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King Charles showed off his shooting technique as he fired a gun during a visit to the home of the Royal Artillery in Wiltshire, earning praise from impressed officers

King Charles fires a gun during a visit to the Royal Regiment of Artillery(Image: PA)

King Charles has earned praise from impressed military officers as he showcased his ‘faultless’ firing technique during a royal engagement. Charles paid a visit to the home of the Royal Artillery at Larkhill, Wiltshire, today for the first time since assuming the title of Captain General.

The King, who became ceremonial head of the regiment following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, was met with a 21-gun salute when he arrived and was greeted by Master Gunner, St James’s Park, Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Gregory. The purpose of the King’s visit was to learn about the soldiers and their personal stories, as well as their gruelling training and the heritage of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

King Charles visited the Royal Regiment of Artillery(Image: Getty Images)

Following the national anthem, Charles, who was wearing the number four tropical dress uniform, was invited into the officers’ dining room where he met with senior serving army personnel and veterans.

After mingling with military representatives, the King had a chance to see historical artefacts including the voluntary artillery officer full dress tunic uniform of his great-grandfather George V, to which he commented: “It’s lasted very well.”

During a tour of the grounds, King Charles was shown a number of high-tech equipment used by the soldiers, as he picked up one of the fixed-winged drones to gauge its weight as their use was being explained to him.

Charles met with army personnel as he inspected their high-tech equipment(Image: PA)

Many lucky personnel expressed their excitement over meeting the King, with Staff sergeant Bethan Preston-Newman, of the 104th Regiment based in Newport, Wales, saying: “It was a once-in-lifetime opportunity to meet the King and really nice to explain what the reserves do.”

Lance Bombardier Rebecca Haynes, also based in Newport, added: “It was a great honour to be here and represent the regiment.”

Lance Bombardier Alexandra Robinson, based in Worcester, said: “He is definitely interested in us as people and it’s definitely an honour to be here.” Charles was then invited to take the seated position of the L118 light gun to fire a single shot, which he gratefully accepted.

Assuming the position, the King then donned a pair of ear defenders and called “ready” before firing, seeming to visibly wince as he pulled the firing lever.

The King fired a ceremonial shot, showing off his “faultless” technique(Image: PA)

Sergeant Neil Mitchell, of 14 Regt, 34 Battery, praised the King’s firing technique at pulling the firing lever and said: “The first one he didn’t give it a good enough pull but the second time was faultless.” He added jokingly: “I was going to ask him if he could start on Monday.”

To celebrate his successful shot, Charles was presented with an engraved 105mm cartridge, before chatting to families who had gathered to meet him on the grounds.

It was an emotional night in Coronation Street tonight, as Eileen Grimshaw waved goodbye to Weatherfield after 25 years – but some fans wanted a better exit for the star

Eileen Grimshaw waved goodbye to Weatherfield tonight in emotional scenes (Image: ITV)

It was the end of an era on Coronation Street tonight, as Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver) waved goodbye to the street she’d lived on for 25 years. Actress Sue Cleaver joined the ITV soap in 2000, when her character moved into number 11 with sons Jason and Todd Grimshaw. However, some fans weren’t impressed with her exit scenes.

The character quickly became a fan favourite, winning numerous awards for her portrayal of the role, and her feud with Gail Platt (Helen Worth) will go down in history.

However, after 25 years, it was time for Eileen to wave goodbye to Weatherfield, and hello to Thailand as she made a big move.

Jason returned to Weatherfield for Eileen’s big exit (Image: ITV)

It comes after a tough time for the character, who was being suspected in her sister Julie’s tragic death. In tonight’s episode, Eileen was cleared by the police of any wrongdoing in Julie’s death. She then decided to make the move to Thailand, and invest in her son Jason’s bar.

It wasn’t the only big change for the character, as she ended her relationship with George after admitting she only loved him as a friend.

