James Burrows to depart Coronation Street

The actor will be leaving his Weatherfield character of GP Ali Neeson behind him.

Newspaper reports have suggested Coronation Street actor James Burrows has quit the ITV Granada production.

Burrows plays ‘heartthrob’ doctor Ali Neeson, however, is to leave the street ‘in the coming weeks’ in what is expected to be a dramatic departure thanks to recent storylines that have seen the character becoming one in a long line of foes for Gary Windass (Mikey North).

It was announced in December 2017 the character, first seen in 2007, was making a return to Coronation Street however revamped and recast. Michelle Connor, actress Kym Marsh, was shocked to find out that 16 years previously a mix-up had led to her taking the wrong baby home from the hospital in the original storyline. The boy she had raised, Ryan, was not her biological son. It was exposed when Ryan’s real father tracked him down to the cobbles. It lead to the discovery of her actual son Alex, originally played by Dario Coates. The character’s stay was short-lived and in 2008 disappeared for a decade.

Alex – now going by the name of ‘Ali’ – returned to Michelle’s life when he began working at the medical centre on Rosamund Street.

Trouble, Mikey North as Gary Windass.

In more recent times Ali has begun a renewed friendship with former lover Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) who is attached to bad boy Windass. Unbeknown to Gary Ali and Maria have fallen into bed with each other after she started to figure out loanshark Gary isn’t the innocent he pretends to be. However, Ali’s happiness is to be short-lived when Maria decides to get married, but not to him.

Scorned and heartbroken Ali is likely to jump back on his mission to expose Gary as the dubious villain he’s become and that is always a dangerous route to take, especially as Windass is unaware of Maria’s ding dong with her old lover. Surely not another body under a patio?

James Burrows has had a host of television roles prior to Corrie including playing two guest characters in BBC One daytime saga Doctors, a small part in Emmerdale and more substantial performances in Safe House, Mount Pleasant and Love, Lies and Records.

Dario Coates as Alex/Ali back in 2008 with Kym Marsh as Michelle.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV, STV and UTV.