Coronation Street Spoilers: No More Norris Cole, Malcolm Hebden Retires After 27 Years

Coronation Street spoilers reveal that we have watched Norris Cole on the ITV soap for the past 27 years. Actor Malcolm Hebden had a heart attack in 2017 and although he loves being on Corrie, he realized that it was best for his health to retire. Keep reading to find out what the soap veteran had to say about his time on the show, as well as his quiet exit.

Heart Attack Nearly Killed Actor

Corrie spoilers reveal that Malcolm Hebden suffered a massive heart attack in 2017. It wasn’t just a health scare… he was at death’s door that day and is thankful to have miraculously survived the medical crisis. After the heart attack, the actor made the decision to quietly retire. Even though he loved being on the soap and his mind is sharp, Malcolm admitted that his body was telling him it was time to rest.

Decision Took Courage

Malcolm spoke to The Sun about his decision to leave the soap after his heart attack. Even though his health emergency occurred in 2017, he was able to return for the occasional cameo. His last appearance was this past summer and he is now officially retired. The 81-year-old explained that he truly enjoyed his years on the ITV soap. He added that his decision to retire took a lot of courage.

“I absolutely adored playing Norris and I was pleased to be able to return briefly after my operation. It took a great deal of courage to make the decision to retire. But I had come to realize that although the mind was willing the body was not so much.”

Malcolm Hebden In More Than 1,600 Episodes

Coronation Street spoilers reveal that he first came on the cobbles in 1974, but as a different character. His big debut was as Carlos, Mavis Riley’s (later Wilton) Spanish love interest. The actor would come back to the soap many years later as Norris Cole. He made his first appearance on March 11, 1984 and made his exit in June 2019. He appeared in more than 1,600 episodes and came back for the occasional cameo.

Producer Iain MacLeod’s Statement

Producer Iain MacLeod issued a statement regarding Malcolm retiring. The soap boss stated, “Norris became an all-time great character, whose lemon-lipped barbs will be remembered forever. But, in his brilliant double acts with Emily [Bishop, Eileen Derbyshire], Rita [Tanner, Barbara Knox] and more recently Mary, Malcolm has left us with countless fantastic memories.”

Icons Series And Name Drops

A spokesperson for the soap confirmed that Norris will be featured in an installment of ITV’s “Icons” series. The program has showcased other Corrie legends, including Liz McDonald (Beverley Collard] and Roy Cropper (David Neilson]. The rep also said that Norris will continue to be mentioned by other characters.

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