Antony Cotton and Jack P Shepherd have reportedly become the next two Coronation Street stars to pen new one-year contracts with the soap.
Tight cash restraints mean that Corrie and fellow ITV soap Emmerdale are facing fierce cutbacks in 2025, meaning that a string of regular cast members will be leaving the show, while only a handful of stars are being guaranteed regular screen time and salary.
Yesterday it emerged that legendary Corrie stars Bill Roache (Ken), Michael Le Vell (Kevin) and Sally Dynevor (Sally) were all safe until at least 2026, while The Sun says that Cotton (Sean) and Shepherd (David) also have guaranteed futures.
"Jack signed his most recent contract last year so will be around for some time," a source said. "He is a fan favourite so they would be gutted if he goes and they will do what they can to keep him happy. Bosses are desperate to keep him as long as possible."
Cotton, meanwhile, who has played barman/machinist Sean for over 21 years, is on a deal that runs close to the end of 2025 - the equivalent of spring 2026 on screen.
Neil Wilkes
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