Inside the Corrie wealth gap as feud erupts over ‘favourites'… from megastar worth £6m to legend sued over £250k debt

The Sun

08-05-2025

IT'S made household names and national treasures over its 65 years on TV.
But not all Coronation Street actors are created equally when it comes to fame and fortune, and - behind the scenes - there's starting to be backlash.
14
As the Sun has reported, a war has erupted on the cobbles regarding the earning potential and financial restrictions placed on stars on set.
And what makes the issue so much tenser is the fact that the soap is currently undergoing massive budgetary cuts.
According to insiders, high earners on set are noticing that their scenes are being cut or limited, to make way for 'cheaper' actors, or younger stars who are new to the industry, so earn less per episode.
Amid the financial struggles of the UK's longest-running soap, many beloved faces are walking away from the cobbles for good, including Sue Cleaver, aka Eileen Grimshaw, and Charlotte Jordan, otherwise known as Daisy Midgeley.
According to insiders, the issue is a matter of inconsistency: not only is there massive disparity between salaries on set, but many stars are paid per episode, meaning they're beholden to whatever storyline they're given.
In the face of escalating costs and in a bid to save money, the soap is starting to cut scenes and limit screen times of the most expensive, more established stars.
And without equal access to promo work outside the show, there's a massive feud brewing.
As it stands, ITV must pre-approve any paid endorsements and commercial deals signed by its Corrie stars.
However, while many requests are rejected straight out the gate, some of the show's 'favourites' are getting some nice little cash flows on the side.
Take Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria Connor. She was recently featured in a promo reel for Marks & Spencer's cafe, alongside her Dancing on Ice husband, Sylvain Longchambon.
There's also actress Sair Khan, aka Akya Nazir, who was recently allowed to promote an Italian oven from brand Bertazzoni - worth £2,500 - on her social media.
Word inside the camp is that other colleagues are struggling to make ends meet, and it doesn't help that they're having their own promo offers blocked.
As one actress on set recently told The Sun: 'It's one rule for the polished PR favourites, and another for the rest of us.
'If you're not part of the golden circle, forget it.'
So, who are the ones breaking bank behind the scenes on the famous cobbles? And who are the actors falling short?
High earners
One big winner this year is Jack P. Shepherd, who's starred as David Platt since joining the show aged 12 in 2000.
Over the years, he's risen to be one of the highest earners, raking in a reported £250,000.
According to several reports, the actor is now worth £6million.
But this year, he's had an even bigger financial boost, after starring on Celebrity Big Brother - and going on to win the show.
As was reported at the time, Jack's £100,000 CBB salary didn't quite match the high earnings of some of his fellow housemates, including Mickey Rourke, who did initially stand to earn £500,000, before having his fee slashed after he was kicked off the show for bad behaviour.
14
14
14
But the fact that Jack won the whole thing last month, receiving 37.37 per cent of the votes, has opened the doors to whole new cash streams, with brands bidding to work with him.
He's also had a boost to his online following, which also equates to higher earnings. With 492k followers, the actor could potentially earn between £1,500 and £2,200 per sponsored post.
Nothing's been confirmed yet when it comes to brand deals, but it's unlikely that ITV would block any possible ventures he's got going on the outside, considering what a popular asset he is to the show.
Keeping him on side is even more vital, considering the fact that many other stars are leaving the set for new opportunities.
Likewise, actor Alan Halsall has found his golden goose as series regular Tyrone Dobbs, which is a role he's played since 1998.
The 42-year-old reportedly earns £100,000 for his work on set. This may not rival Jack's pay packet, but Alan doubled down on his earning potential after entering the I'm A Celebrity jungle last year.
He is said to have earned somewhere between £75,000 and £100,000 - ultimately finishing in sixth place.
Again, this elevated him to a higher status in TV land, as show bosses can't help but recognise that he's another valuable asset to the franchise.
It's therefore unlikely that he'd have some brand deals blocked as one of the show favourites.
Other big earners up in Weatherfield include Barbara Knox, who - aged 91 - has signed a one-year deal, worth a reported £200,000, to ensure her beloved character Rita Tanner remains on the show until 2026.
14
14
14
There's also Michael Le Vell, who reportedly earns £170,000 to play the show's longstanding mechanic Kevin Webster.
Yet despite the sizeable pay packets, some of the show's most beloved stars haven't been without their financial hardships.
Money troubles
Corrie legend Bill Roache is, undoubtedly, one of its highest earners - and also holds the title of the show's longest-running star, having first stepped onto the cobbles when it was first broadcast in 1960.
It's no surprise, then, that he's also its highest earner - raking in over £250,000 for his role as Ken Barlow.
Still, the actor faced financial ruin last year, after narrowly avoiding bankruptcy.
