Johnny Briggs, best known for playing Mike Baldwin in Coronation Street, died on 28 February 2021 at the age of 85. The actor had been part of the ITV soap for three decades, appearing in 2,349 episodes before his character was written out in 2006.
Exit from the Cobbles
In 2005, it was announced that Johnny would be leaving Coronation Street. His character was written out the following year through a storyline involving Alzheimer's disease. A spokesperson said: "His [Johnny] storyline has some way to run but he will be leaving in 2006 after completing 30 years in the show. It was his decision to retire."
Beyond his wish to retire, another reason behind his exit was reportedly his desire to spend more time with family due to the soap's gruelling filming commitments. His final scenes aired on 7 April 2006, showing Mike's death in the arms of his romantic rival Ken Barlow, played by William Roache.
Life After Coronation Street
After leaving the soap, Johnny was honoured with an MBE in 2007, receiving the award from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. He also made guest appearances on television, starring in Marple and Holby City from 2007 to 2009, and appearing on the BBC soap Doctors that same year.
His last acting role was in a 2012 Text Santa Special of Coronation Street, where he reprised his role as the ghost of Mike.
Death and Tributes
Johnny, a father of six, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family after a long illness. His family released a statement saying: "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our father, Johnny Briggs. He passed away peacefully this morning after a long illness, with family by his side. He was 85."
Tributes poured in, with William Roache saying: "So sorry to hear about Johnny. Mike Baldwin and Ken Barlow were arch enemies for many years, but as an actor, Johnny was impeccable, always good, and I was so fortunate to have worked with him for so many years."
Costly Divorce
In 2025, the Daily Express reported that Johnny, who earned £200,000 per year as one of the soap's best-paid stars, had declared himself practically penniless before his death. This was reportedly due to an acrimonious divorce from his second wife Christine Allsop, to whom he was married from 1977 to 2006.
Christine allegedly ended the marriage after discovering Johnny's affair with a makeup assistant. She revealed: "I know he always reads his fan mail, as he has such a huge ego – so I tucked a letter in a pile of it, telling him I wanted a divorce." The divorce proceedings reportedly left him £1 million poorer.
