Craig Gazey: 'Corrie Mary can fill comic void'

Craig Gazey has revealed that he thinks Pattie Clare's Coronation Street character Mary Taylor could fill the comic void left by his departure.

Gazey, who has played window cleaner Graeme Proctor in the Weatherfield-based soap for three years, is due to bow out amid a dramatic sham marriage storyline.

Speaking to Holy Soap, the 29-year-old actor revealed that he relished the opportunity to play more serious scenes in recent storylines, after years of bringing comic relief to the cobbles.

"I think before this storyline, ever since [Graeme] started looking after Tina before they went out, from there we started to see depth. So from then on it's been great," Gazey said.

In terms of who should fill his shoes as the humorous foil to some of the more dramatic characters, Gazey suggested that Clare's unhinged portrayal of Norris Cole's unrequited lover Mary would be welcomed in a more prominent fixture on the show.

"I think that they should give Pattie more to do as Mary, because I think she's absolutely wonderful and so I think they should venture out with her because I think she's brilliant," he suggested.

"But yeah other than that, I don't know. I'm sure some other comic characters will come."

> Craig Gazey: 'I'd love a Corrie return'