In her final scenes, Eileen who worked at the StreetCars taxi service alongside Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), was seen hopping into the back of his cab with Jason.

The StreetCars team gave Eileen the send off she deserved (Image: ITV)

Showing their appreciation, Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) and the other cabbies lined up the taxis on the street, honking their horns and saluting her as she waved out the window.

Despite the ‘touching’ scenes, some fans weren’t happy about the exit Eileen was given after 25 years, as they expected more. One penned: “This will go down in history as one of the most drawn out exits ever,” as another wrote: “This is a dreadful last episode for a long term character.”

“Well, that send off, wasn’t very exciting,” tweeted a third, while another agreed: “Goodness. Eileen’s exit storyline is very, very, VERY bland.”

However, others took to the social media platform to praise the exit. “Wow todays episode of Corrie had me happy crying what an ending for an iconic character,” wrote one fan, as another said: “Loved how all the taxis lined the street to wave eileen off. Nice touch.”

Previously speaking about her exit scenes, Sue gushed that the ITV soap had given her “the perfect ending.” Speaking on Kelvin and Liz Fletcher’s Off Script podcast, the star said: “When I read it and saw it, I was really emotional. It’s the perfect ending. It is everything that I wanted.”

Prince William and Prince Harry were already at loggerheads just a month after the Duke of Sussex married Meghan Markle, with the ‘fab four’ meeting to clear the air

Prince William’s comment at the first Royal Foundation Forum seems to have been a hint of trouble ahead(Image: CHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Just one month on from the wedding of Prince Harry and American actor Meghan Markle, cracks in the bond between the Duke of Sussex and his brother Prince William were already becoming evident.

In what seemed a move to resolve their differences, June 2018 saw the brothers and their spouses meet at Kensington Palace. Yet, looming over this urgent summit was Prince William’s sharp two-word remark that, with hindsight, showed the growing rift within royal relations.

Royal expert Camilla Tominey points out that Meghan’s appointment as the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation led to conflict, revealing “how much tension there was between them”.

The dynamics are explored in the upcoming Channel 5 dramatisation, ‘Meghan vs Kate: The Meeting That Changed the Monarchy’, where Talk TV’s Royal Editor Sarah Hewson recounts: “It was a late afternoon in June 2018, Harry and Meghan were heading over to Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace for ‘clear the air’ talks with William and Kate.”

Once viewed as the modern face of the monarchy, the unity of the once-dubbed “fab four” was shattered by the outcomes of this pivotal discussion, reports Cambridgeshire Live.

The royal couples had been dubbed the ‘fab four’ but tensions soon became apparent(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Whispers had emerged that Meghan’s off-camera conduct had rankled a member of the Kensington Palace team, with Kate reportedly taking issue with the former TV star’s attitude towards the palace staff.

Royal biographer Andrew Morton has suggested that Catherine may have felt “threatened” by Meghan’s presence. With a successful acting career spanning over 15 years, Meghan brought a level of confidence and outspokenness rarely seen among Royal wives.

Tensions were also brewing between the two brothers. In February 2018, during a public announcement that Meghan would become the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation, the four royals were asked if working so closely as a family led to disagreements.

William responded with a resounding: “Oh, yes!” Harry agreed, adding: “They come so thick and fast. Working as family does have its challenges, of course it does. But we’re stuck together for the rest of our lives.”

However, their professional collaboration wouldn’t last much longer. Sarah Hewson suggests that royal journalists should have picked up on the tension between them: “Clearly things were not right between these two couples.”

In Tina Brown’s book ‘The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor-the Truth and the Turmoil’, she highlights that public appearance as a significant turning point. She notes how Meghan “fluently” spoke in the interview, passionately advocating for causes that, while commendable, didn’t align with the Royal Foundation’s message.

The four royals continued to make appearances together at formal events(Image: PHIL HARRIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Tina described it as “a fashionable cause anointed by Hollywood and sure to make headlines,” adding: “It was an awkward dynamic. It was later decided the Fab Four would not play onstage together as a band again.”

