Corrie confirms Laviscount departure

Coronation Street producers have confirmed that actor Lucien Laviscount will leave the show at the end of the year.

The 17-year-old, who plays religious swimming team captain Ben Richardson, will bow out of the ITV soap when his storyline with screen girlfriend Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) reaches its climax at Christmas.

A Corrie source said: "Sophie and Ben's relationship fizzles out at the back end of the year and they eventually go their separate ways.

"And rumours have been rife about a potential lesbian storyline between Sophie and her best mate Sian [Sacha Parkinson], so the decision to split Ben and Sophie up might be to do with that."

They added: "It could be a while before that happens, though - if it ever does."

A Weatherfield spokesperson this morning confirmed to DS: "Lucien will still be on our screens until Christmas when his current storyline ends."

Laviscount joined the Manchester soap in December and made his screen debut on February 2.

A weekend tabloid recently claimed that he quit the show to pursue a career in Hollywood.

> Corrie's Sophie and Sian ponder lesbian plot