Coronation Street fans were devastated to learn in December 2017 that resident heartthrob Shayne Ward AKA Aidan Connor would be leaving the show the following year.
A TV source let slip that Shayne would be part of a big exit, revealing 'Nobody will see this coming - bosses have something really explosive planned for the character.'
And a huge exit it was as, tragically, Aidan chose to end his own life in a storyline to promote awareness around male suicide.
While it wasn't confirmed either way, we sort of got the feeling that Shayne had decided to move on - but now that's been turned on its head.
Shayne's on-screen sister Faye Brookes, who played Kate Connor for four years, implied that it had not been Shayne's choice to leave the soap.
Faye told The Sun, "I still feel really sad about it, and I think he’s probably going to be upset about it until he goes.
"It’s a difficult thing to deal with, but I totally understand why they’ve done it. I’m absolutely devastated that he’s going, but I also realise you have to go with the changes."
Now that's a political statement if ever we heard one.
She added that she thought Shayne would "take the bull by the horns and go with it."
This article first appeared on Closer on 9 May 2018.
In 2024, former The X Factor winner and singer of That's My Goal and No Promises, Shayne was confirmed as part of the Strictly Come Dancing line-up. He follows in the Corrie footsteps of Ellie Leach (who won the show alongside Vito Coppola in 2023) and Tina O'Brien (who was the fourth celebrity to leave in 2010).
He's partnered with Nancy Xu, who danced with Les Dennis in 2023.
Now watch: Strictly Come Dancing's Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez perform for Closer.