Just one day after news broke that soap actress Sue Cleaver is departing Coronation Street after 25 years, it has been announced that another star is set to leave the cobbles behind.
Warning: Spoiler Alert!
Corrie's Luca Toolan has left the much-loved show after more than a year in the role of Mason Radcliffe. His exit storyline aired in Monday's episode as the ITV soap launched a new storyline focusing on knife crime.
"You've made a little lad's dream come true" ❤️
— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) January 6, 2025
We wish Luca all the best as he says goodbye to Mason. 🎬 #Corrie @ITV @ITVX pic.twitter.com/cbMcpaaAj3
Mason was left fighting for his life after being attacked by his brothers with a zombie knife in a recent episode and was left in a critical condition at the end of the episode, following the attack by brothers Matty played by Seamus McGoff and Logan played by Harry Lowbridge.
Speaking about exiting the popular soap, the 19-year-old who is the son of radio DJ Mike Toolan, said he was "sad" when he found out his character would be killed off.
"Of course when I first heard there was a mixture of emotions because I was sad that Mason was going to die and that means I would be leaving, but equally I was really excited and honoured to be part of this storyline because it's an incredibly important issue that needs to be tackled. I feel so privileged to have had this opportunity to start my professional career at Coronation Street and what a great time I’ve had," he said.
Coronation Street bosses say the storyline was inspired by an 80% rise in knife crime in England and Wales over the last 10 years, according to a report by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS).
When asked about the importance of covering knife crime as a storyline, Toolan said he really did "underestimate the power of Coronation Street".
"I didn’t quite grasp how much it can affect the viewers, especially if they’ve been through something similar themselves. I really began noticing the power when I was a part of the bullying storyline and could see the way that it was received - that’s why it’s so important for soaps in general to cover these kinds of topics because people can relate to them and if this storyline even makes one person drop a knife then it’s done a great job."
Recounting his favourite memory from set. he said: "I’d probably say the first ever time I stepped on the set on my first day. I had a non-speaking scene where I was literally just mucking about with Liam and Charlie but to be on that set, but there’s nothing like stepping on that set for the first time and I don’t think that feeling will ever leave me."
Coronation Street is on Virgin Media at 8pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
