Coronation Street star reveals what happened after exit meeting at 7pm with co-stars crucial support

Coronation Street star Colson Smith has revealed exactly what happened before, during and after his meeting with the show's boss - when he was told he would be leaving the iconic cobbles.

The actor recently surprised fans as he told how cobbles chiefs had decided to get rid of his character Craig Tinker, who he has played since 2011, ahead of marking 14 years in Weatherfield this summer.

Colson has grown up alongside his character on-screen, having first appeared in Weatherfield as the son of Beth Tinker, played by Lisa George, as a youngster, originally for just a couple of episodes in a non-speaking role.

But now, over a decade later, it's been decided that Craig's time in Weatherfield is up. On Wednesday (July 8), Colson spoke about his exit alongside Corrie actors Jack P Shepherd and Ben Price during the latest episode of their podcast, On the Sofa with Colson, Jack, and Ben.

The friends spoke about how Colson found out he was leaving with the 26-year-old saying of the podcast: "It's about my secret that's now no longer a secret, we've kept it a secret since end of October."

He went on to reveal: "I got told in October that Craig Tinker's time has come to an end. As an actor we're all on year contracts... I had a couple chats with you two that I wasn't feeling too confident with this renewal period, I just had a feeling that the tide had slightly changed for Craig. I got a phone call for a meeting at 7pm. The first thing I did was ring Ben and say 'it is happening, and it's happening tomorrow night."

Colson revealed that when sharing his concerns with the co-hosts, Jack thought it would be fine whereas Ben agreed with Colson that Craig's time in Weatherfield was about to come to an end. When it came to his meeting, Jack and Ben waited in the green room while Colson was speaking to Kate, 'pacing up and down,' as they waited to hear his fate, with Ben quipping it was like 'waiting for a baby'[.

Colson revealed that when he stepped into the meeting room, producer Kate Brooks said it was going to be a 'really hard conversation'. Speaking to his colleagues and podcast co-hosts, Colson admitted: "The hardest bit was walking down the stairs knowing you two were there. I just stood in the doorway of the green room and just looked at you two."

When he did come out of the meeting, Jack and Ben were on hand to console him and it did create an amusing moment for the departing soap star. Colson said: "I think, even in my teary state, part of me went 'what the f*** is going on? '. As I'm hugging Ben, there's a TV that's on the wall mounted in the green room and it was turned off and I just saw the reflection of little Jack hugging my waist."

He added: "We had a hug then I went, 'Can we go to Nando's?'" as Ben mocked: "Whatever you want, son! Whatever you want. Have a starter, have a pudding..." before adding: "Look, you've got to do it with out mates!"

Colson then admitted: "The thing I'm going to miss more than anything in the world isn't Craig Tinker, it's the green room. I have learned everything about life in that building. Every good day I've had in my life and every bad day I've had in my life, I've been in there."