She observed that Kate seemed to be eclipsed by Meghan’s presence: “When it was Kate’s moment to speak, she was strikingly less articulate, as well as brief.”

Following this, the two couples would only make joint public appearances during larger Royal events, such as the Commonwealth Day services or the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

It wasn’t until nearly two years later that Harry and Meghan would publicly declare their intention to “step back as ‘senior’ members” of the Royal Family, planning to divide their time between the UK and the US, and pursue financial independence.

Yet, it was William’s succinct remark that seemed to signal the onset of a shift within the monarchy as it was known at the time.

David Beckham will become a Sir when he is awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list next week with wife Victoria to be known as Lady Beckham

David Beckham will finally be awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list next week. His wife Victoria will be known as Lady Beckham.

The England and Manchester United icon finally becomes a Sir after calls for years to see him given the honour, the Sun reports. Beckham, who turned 50 back at the start of May, has been a British icon for years and had long been tipped to become another of football’s Sirs.

Beckham, who played 115 times for England, has continued to make notable donations to charity. He has also struck up a firm friendship with King Charles. The monarch dropped a hint last month when Beckham greeted Charles and Queen Camilla at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Charles asked him: “You got it, didn’t you?” Before Beckham replied: “It was incredible, thank you. It was very kind.”

The now Inter Miami co-owner made his name in Manchester, rising through the ranks before becoming England captain. His goal that saw the Three Lions qualify for the World Cup in 2002 remains one of his greatest moments.

His profile exceeded football and he went on to play for the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan and LA Galaxy before calling time on his career. Beckham remains adored by the public and actions, like queueing to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth, only saw the love for him increase.

The 49-year-old had been kept waiting in his bid to earn a knighthood, after failing to add to the OBE award he was given back in 2003. Years ago shocking emails were leaked in 2017, which may have set him back in his goal to receive a knighthood.

He is said to have claimed he “didn’t care about being knighted” – though the ex-midfielder has claimed some of the leaked emails had been doctored. The leaked emails claim Beckham said: “I expected nothing less. It’s a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of got something like this 10 years ago.”

A close friend of Beckham exclusively told The Mirror in 2017: “To be honest, he does feel that he has given so much to his country. And sometimes you say things in private that anyone would say and you don’t really mean it.

David will now be a Sir, while Victoria will be referred to as Lady Beckham (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
“While he was frustrated in those emails, he was over it the moment he sent them. Getting the knighthood is not what his work is about. He doesn’t care if he gets a knighthood or not.”

Beckham was appointment as an ambassador to HM’s charity the King’s Foundation, which was seen as an encouraging sign earlier last year, but his tax affairs had once been viewed as a possible barrier to becoming a Sir in the past before that was eventually ironed out.

Beckham said at the time: “I’m excited to be working with The King’s Foundation and to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of the charity’s work. I’ve always been keen to help young people to expand their horizons and I’m particularly looking forward to supporting the Foundation’s education programmes and its efforts to ensure young people have greater access to nature.

David Beckham has struck up a firm relationship with King Charles (
Image:
PA)
“Having developed a love for the countryside I’m also on a personal mission to learn more about rural skills which is so central to the Foundation’s work. It was inspiring to hear from The King about the work of His Majesty’s Foundation during my recent visit to Highgrove Gardens — and compare beekeeping tips.”

In 2020 Golden Balls also teamed up with the Chelsea Pensioners as he backed The Sun’s campaign to save the Poppy Appeal amid the devastating Covid lockdown.

He will join an impressive list of sports stars who have been knighted, including Manchester icons Sir Alex Ferguson and the late Sir Bobby Charlton.

Plans for David Beckham to finally be awarded his long-awaited knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list could be scuppered due to one strict rule placed on all of those who are named on the Honours list

Football star David Beckham has made his hopes to be knighted over the years no secret – and, now the star is closer than ever, his impending knighthood might be under threat.

