Charles Lawson has revealed that he would jump at the chance to return to Coronation Street, but only if the writers had some juicy storylines for him to act out.

Charles told The Sunday Mail:

“They’d run out of things for Jim to do. I got some highly improbable plot lines. I still felt I had plenty to offer so the sensible thing to do was shake hands and walk away – otherwise they would have killed Jim off.

“I’d go back in a minute. I miss Jim and I miss the cheque. He was fun to play because I thrived on good writing. But there’s no point just bringing Jim back again to pull pints in the Rovers.”

Charles went on to hit out at actors who say that Corrie is not “proper acting”.

He said: “In the Street if you don’t hit the ground running and grab the job by the nuts you get chewed up and spat out. It takes no prisoners.

“I know lots of a******* actors who poo-pooed it but they all wanted to be in it.

“The industry has changed so much over the last few years. I’m disillusioned with it. Kids on TV seem to want to be famous without practising the craft of acting. It p***** me off. I’ve had a good career – earned my stripes – and long may it continue. Even after 30 years it still gives me a buzz. But if I won the lottery I could give up acting – I can take it or leave it.”