Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver has opened up about her struggle to "be brave" as she prepares to bid farewell to the ITV soap. The soap star, 61, who has been a fixture on the show as Eileen Grimshaw since 2000, is gearing up to leave but confesses she's never felt better. Actress Sue has played no-nonsense Eileen for the past 25 years but just days after ringing in the New Year, she admitted it's time for her to step back from the cobbles.
Over the past 25 years, Sue's character had been at the centre of some of the biggest storylines, including her son, Todd, fathering a child in his teens with Sarah Louise Platt. Sue has set her sights on other projects but will remain on screens until late Spring. There is also good news for fans of the Weatherfield based soap opera though as her character won't be killed off by bosses – meaning there is a chance for Eileen to return to the cobbles and cause mischief once more. Speaking to Yours magazine following her departure announcement, Sue revealed: "These few years have probably been my happiest decade.".
She also reflected on societal expectations and the journey of self-reinvention, saying: "No matter what you do in life, we all get to that point where society tells us we're at the end. I hear empty nesters say, 'That's it, my work is done now,' but you can recreate yourself, and be brave.". Beyond the drama of Weatherfield, the ex-I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! contestant has dazzled in the UK tour of Sister Act and has become a familiar face on ' Loose Women ' lately. Sue, whose career boasts roles in Victoria Wood's dinnerladies and Kay Mellor's Band of Gold before her iconic Coronation Street part, urged others to "exercise their courage" and stressed the importance of finding "joy" in life.
In her words: "People don't have courage - it's a muscle and, like everything else, you exercise it. Stop giving yourself a hard time, because you are unique and fantastic. Use the internet to research what it is you want to do, or make a phone call to find out more. You don't have to do big challenges, or write books, but I think the biggest thing is to do things that bring you joy.". After announcing in January her decision to bid farewell to Weatherfield following an on-and-off 25-year tenure as the beloved Eileen, Sue shared: "I've had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street. The door is still firmly open, but as I reached my 60th year I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly.".
It is believed that conversations about her departure first started last summer after she took an extended period of leave from the show to take part in the theatre production of Sister Act as as Mother Superior. The early conversations "gave writers plenty of time to create a strong exit storyline for her, which viewers will love.". Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.
