Charlie Lawson starred as Jim McDonald on Coronation Street but it was recently announced his character will be killed off and fans have recalled one of his most controversial storylines
17:11, 07 Feb 2026Updated 18:17, 07 Feb 2026
Coronation Street legend Charlie Lawson starred as Jim McDonald on the ITV soap(Image: ITV)
Charlie Lawson starred as Jim McDonald on Coronation Street on and off for decades, but it was recently announced that his alter ego will receive an off-screen death. The legendary character first appeared in 1989 as the husband of Rovers landlady Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard) and the father of Steve (Simon Gregson) and Andy (Nicholas Cochrane).
Jim became known for his criminal ways and during his various exits from the programme, he was often serving time behind bars for his misdemeanours. He married Liz twice, but they split once and for all in 2005. His final appearance on the programme came in 2018, when he returned with a woman whom he was claiming was his daughter.
One of the earliest storylines for Liz and Jim saw them lose a baby girl, named Katie, shortly after she was born. Upon his last stint on the world’s longest-running TV soap, which aired in 2018, Jim came back to Weatherfield with a woman he claimed was their daughter and there had been a mix-up at the hospital.
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Jim was famously married to Liz McDonald on the ITV soap(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
It was then revealed that this was a complete lie, and that Jim and his accomplice, actually called Hannah, were having an affair, staging the entire wicked plot in an attempt to get money out of Liz. The pair were arrested for their crime, but did not receive any sort of sentence due to a lack of evidence.
At present, the whereabouts of Jim and Hannah remain unknown, but fans still remember the controversial storyline, which was brought in by then-producer Kate Oates. Writing to Charlie on X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan wrote: “It was grotesque. Whoever thought up that storyline had a warped mind, astonished it got beyond a ridiculed idea. Felt for @charlie_lawson1 having to act that out knowing how character’s legacy was being tarnished in that vile way.”
Another fan replied: “Yes, it was terrible, not least because it showed how little the writers knew about their own character!! As an experienced actor, Charlie would have known him inside out!! It was so lazy and weak and just didn’t make any sense!!!”
Other fans had also recalled the odd storyline, with one writing: “Started thinking about Jim McDonald’s absolutely dreadful 2018 stint in Corrie. His whole thing is that he wants his family together and damned be anyone who gets in his way. But the 2018 storyline is him going for revenge against Liz in the most hurtful way he can.
“Like even when he hit her in the 90s, that was in response to her confessing to an affair. Which is him seeing her as trying to break them apart. In that moment he’s not thinking how could you do that to me, he’s thinking how could you do that to us.”
Charlie did not respond to the tweets, but did initially repost them. Another fan wrote: “Absolutely atrocious story. It was actually even worse than when he robbed the bank. As silly as that was, at least A/ it was entertaining B/ it was more in character for Jim. This was the worst one of them all and ruined the character and the fact that they are not giving him a redemption is awful.”
Jim pretended that a girl named Hannah (pictured) was the daughter they had lost years ago(Image: ITV)
Radio Times broke the news of Jim’s fate, with a source telling the publication that the death will “rock the boat” for Steve, who has just found happiness with Cassie Plummer. They claim Liz actress Beverley Callard will not be returning for the storyline. It’s thought that it will all play out next month.
It’s also claimed that actor Charles knows of his character’s sad fate, while he has not been on the ITV soap for eight years. Fans have been reacting to the news on X, with one writing: “JIM MCDONALD IS BEING KILLED OFF?”
Another said: “What on earth. Killing off Les for no reason was bad enough, but Jim is one who’s spanned 30 years and there is still life in the character. This feels like just the latest middle finger to long-term viewers.”
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