Jude Riordan, the 13-year-old actor who plays Sam Blakeman on Coronation Street, has surprised fans with a dramatic new haircut. The star, who hails from St Helens, Merseyside, has been a fixture on the ITV soap since 2020, but his character has recently taken a backseat in storylines.
Riordan's parents, who manage his social media account, shared a photo of his new look on Instagram. Fans quickly commented on how much he has grown up, prompting a follow-up post addressing his absence from the screen. The caption read: 'Lots of messages saying how old I look and how old am I now. I know Sam has been missing offscreen for about 34 years but I will be 14 in a few weeks.'
Sam Blakeman has been less prominent in recent weeks as other plots, such as the arrival of Carl Webster and Debbie Webster's dementia diagnosis, have taken centre stage. Last year, Sam was involved in emotional scenes as his onscreen grandmother Gail Platt left the show on Christmas Day, and his father Nick Tilsley's affair with Toyah Battersby caused family turmoil.
Despite the reduced screen time, Riordan remains enthusiastic about his role. His parents recently shared a cast photo on Instagram, captioning it: 'CORRIE CAST PHOTO. I am there, with the Platt fambo, zoom in. It was like Year 6 picture day. What a team.'
Coronation Street airs on ITV on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm, with episodes available on ITVX from 7am.
