MANCHESTER, England – Former Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson has criticized the “woke” storylines in the popular soap opera and claimed that the cast is too afraid to voice their concerns. Lawson, who played the character Jim McDonald between 1989 and 2000, expressed his discontent with the shift towards politically correct plots during an interview with The Sun. He argued that the show’s decline in viewership can be attributed to the audience becoming “fed up” with the current storylines.
According to Lawson, the soap opera attracted eight million viewers during the Christmas period a decade ago, whereas now it has around 2.6 million. He blamed the drop in viewership on the influx of young storylines and the excessive focus on political correctness in recent years. Lawson reminisced about a time when the show did not tackle woke issues and instead focused on telling stories properly.
The actor highlighted that in the past, cast members such as Bill Roache, Helen Worth, and Kevin Le Vell would voice their concerns to producers if they were unhappy with a storyline. However, he believes that the current cast members are now too apprehensive to speak up. He suggested that the fear among the cast has led to a lack of constructive dialogue and input.
This is not the first time Lawson has expressed his concerns about the show’s direction. He previously predicted that Coronation Street may come to an end within the next decade if it continues with woke plots. He cited changing viewing habits and competition from streaming services as additional factors contributing to the potential demise of the show.
As of now, Coronation Street airs three times a week on ITV1 and ITVX. Despite its longevity, the show’s future remains uncertain as it grapples with declining ratings and criticism over its storylines. The lack of open dialogue between the cast and producers poses a challenge to addressing these concerns and potentially reviving the show’s popularity.