‘Coronation Street’ star Graeme Hawley teared up at his recent leaving party, as he was paying tribue to his on screen wife Jennie McAlpine.

The actor – best known as kidnapper, murderer and slightly unhinged teacher John Stape – has filmed his final scenes for the ITV soap and at his farewell do in Manchester, Graeme praised his long suffering costar, calling her his “rock”.

He said: “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

An insider added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Everyone had a lump in their throat as Graeme told Jennie she’d been his rock. He also told us, ‘I love you all’.

“He doesn’t know what the future holds and said ‘If it has to be the dole, the dole it is. But if it’s bigger things they will not beat the years I have had with you guys’.”

Jennie has previously revealed she doesn’t want Graeme to leave the show because she will miss him on set.

She explained: “I don’t want the storyline to end – I’d be really sad if Graeme wasn’t here. We’ve got really nice chemistry with Sam Aston, who plays Chesney, and Georgia May Foote – it would just knock the balance off.

“I’d love to see John and Fiz’s marriage survive despite everything … but I’m not sure it can.”