David, 50, is set to finally get his wish as it’s been reported he is due to receive the honour in King Charles’ upcoming Birthday Honours List, which is set to be announced this month by The Gazette.

It has been claimed David is set to become a Sir while his wife Victoria Beckham will become Lady Beckham, as David will be reportedly named in the Kings Birthday Honours list next week.

However, the early announcement of Beckham’s reported knighthood could risk him losing the title before its officially awarded, a source has told the Mirror.

David Beckham has made no secrets of his dreams of a knighthood over the years(Image: Getty Images)

A source has told us: “David’s long-awaited knighthood could be on the ropes after the news leaked.”

“David has wanted this knighthood for many years so the last thing he needs is the horse bolting before he’s able to close the stable door. But, there are rules and protocols that those being awarded Honours must abide by – including a strict embargo on keeping hush hush before The Gazette shares the list.”

The Gazette is the UK’s official public record, in which the official Honours Lists are released alongside other public notices and information.

Meanwhile, Richard Fitzwilliams, royal commentator and former Editor of The International Who’s Who, explains: “There is a theoretical threat that names leaked before the Honours List is officially announced could have their honours removed. This is highly unlikely especially given the number of high-profile names leaked ahead of receiving their honours in the past, which have included Barbara Windsor and Tim Henman.

“A whistleblower revealed Tim Henman’s upcoming OBE award in December 2003. The leak included a memo from the main Honours committee and prompted concerns about the process, which ultimately led to much-needed reform,.

“Also, news of the late Barbara Windsor’s Damehood in the 2016 New Year’s Honours list was released, together with others, before the official announcement. This caused controversy, prompting an inquiry.”

He added: “However, Honours list leaks aren’t new, In 2019, a government report containing names and addresses of recipients was accidentally published. Also, a leak in 2003 revealed a secret list of 300 who had previously declined honours.”

“It appears there periodically seems to be a ‘mole’ in the system,” Richard suggested, before he added: “If the leak had come from David’s camp, then there may be a risk to his knighthood, but that most emphatically does not seem to be the case.”

“It is extraordinary that there has been no knighthood for David Beckham yet. He turned 50 in May and he is a phenomenon who only has an OBE. His charity work for UNICEF, helping to bring the Olympics to London and his incredible career achievements over the years, make the knighthood he will shortly be receiving long overdue.”

Adam Woodyatt was on hand to collect his EastEnders co-star Steve McFadden’s much-deserved win at the British Soap Awards after the Phil Mitchell actor was missing

Soap Awards winner Steve McFadden, who plays EastEnders legend Phil Mitchell, missed the ceremony (Image: PA)

Soap Awards winner Steve McFadden, who plays EastEnders legend Phil Mitchell, missed the ceremony on Saturday night when it took place.

As ITV1 aired the big awards on Thursday 5 June, it was his co-star Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale, who accepted the award on his behalf. Actor Steve doesn’t always attend the big events, but this time fans were expecting to see him as he secured the trophy for Best Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards 2025.

So when actor Adam went up on stage on his behalf, it emerged Steve was not there to celebrate his deserved win. That said, Adam quickly explained the icon’s absence, with him taking some time away after such a heavy storyline.

Emotional scenes earlier this year, starting late last year, saw his character Phil struggling with his mental health. Events reached breaking point when Phil suffered from psychosis and suicidal thoughts, with him sadly making an attempt to end his life.

The portrayal earned actor Steve huge praise after his more than three decades on the show, from cast and viewers. Now he’s gone all the way and got the award, but sadly despite “wanting to be there” he couldn’t be.

Adam Woodyatt was on hand to collect his EastEnders co-star Steve McFadden’s much-deserved win(Image: WireImage)

Adam explained to the audience that Steve was on holiday after months of filming the tough storyline. In his absence, Adam collected the award and gave an epic speech that moved fans.

