Coronation Street star makes shock return to cobbles after TWO years off screen ahead of Craig Tinker’s death and exit
CORONATION Street actor Donnaleigh Bailey is reprising her role after TWO years off screen.
Her character PC Jess Haywood will appear on the soap next week ahead of her colleague Craig Tinker’s shock death.
Donnaleigh was last seen on screen in summer 2023 working alongside Craig in the Weatherfield police force.
She’s on the cast list for next week as it’s confirmed she’ll be part of Colson Smith‘s exit storyline.
Jess and Craig got off to a rocky start in their working relationship with a row over a mug of tea.
As his mentor, she then secretly tested him by setting Craig up to see whether he would report her for bad behaviour.
Jess asked Craig if he could wait in the car while she went out for five minutes in order to quickly ring her mum.
When she returned, Craig reminded Jess he didn’t think officers were allowed to make personal calls while out on duty.
Jess told Craig that she was impressed with his courage to tell her she was wrong.
Now, Craig is set to be killed off in a dramatic storyline that will air this summer.
He’s been on the cobbles for 14 years – and threw a massive leaving party.
A source told The Sun: “Craig has grown up on the street and he’s become part of it so it was a tough decision to make but one that will be worth it.
“PC Tinker will meet his maker in heroic circumstances this summer and there won’t be a dry eye in the house when it goes out.
“Colson is taking it well and there’s a real feeling that this chapter is closing for him and there are bigger and brighter things ahead.”
To commemorate his final day on set, Colson clambered up onto the Rovers Return set for a final picture and made a whopping blunder.
He revealed a lot more than intended with a huge FOR SALE sign visible on the Rovers.
The soap is currently filming around ten weeks ahead of broadcast, meaning this is a major spoiler – showing the famous pub will be put up for sale by current landlady Jenny Connor.