan Thomas over 'emotional' exit

There will be tears all round when legend Sue Cleaver bows out as Eileen Grimshaw in the coming weeks.

Amid a horror death scandal, it's yet to be revealed how Eileen leaves Weatherfield after more than 20 years. But it has been confirmed one fan favourite is returning to the soap as part of her big departure storyline.

Now, speaking on the soap podcast Off Script actress Sue revealed all about her "emotional" and "perfect" final scenes. She also confirmed she orchestrated the return of her onscreen son Jason Grimshaw, played by .

With actor Ryan being away from the show for years and not intending to return for the time being, having stepped away from acting with a focus on presenting more recently, Sue managed to convince him to head back to the Cobbles. Ryan knew he could not turn down the opportunity, wanting to be there for his onscreen mother and close friend.

Sue told hosts Kelvin and how she'd told Ryan about her planned exit before she'd even told the soap's bosses. She then asked that he return to send her off, before putting her planned exit plot in motion with the help of show bosses.

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Asked about her final scenes on the show, Sue explained her decision to leave but also said how "proud" she was when she learned what her final scenes would be. Not only that, she gushed over her pal Ryan's agreement to return for her final episode, no doubt making her last scenes all the more poignant.

On her departure she spilled: "I'd been thinking about it for quite a long time... I believe you have to step outside of your comfort zone... you are never too old for new challenges. I just thought I want to reinvent myself and go out and make my mark on the in a different way."

On filming that last scene, Eileen said it was "lovely" but "emotional" and that the writers and the whole team "did her proud". She said: "I can't give anything away but it's absolutely fabulous. They really did me proud.

"When I read it and saw it, I was really emotional. It's the perfect ending. It is everything that I wanted. They asked me what I would like and I decided a year ago that I was gonna go.

"I rang Ryan Thomas and I said, 'Ryan, I've not told work yet but I'm gonna leave. Would you come back? I'dreally like you to take me out'. He said, 'I wasn't planning to but I can't refuse that can I'.

"It just felt really right that he was there." Kelvin then told her how his pal Ryan has spoken with him about his return for Sue, and how much she meant to him. He added that Ryan said it was a "privilege" to be a part of her exit.

Sue went on: "It was lovely having him there. He's not changed at all." Ryan had addressed his return earlier this year. Speaking on , he said: "For the first time in almost 10 years, I stepped back on those cobbles and I was in the Rovers all day yesterday.

"It was a real moment. As they opened the gates, the security man said to me: 'Welcome home,' and I nearly started crying. I was 16 when I started there, and I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for that show. It's home, it was so lovely."

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