Corrie team 'won't fill Blanche's shoes'

Coronation Street's series producer Kim Crowther has confirmed that the show's team have no plans to create a new Blanche Hunt-style character.

Crowther told DS that while the Weatherfield soap will continue to have humourous moments, viewers will not see another acid-tongued resident to take Blanche's place.

Maggie Jones, who played the battleaxe from 1974, passed away in December following a period of ill health.

Speaking of the gap left behind by Jones and her character, Crowther explained: "Maggie's a great loss to the show, there's no doubt about it and everybody knows that - there's no way we could pretend otherwise and we wouldn't even try to fill those shoes."

She continued: "Maggie was really professional and a wonderful lady to work with and always delivered on screen no matter how well she felt personally. So she'll be greatly missed on screen and off. But of course we'll still have comedy on the show.

"We try and make even the blackest situations comic with sharp and witty observations, which is our unique talent. We just won't be able to write Blanche lines anymore because only she could deliver them... and she could, you know!"

Last month, it was confirmed that Blanche will get an on-screen send-off later this year.

> Click here to read our interview with Kim Crowther
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