After more than a decade on the cobbles, actor Daniel Brocklebank has publicly addressed his emotional departure from Coronation Street, following his character's brutal demise in a landmark crossover episode.
An Explosive End for Billy Mayhew
The 46-year-old actor's final scenes aired on Monday night in a special event dubbed 'Corriedale', which saw the worlds of Coronation Street and Emmerdale collide. His character, the kindly vicar Billy Mayhew, met a tragic end after an M25 pileup.
In the storyline, Billy had been driving a minibus back from Debbie Webster's wedding when the crash occurred. While other passengers escaped, Billy became trapped. The situation turned murderous when builder Theo Silverton – who Billy had crossed after discovering Theo was abusing his friend Todd Grimshaw – arrived at the scene. In a chilling act, Theo fastened Billy's seatbelt, leaving him to perish in a subsequent explosion.
'I Can't Believe I'm Saying Goodbye'
Shortly after the episode aired, Brocklebank shared his feelings in a video posted to the soap's official Instagram page. "Hello, it's Daniel Brocklebank here. Gosh, I can't believe I'm sat here recording my goodbyes," he began emotionally.
He extended heartfelt thanks to everyone at Coronation Street for the 11 years, describing the experience as a special part of his life. He also thanked the viewers for their love and support for his "little special character."
Behind the Scenes of a Soap Exit
The actor's departure was first announced in May 2025. At the time, his partner, Jordan Coulthard, suggested on social media that the decision was not Brocklebank's, calling it a "huge mistake" by programme bosses.
However, in a recent interview with The Mirror, Brocklebank presented a more philosophical view. Having filmed his final scenes and starred in a production of Young Frankenstein in Liverpool, he reflected that it may have been time to move on.
"I'd spoken to my other half and said 'maybe it's time,'" he explained. "As an actor, I enjoy being challenged and I was very quiet in the last year there." He pointed to the impactful Motor Neurone Disease storyline with on-screen husband Paul as a career highlight, after which he wondered what was left for Billy.
"He'd been a drug addict, he'd adopted a child, got married, had the first ever same sex wedding on the show and lost his husband," Brocklebank recounted. "It's not like he hadn't packed it in – it's been quite a colourful 11 years."
He stated that producers told him the exit was purely storyline-based, a common occurrence in soaps. "It felt absolutely right, so I was philosophical about it. It is just a job at the end of the day and there's no character bigger than the show," he added.
Brocklebank also noted the positive outcome of the announcement, receiving messages from past producers and directors about future work opportunities, which he found reassuring.
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX from 7am.
