Coronation Street star confirms soap exit in farewell post to fans and reveals that their final scenes have already been filmed in 'that's a wrap' post
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A Coronation Street star has confirmed they will be leaving the Cobbles in an emotional farewell post to fans - and their exit scenes have already been filmed.
Emrhys Cooper, 39, plays sinister guru Rowan Cunliffe in the long standing soap, and made his debut on the ITV show in March.
However, he revealed that it's the end of the road for his villainous character as he revealed 'it's a wrap' on his time on the programme.
Penning a message to his 75,000 followers on Instagram, the actor gushed: 'And that’s a wrap on Rowan. About this time last year, I found out I got the part on @coronation street in the middle of the night!
'I was living in California at the time when I checked my phone and there it was… the big news. An incredible early Christmas present.'
He continued: 'I had been quite homesick for a while and felt the urge to move back to the UK to be closer to my family after living in the USA for the past 15 years. It was also uncanny how the cult storyline resonated with my personal journey and childhood.
A Coronation Street star has confirmed they will be leaving the Cobbles in an emotional farewell post to fans - and their exit scenes have already been filmed
Emrhys Cooper, 39, plays sinister guru Rowan Cunliffe in the long standing soap, and made his debut on the ITV show in March
'Getting this part felt like a sure sign from the universe that it was written in the stars for me to return home. I haven’t looked back!
'Working on Corrie has been one of the most incredible professional experiences of my life. What a family, what a tradition, what a national treasure! Thank you so much, Coronation Street! To the cast, crew, and everyone involved ❤️
'Lastly, I want to say I will forever be grateful to the amazing fans who embraced the evil Rowan despite all his dastardly deeds. Also, thank you, Manchester!'
He included a slew of behind the scenes snaps taken on set with his casmates in iconic locations such as the Rovers Return and Weatherfield General Hospital.
The actor posed for selfies with Georgia Taylor, Elle Mulvaney, Jane Danson, Calum Lill, Cait Fitton, and more, to mark the end of his Corrie journey.
Georgia, who plays Toyah Battersby, commented: 'What an absolute joy you were to have around darling,' while fellow cast member Channique Sterling-Brown wrote: 'We love you gorgeous human! Thank you for all the warmth and kindness you bought! Very missed.'
Cait added: 'We will miss you gorgeous one!! good luck with everything' and Elle gushed: 'Loved working with you Emrhys'.
Fans also rushed to the comments to express their sadness at the characters departure, writing: 'You were amazing in Corrie really enjoyed the storyline and loved to hate Rowen. Enjoy panto and have a wonderful Christmas.'
'You absolutely smashed it!! love to hate the character!!! So proud of you. Gonna miss you loads tho.'
However, he has confirmed that it's the end of the road for his villainous character as he revealed 'it's a wrap' on his time on the programme
He included a slew of behind the scenes snaps taken on set with his casmates
The actor posed for pictures with Georgia Taylor, Elle Mulvaney, Jane Danson, Calum Lill, Cait Fitton, and more, to mark the end of his Corrie journey
He wrote: 'Working on Corrie has been one of the most incredible professional experiences of my life. What a family, what a tradition, what a national treasure!' (pictured with Jane Danson)
His castmates commented on what a 'joy' he was to work with on the soap
'Loved you as Rowan, really hope they bring you back.'
'Ugh. Will miss you on the show.'
'You played him perfectly❤️ Can't wait to support you in your future adventures.'
'You were fabulous and really enjoyed watching the storyline and keep up the good work in whatever you’re doing next after your Xmas panto.'
'I know he is evil but I really like the character and hope maybe Rowan will return some time in the future.'
'You were a wonderful addition to the show and will be very missed! Good luck with everything going forward.'
'One of the greatest ever Corrie characters. Thanks for delivering the storyline with such panche.'
In October, Emrhys opened up about his family's real-life experience with a cult, which helped to inspire his role.
Talking to The Mirror, he said he was a 'nuanced character' to play because he had a 'fun duality'.
Fans also rushed to the comments to express their sadness at the characters departure
The actor revealed his new age parents were once embroiled in a similar cult which started innocently enough, but they soon found there was something much darker going on
Opening up he said he was a 'nuanced character' to play because he had a 'fun duality' (pictured with co-star Jane Danson)
He said he was a 'nuanced character' to play because he had a 'fun duality'
Emrhys explained: 'On one hand he wants to help and heal, but on the other hand he wants to take advantage.'
He added that his parents were drawn into a London-based cult 22 years ago under the guise of wellness and fitness.
He revealed how it started innocently enough, but they soon found there was something much darker going on.
The actor continued: 'I've consulted with my dad on this character as he has a lot of insight and it's been really good to talk about it, there was quite a lot of resentment, and I just never knew what happened, so it's been quite healing.'
Emrhys said he hoped his storyline would raise awareness about how cults operate, adding that they look very different to what we think they look and to get all the facts.
He warned: 'Take it very seriously, it's not a joke, some people join cults and never come out.'
Emrhys grew up in Totnes with parents Christopher and Raphaela, new age hippies with an open-minded attitude regarding unconventional lifestyles.
But his family life was compromised - almost fatally - after his free thinking parents turned to a holistic doctor, who advised his ailing mother to avoid conventional medicines.
He told The Mirror: 'My mother had a prescription for high blood pressure and a holistic doctor basically told her that he could get her off the prescription with some herbal remedy, and she had a heart attack.'
In his 'wrap' post, he wrote: 'Getting this part felt like a sure sign from the universe that it was written in the stars for me to return home. I haven’t looked back!'
In October, Emrhys opened up about his family's real-life experience with a cult, which helped to inspire his role
Raphaela eventually suffered a severe stroke that left her paralysed, and Emrhys believes it could have been avoided had she resumed taking her regular blood pressure medication.
His parents had another bruising encounter with a London based group, but red flags emerged once they started asking the couple for money.
He said: 'It was actually kind of a wellness, fitness, more of a spiritual cult. And as they got further and further in, and gave more money, it became more sinister.'
Worse would follow when the group attempted to engage the bewildered couple in a series of bizarre sexual exercises.
'Basically, the cult tried to separate my parents by doing these rather sexual exercises with other people, which my Dad was a little alarmed by because he was having to grope this woman and my Mum was having to do this thing with someone else,' he said.
'So they kind of cottoned on that this exercise programme was not all it was cracked up to be.'
He added: 'They got out relatively unscathed. But they’ve been in and out of different kinds of things. They’re always looking for alternative options.
'And they are intelligent people, they’re just, unfortunately, very open-hearted and many times they’ve been taken advantage of.'