He said, after appearing to say to the award presenters: “Holiday, holiday,” that Steve had been “nervous” about getting the storyline right. He also said, and his cast agreed, that it had been a long time coming for Steve to win the award.

Adam shared on the stage: “Obviously I am not Steve McFadden. Steve is on a very well deserved holiday. He would have loved to have been here.”

Turning to his co-stars in their seats, Adam went on: “For us, isn’t it about time he won this? Steve for 35 years has been the most consistent brilliant colleague.

“He has been off the scale. I was in the green room with him before he started this storyline, and Steve was nervous. You would think after all the things that Steve has done over all this time, and he was nervous.

Steve was not there to celebrate his deserved win(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

“I asked him come on mate, what is this about? And he said, ‘I just want to get it right’. And I went, you’ve got it right mate!” With that he raided the trophy in the air, gesturing that it as proof he’d done good and had nothing to worry about.

With that the crowd erupted into applause and Adam left the stage. Viewers were thrilled for the actor, taking to X to share their thoughts on his big win. One fan posted: “THE BEST ACTOR IN THE SOAP INDUSTRY FULL STOP!!!! AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND!”

Another fan said: “SO SO happy for Steve McFadden. What a legend.” A third fan wrote: “About time, congratulations to Steve McFadden.”

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Prince Harry previously spoke out about him and Meghan Markle dancing in a hospital room to induce labour before Princess Lilibet was welcomed to the world

Prince Harry has discussed Meghan Markle’s dancing in her now-viral video of showing twerking in hospital to induce her labour before the birth of Lilibet. The video was posted to Instagram by Meghan to her 3.5million followers in honour of Princess Lili’s fouth birthday.

The video, which shows a heavily pregnant Meghan and hype man Harry twerking and dancing around a hospital room in an attempt to induce Meghan’s labour, was met with a mixed response online. While thousands of people were shocked that the intimate moment had been posted online, it seems Harry has already spoken out about the dancing that occurred in the hospital room before the birth of their daughter.

Harry and Meghan dance in a new video shared by Meghan from Princess Lilibet’s birth

The Duke of Sussex previously mentioned the moment in his 2023 memoir Spare, recalling the day Lilibet was born on June, 2021. In his memoir, Harry revealed that the day was filled with “love and joy”, as they did not encounter the same stresses on the day Lili was born as the day their eldest child Archie was born in 2019, when the couple were still active working members of the royal family.

Speaking about his daughter’s birth in Spare, Harry said: “Nothing but joy and love in that room. We ate and ate and then did the Baby Mama dance around the hospital room.”

Meghan’s video echoed Harry’s words as she wrote in the caption: “Four years ago today, this also happened. Both of our children were a week past their due dates… so when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn’t work – there was only one thing left to do!”

Prince Harry shared details of the moments before Lili’s birth in his memoir Spare

At the time of Lilibet’s birth in 2021, the song in Meghan’s video –Starrkeisha’s The Baby Momma Dance – became a viral audio on TikTok, with thousands of expectant mothers showcasing their moves to induce labour.

The controversial video seemingly caused a stir online, with royal fans divided over whether the video was appropriate to share or not. Thousands of fans flocked to social media comment sections to express their opinions.

One person wrote on X: “Oh my. That’s really just awful,” while another user joked: “They are cringe to the max… I feel nauseous.” Others claimed the Sussexes were making a mockery of their royal titles by sharing the video, with one writing: “Good grief, these people have titles. Ruining the reputation and respect of the Royal Family, one Instagram post at a time.”

Harry and Meghan marked Lilibet’s 4th birthday with a series of unseen photos(Image: @meghan/Instagram )

While some people were shocked by the video, many weren’t surprised by the intimate moment being shared online, as one person commented: “It’s cringe and embarrassing but typical of Meghan.” However, others shared their positive thoughts on the video, praising the couple’s fun and caring relationship.