The now 93-year-old had previously invested in a business venture in the Cayman Islands, which HMRC believed to be part of a tax avoidance scheme.
He was duly ordered to pay off £550,000 within 12 weeks - under the threat that, if he failed to do so, he'd have to declare bankruptcy.
This came 25 years after the actor was previously declared bankrupt in 1999.
Thankfully for him, his second financial scare wasn't as damaging. After a hearing last year, the case was dismissed, and he was ultimately slapped with legal fees of just £1,129.20.
The actor is now believed to be worth around £3.9million.
14
14
Meanwhile, Simon Gregson, who plays Steve McDonald on the ITV show, was forced to liquidate his company, Simon Gregson Productions Ltd, in 2023 amid mounting debts.
The 50-year-old, who reportedly earns £150,000 on the show, had previously borrowed money from the company - which he was then ordered to repay £1,500 per month.
If he and his wife, Emma, ultimately fail to make the repayments - to the sum of £252,83 - within three years, they've been told they'll be forced to sell their family home.
Cutting costs
With so much disparity between the personal fortunes of Corrie's stars, it's no surprise that a storm is now brewing behind the scenes, especially since bosses are keen to cut costs as much as possible.
As we previously revealed, ITV bigwigs have reduced filming schedules of some stars, following a massive loss of funding.
In an attempt to claw back some money, bosses also previously applied to trademark the 'Corrie' brand, which would allow them to sell items to fans including toiletries, cosmetics, soaps and perfumes.
But that's not enough to keep the beloved soap afloat, and other drastic action has been taken.
They wouldn't let most of us even do a teeth-whitening collaboration, meanwhile Samia's out here posing with pastries.
Unnamed Corrie actress
Some actors have reportedly been put on part-time contracts, meaning they're paid per episode, and have also seen their filming schedules reduced.
While big names could expect to earn up to £2,000 per episode, other lesser known actors, with new roles, might make as little as £400 for an appearance - making them a more affordable choice.
As we've revealed, there's already been a mass exodus of stars.
14
14
14
As well as Sue Cleaver and Charlotte Jordan, the likes of Colson Smith, who plays Craig Tinker, Shelley King, aka Yasmeen Metcalfe, and Sue Devaney, otherwise known as Debbie Webster, are also making their exits.
Of course, they could simply be seeking adventures new, but insiders say the real reason is that the money simply isn't cutting it on set, especially amid budget cuts.
A Coronation Street spokesperson has said: 'We do not discuss individual cases, but the cast are aware that all requests for commercial deals go through an approvals process and are dealt with on a case by case basis.'
But according to the unnamed actress, who's had her own deals blocked, there's a clear sense of preferential treatment on set.
She told the Sun: 'They wouldn't let most of us even do a teeth-whitening collaboration, meanwhile Samia's out here posing with pastries. It's a total p**s take.
'We've been told time and time again: no ads, no endorsements - not so much as a candle on Instagram.
'But then Samia pops up in a full-blown promo for M&S and everyone's just supposed to pretend it's normal?
'People are keeping quiet as they don't want to rock the boat or get the boot, but there's a lot of anger.'
She added: 'Why are some allowed to cash in, while the rest of us struggle?'
Corrie cash crisis: shock exits for 2025
ITV bosses are locked in a battle to save the cash-strapped soap.
This means that a number of stars have either been axed from or have abandoned the long-running serial drama.
Colson Smith - Craig Tinker
The character of Craig Tinker has been axed by bosses after 14 years. After he was told of the news in Autumn 2024, Colson Smith confirmed that would be written out of the show with scenes to air later this year. Craig's on-screen mum, Beth Tinker, also left the show in the summer when actress Lisa George was written out from the role.
Sue Cleaver - Eileen Grimshaw
After 25 years playing Eileen Grimshaw, former I'm A Celebrity campmate Sue Cleaver will quit the show. The Sun on Sunday reported in January that she's already begun to film her exit scenes. However the character will not be killed off in case Sue opts to make a return in the future.
Luca Toolan - Mason Radcliffe
Bosses decided to axe the teenage character after just 16 months after he first joined the show. Recent scenes saw Mason stabbed by his criminal brothers after his pal Dylan brought a knife in an attempt to defend him.
Sue Devaney - Debbie Webster
In November 2024, we revealed that Debbie Webster is set to be killed off after 40 years on the cobbles. The character will die as part of a heartbreaking long-running dementia storyline.
Charlotte Jordan - Daisy Midgeley
The actress became the fifth star to leave Coronation Street in just one month. We revealed that she will bow out of the ITV soap later this year after four years on-screen. Charlotte told sources that she's hungry to see what other opportunities await.
Shelley King - Yasmeen Metcalfe
The actress has played Yasmeen Metcalfe on the cobbles for the past 11 years and we revealed in January that she finished filming her final scenes. This follows the departure of her on-screen partner Stu Carpenter.