Catherine Tyldesley has stepped away from her role as First Officer Kate Woods on Channel 5’s The Good Ship Murder as she returns full-time to Coronation Street. The 42-year-old actress, who plays Eva Price on the ITV soap, made a comeback to the cobbles last October and now becomes the landlady of the Rovers Return.
Tyldesley had been balancing both roles since 2023, but has now filmed her exit scenes for the cruise ship drama, which also stars her former Corrie co-star Shayne Ward. Channel 5 commissioning editor Greg Barnett confirmed the show will continue, saying: “Audiences have truly embraced the show’s unique combination of mystery, music and escapism, and we are excited to continue Jack’s journey with even more surprises and new faces in store.”
Executive producer Andy Morgan described the departure as “bittersweet”, adding: “We bid a fond farewell to a beloved character and friend, but we’re very excited about the next voyage for The Good Ship Murder.”
A source told The Sun that Tyldesley sought permission from Coronation Street bosses to take time off to film her final scenes. “There was talk about possibly killing off her character but in the end bosses decided that she would get a happy ending,” the insider revealed. The source praised the on-screen partnership between Tyldesley and Ward, saying: “Cath and Shayne have formed such an incredible partnership on-screen and the viewers deserve to see how it all ends for them.”
Shayne Ward, who played Eva’s former fiancé Aidan Connor on Coronation Street, said he hasn’t had much chance to catch up with Tyldesley recently due to her intense schedule on the soap. He told The Mirror: “I loved it. I haven’t spoken to Catherine much recently because I know how intense it is when you’re in the show, especially now that she's in the Rovers. It’s a big responsibility.”
