Daniel Brocklebank, the acclaimed actor who has portrayed Billy Mayhew for over a decade, has shared an emotional "final goodbye" message following his departure from the long-running ITV soap Coronation Street. The heartfelt post comes after the broadcast of his character's dramatic funeral scenes, marking the end of an eleven-year journey on the iconic cobbles.
A Dramatic Exit for the Beloved Vicar
Billy Mayhew's storyline reached its tragic conclusion during the recent Corriedale crossover episode, where the character perished in a devastating minibus explosion. However, viewers discovered that his death was not merely a tragic accident but a calculated murder orchestrated by villain Theo Silverton, portrayed by James Cartwright.
In a particularly chilling twist, Theo deliberately left Billy trapped in the burning vehicle after the initial crash. Rather than attempting a rescue, the antagonist clipped the unconscious vicar's seatbelt back in, knowingly confining him as fuel began leaking and flames engulfed the minibus.
Final Moments and Aftermath
Before the vehicle exploded, Billy momentarily regained consciousness in what became his final moments on screen. The character was shown reading his own last rites, creating a poignant and memorable scene for long-term viewers.
The aftermath of the explosion saw police initially wrongfully blame and charge Debbie Webster, played by Sue Devaney, for Billy's death. This mistaken accusation resulted from her brother Carl Webster, portrayed by Jonathan Howard, setting her up after causing the initial crash while driving under the influence.
An Emotional Social Media Farewell
On Wednesday evening, January 28th, Daniel Brocklebank took to Instagram to share photographs from his character's final storyline. The actor posted images of the funeral order of service alongside a picture of Billy's coffin, accompanied by a moving caption.
"Well, that's it. Final goodbye to Billy and my 11 years of being part of that special @coronationstreet family," wrote Brocklebank. He continued with appreciation for the writing, noting "Dapper Dan" and "Greatest Showman" as lovely nods to his character, before concluding: "You say goodbye, I say hello to so many new adventures. With huge love @coronationstreet over and out."
Cast and Fan Tributes Pour In
The actor has received an overwhelming wave of touching tributes from devoted fans and former Coronation Street colleagues alike. Harriet Bibby, who portrays Billy's on-screen daughter Summer Spellman, expressed her sentiments with: "Miss you like mad x."
Gareth Pierce, known for his role as Todd Grimshaw, commented on the emotional nature of the storyline, writing: "Wasn't hard to play 'grief', mate. x" This Morning's soap correspondent Sharon Marshall added her praise, remarking: "A beautiful piece of soap history. Though loving how happy you look in the coffin pic xx."
Looking Forward While Cherishing Memories
In conversation with media outlets, Daniel Brocklebank reflected on his time with the iconic soap and what he will miss most about his regular role. While acknowledging he will deeply miss the daily interactions and bonds formed on set, the actor emphasized his commitment to maintaining relationships with former castmates.
"I'll miss the people," Brocklebank shared. "Having said that, the people that I am most close to, we speak all the time, we see each other all the time. I have no intention of leaving where I live in Manchester."
He specifically mentioned his connection with Harriet Bibby, noting: "Harriet, who plays my daughter, she only lives 10 minutes away from me so we'll get to see each other all the time. We'll just have to make more of an effort to see each other because rather than just having being able to bump into each other at work we'll now have to arrange a coffee or a lunch."
Coronation Street continues to air weeknights on ITV1 at 8.30pm, with episodes available to stream from 7am on ITVX.
