'Coronation Street' star Ben Thompson is planning to focus on a career in music after soap bosses decided not to renew his contract.
The actor, whose character Ryan Connor is expected to make occasional appearances in the soap, told the Bolton News: "It wasn't my choice to leave 'Coronation Street', but a new producer [Phil Collinson] came in and wanted to shake things up.
"I am one of the characters that sadly wasn't part of the plan. Ryan is being sent off to university and can come back, but I don't know if that will happen for the foreseeable future.
"I am sad, because it has been the biggest part of my life for the past four years.
"It has given me the freedom to work on my music, though. Writing music is something I have always done, but I've never been able to focus on it before because I had to do 'Coronation Street'. It's nice to be able to do something completely different to acting.
"'Coronation Street' has been a fantastic springboard for me - it's a national institution. People hear about my gigs and want to see Ryan from 'Coronation Street' play songs.
"It's nice that people support me because I've been on 'Coronation Street', but I want to impress people with my music.
"I know it's hard to be credible when you come out of a soap and people might think I'm singing just because I've been on television. I'm not going to be on TV with make-up on and my top off, though.
"I want to do this because I've written these songs and I want to play them for people."
Viewers will see Thompson back on the show at Christmas as part of the soap's 50th anniversary storyline.
