Coronation Street star Charles Lawson hints he will return to cobbles as Jim McDonald
Corrie legend could return to Weatherfield by the end of the year
CORRIE legend Jim McDonald could be making a return to the famous cobbles sooner than expected.
Actor Charles Lawson, who has played the iconic character on and off since 1989, spoke exclusively to The Sun Online, revealing his alter ego could be getting out of prison ahead of his 2018 release date.
Charles said: "I speak to Simon [Gregson] every fortnight or every week in fact, and he always lets me know what's going on and I believe there's the possibility of something happening sort of over the winter time."
Charles has remained close to his Simon, 41, who plays his on-screen son Steve McDonald, and asked if fans can expect more classic father-son scenes, he teased: "I think so, there are rumours around that there might be something to do with something I can't really discuss. Watch this space."
Steve is currently in a bit of a tight spot as he was revealed to be the father of Leanne Battersby's unborn child last week, after the two had a secret one night stand.
This week, the Rovers Return landlord then decided it would be a good idea to agree to wife Michelle's idea of having a baby of their own.
However Charles couldn't reveal if the storyline would be the catalyst for Jim's return, saying: "I'll be the last to know."
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Jim is currently behind bars for holding up a bank with a gun to try and secure funds for ex-wife Liz McDonald to buy the Weatherfield watering hole in 2011.
He made a welcome return to the show in 2014, when Peter Barlow wound up in the same prison as Jim, with the former army man blackmailing him in a bid to rebuild his relationship with Steve.
The storyline ended with Steve grassing his dad up to police, with fans believing his illegal actions led to his sentence being extended.
His relationship with Liz Beverly Callard) has always had viewers gripped
While Jim is behind bars, Charles has gone on to other projects, most recently Are We There Yet? which sees him travel around Ireland in a Land Rover Defender meeting a wealth of different people and enjoying the odd tipple or two along the way.
Charles said: "I recorded a song called Rare Old Mountain Dew and started annoying everyone by singing it in every pub we went into.
"We said that has to be the theme tune for the series, so now it's out there on iTunes.
"We met some great characters, we went to a cookery school and had to cook for people in the pub, we interviewed a young guy from the X Factor, we met some fishermen, loads of different things.
"All sorts of interesting people on the way round."
While Charlie enjoys the freedom of taking on different projects, he is always delighted to be asked back to Coronation Street, as it's always for a major storyline.
He said: "I had 11 years full time on there, 10 of which were brilliant and all the storylines since I've gone back have been good.
"You don't bring Jim back just to have a pint in the Rovers. There's always something big.
"I'm very proud of all the work that they do there and I'm very proud to be associated with them and I'm very proud to be the legend that is Jim McDonald."
However Charles isn't convinced by the soap's plans to air six days a week from 2017, which were announced soon after new producer Katie Oates joined the show.
Charles said: "Let me say, Catherine Oates the producer is s**t hot, there are people above her who make these decisions, it's really not down to the cast or the crew or anyone who produces the show.
"The money people, if they can make more money they'll go six nights a week, me personally, I don't think it's a good idea.
He added: "I long for the days when you had two actors and the scenes lasted 10 minutes, and that is disappearing, and I think that's to the show's detriment and that's the sadness.
"But hey, you've got to move with the times."
Are We There Yet? will air in the Autumn on Sky channel 191.