James Bailey will wave goodbye to the Coronation Street cobbles this week, as the former professional footballer leaves for London where he’ll embark on a new career as a coach.
Actor Nathan Graham was recently confirmed to have quit his role after three years on the ITV soap. His alter ego hears of a job opportunity thanks to his uncle Ronnie (Vinta Morgan); and James is excited to hear that the location is close to where his boyfriend Danny Tomlinson (Dylan Brady) lives.
Before long, James will bid his loved ones and neighbours farewell as he starts his new life. It’s a heartwarming exit that marks the end of a chapter that saw James deal with homophobia as he opened up about his sexuality, as well as racism when he and brother Michael (Ryan Russell) were arrested for no good reason.
But why exactly is star Graham leaving the show? Read on for all you need to know, as he speaks about his exit for the first time.
Why is Nathan Graham leaving Coronation Street?
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Graham revealed that it simply feels like the right time to say goodbye to James. “I am the sort of person who lives in the moment and goes with what feels right,” he explained.
“When it came to my decision to leave, it was very difficult, it was a tough thing to decide, obviously for various reasons. Going from a place of security to not know what is next is scary and a risk. But then also it was just the right decision and it felt right.
“I had a good chat with Iain MacLeod and he understood my decision. I have had some great storylines and I did wonder where the character could go next so I felt it was time to go and do something different for me.
“At this moment in time I only have myself to think of and that is the time to step out of your comfort zone. Once you are settled down with responsibilities and a family to think of it isn’t as easy to make that leap.”
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The actor added that his final scenes felt rather symbolic, with James’ decision to move on mirroring his own.
“There were a lot of similarities between James’ departure and my own; he is sad to be going but is excited about his future – and so am I.
“James’ family are upset he is leaving but can see this is an exciting new chapter for him so they are pleased for him and that was the same with Trevor, Lorna, Ryan, Vinta and Channique so it felt very real.”
However, Graham is glad that the door has been left open for James to return one day. “They gave him a heart attack, so they could have killed him,” he noted.
“I was fully aware of the fact that once you have decided to leave it is out of your hands and they can do whatever they want for the character to go. So I was pleased when I found out that it was a happy ending for James and it is nice to know I could potentially come back in the future to see the family.”
Asked about his next step, Graham said: “I am just going to take things as they come and roll with the punches. You know, it sounds cliché, but I just feel at the end of the day if you put the hard work in it eventually pays off.
“I don’t expect anything from anyone; I don’t expect to walk into a job. It can be a difficult process and I understand all that. I think it’s just knowing it’s a journey. It’s a process. I am a big believer in what is meant for you won’t pass you by. I will keep my foot on the gas and see what happens. You come into this career to play different characters, that’s the exciting thing about it.”
Viewers will see James leave Weatherfield for a new chapter tonight (Monday 3rd October) at 8pm.
Read more:
- James Bailey to leave Coronation Street as star Nathan Graham quits
- Coronation Street airs distressing scenes as James Bailey’s heart stops
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