Ian Puleston-Davies
Ian Puleston-Davies has quit Coronation Street, and told soap bosses he won't be renewing his contract as Owen Armstrong because he wants to star in a play he's written.
Speaking about the decision, Ian explained: "Next year I will have been playing Owen Armstrong for five years and it felt like a good point to move on.
"I have returned to my writing and in 2015 hope to put on a new play.
"But I'd never rule out returning to the role of Owen at some point."
Show bosses are said to be sad to hear about his departure, but promised Owen will be involved in "fantastic drama" before leaving the famous cobbles.
Stuart Blackburn, producer said: "We wish Ian all the very best and there is still a lot of fantastic drama to come for him before he leaves."
Ian's hard hitting play about drug and alcohol addiction is opening in London next summer.
Away from Coronation Street, Ian's opened up about his struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and recently admitted that coping with the anxiety disorder is "exhausting".
Recently he said: "I'm sitting here obsessing about whether my ear is clean, about the stains on the table and how close the guy behind me is sitting.
"It took me ages to just sit down at the table as I was afraid it would break my coccyx on the chair."
"Sometimes, it's exhausting just getting through the day."
Tagged in Coronation Street