One person voiced their support for Harry and Meghan, writing on X: “This is everything! Harry on beat and Meghan dropping it like it’s hot. They look like they have so much fun together.”

Another echoed the sentiment, adding: “Meghan and Harry dancing to Baby Momma in the delivery suite is the sweetest, un-royal, cutest video.”

Meghan and Harry celebrated Lilibet’s fourth birthday on Wednesday, with Meghan posting a series of unseen family photos to her Instagram account to celebrate the special day.

Lili, who is the youngest child of Harry and Meghan and younger sister to brother Archie, was born on June 4, 2021, in California and was named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Meghan Markle left royal fans shocked by sharing a video of her and Prince Harry dancing in a hospital room in a bid to bring on labour while pregnant with Princess Lilibet – and one royal expert says it’s a glimpse into what to expect from the couple in the future

Meghan Markle sharing a video of herself twerking while pregnant alongside a dancing Prince Harry has proved “nothing is out of bounds”, according to a royal expert.

The Duchess of Sussex sent shockwaves around the world when she shared footage taken in a hospital room as she tried to bring on labour while pregnant with Princess Lilibet. The candid Instagram video, which runs for more than a minute, also features Harry, who is seen dancing in and out of the frame.

He is beckoned in by Meghan as the pair dance together, with the duke appearing at the end, with the hood of his grey hoodie up as he continues his robotic dance moves. Meghan is wearing a black maternity dress and cradles her large bump as she dances, as well as lifting her skirt above her knees, raising her hands in the air and wiggling low with her hands on her hips and legs.

Meghan Markle in a video showing her dance to try and bring on labour(Image: Meghan/Instagram)

The video came as the pair marked the fourth birthday of their daughter Lilibet with Meghan explaining: “Four years ago today, this also happened. Both of our children were a week past their due dates… so when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn’t work – there was only one thing left to do!”

And according to royal historian Dr Tessa Dunlop, the video was something people would once never have expected from a royal. She told the Mirror : “Let’s not pretend otherwise, that Baby Momma dance was Instagram magic. The twerking, the baby brain, the Harry cameo, you could not make it up.

“Full marks to Meghan for constantly surprising, and out-manoeuvring, the naysayers. The vibe, the love, the crazy overdue drama, and the sheer audacity. The haters were horrified.

“How dare she so publicly demean the royal brand. Does the Duchess not know who Harry is? Fifth in line to the throne. No matter. Meghan is all woman and to hell with what the rest of the world thinks. This was leadership of a very different kind.

Harry also appears in the clip (Image: Meghan/Instagram)

“It is a pity that while the Duchess working on her rhythm at university in Illinois, Harry was languishing at Eton College where lessons were of a very different kind. His wooden moves were a reminder of the stiff royal world he has left behind. The poor Prince was caught in limbo, somewhere between his full-on Californian earthmother and a former life riddled with institutions.”

The video came hours after Meghan posted never-before-seen intimate family photos of “Daddy’s little girl and favourite adventurer” Lili. Meghan shared a black-and-white snap of herself cuddling the princess, who was sat on her lap, with the pair both sporting windswept hair, seemingly on a boat.

Another image showed Meghan tenderly cradling newborn Lili as she enjoyed skin-to-skin time with the new addition to her family in 2021. And Tessa added: “Fortunately his celebrity duchess has her hand on the tiler. Nothing is out of bounds as long as she controls the clicks. Oversharing is Meghan’s Unique Selling Point. Surely it will only be a matter of time before we get a proper peek at Lilibet and Archie.

Meghan shared the video on social media (Image: Meghan/Instagram)

“Yesterday we got a little hand here, a wisp of hair there. Perhaps the only thing stopping full four-year-old facials is the moral high ground. Clicks versus morals has always been a difficult circle to square.

“As the Sussexes are fast discovering, lots of exposure can be very profitable, but the million dollar question is where to draw the line? Expectations are high for Meghan’s next great Instagram hit…”

She felt that now was the right time

25 years after she first arrived on Coronation Street, Eileen Grimshaw star Sue Cleaver has now spoken out on her soap exit.

Speaking on Loose Women recently, the Corrie actress addressed the real reason for her decision to leave.

Sue has left the cobbles (Credit: ITV/ Loose Women)

Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver shares real reason for leaving soap

With Sue’s exit as Eileen airing on screen this evening (Friday, June 6), the actress has revealed why she’s decided that now is the right time to leave the show.

She shared: “I’m now 61 and I feel I’m now at a stage in my life, like most mums we have responsibilities, we have other things we have to consider [and] we’re bringing up our families – and I’ve got to the stage, my son is grown up now, he’s 29, I have no responsibilities left and I want to do something new. I want this decade to be about me.

“I really want to empower other women. Society at this point wants us all to shuffle off, don’t they. Just go away quietly, ‘You’ve had your days.’

“No, this is my decade. I’m more excited about this decade, hopefully you know, as long as I remain well, that this is going to be the most exciting decade for me. I’m really excited.”

Eileen left for Thailand (Credit: ITV)

Eileen Grimshaw’s exit from Coronation Street

Eileen Grimshaw decided to leave Coronation Street this evening as she packed her bags and headed off to the airport.

George Shuttleworth asked her to be honest with him about their relationship. Eileen then admitted that she only loved him as a ‘very dear friend.’

George then urged her to go to Thailand without him, with Eileen then deciding to move there with Jason Grimshaw and run the bar with him.

Asking Todd to visit them once she was settled out there, she then jumped into a cab with Jason and waved goodbye to the cobbles.

No more ‘come on Eileen’ jokes

After 25 years on the cobbles, tonight’s episode (Friday, June 6) saw Eileen Grimshaw leave Coronation Street for a fresh start in Thailand.

She bid the Street goodbye and joined Jason in a taxi as she headed to the airport for her new venture.

But, as Sue Cleaver departs from the ITV soap, what is she up to next?

Eileen is off to Thailand (Credit: ITV)

Eileen’s exit in Coronation Street

This evening, Eileen decided to take Jason up on his offer and help him run his bar in Thailand.

With Eileen now being a free woman without the risk of prison hanging over her for Julie’s death, she was ready to go on holiday to Thailand without the stress.

But, George didn’t think that was a good idea anymore. He thought Eileen was kidding herself into thinking their relationship was working, prompting her to make the decision to leave Weatherfield without him and move to Thailand permanently.

She told George she loved him like a friend instead of romantically, with George thanking her for her honesty and telling her he was staying put.

Eileen then packed her bags and said her goodbyes to everyone, making Todd Grimshaw promise that he’d come and visit them.

She and Jason then got into a taxi and headed off to the airport.

Sue is excited about the future (Credit: ITV)

Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver’s next career move

Speaking on Loose Women a couple of months ago, Sue Cleaver revealed that she was ‘ready to get out of her comfort zone.’

She shared: “This is my decade. I’m more excited about this decade, hopefully you know, as long as I remain well, that this is going to be the most exciting decade for me. I’m really excited.”

In December this year, she’s set to switch the cobbles for the stage as she appears in panto. She’ll be starring as Mrs Potty in Beauty and the Beast at Hull New Theatre alongside Paul Chuckle.

But, as she excitedly looks forward to new adventures and opportunities, could she ever return as Eileen in the future? It is possible…

Speaking to the Mirror, Sue shared: “There was always the risk that they might have killed me off, but they were supportive and said ‘Eileen’s a big part of the show.’ They asked what kind of ending I wanted, and I said I didn’t want to call it a day, because I love the place. I said I wanted a happy ending. Basically, the journey Eileen is taking is pretty much what I’m choosing to do.”