Corrie star reveals she turned down other roles to kill off Pat Phelan
Debbie Rush returned as Anna Windass for the dramatic conclusion of the ITV soap’s storyline.
Coronation Street actress Debbie Rush has said she turned down other parts in order to return to the ITV soap so her character could kill off villain Pat Phelan.
Rush’s character Anna Windass made a dramatic return to Weatherfield in Friday’s episode when she ended Phelan’s bloody rampage by stabbing him in the chest.
Rush announced last December she would be leaving the soap after nine years.
Her character was jailed after Phelan (Connor McIntyre) framed her for pushing Seb Franklin off a ladder.
Rush said: “There was a queue of people who wanted to finish him off but it was right it was Anna, she was always, ‘Get behind me in the queue!’.
“I knew when I left at Christmas she’d kill him. I always knew I was going to see him off but Connor didn’t know.
“He was told later. It was easy to keep the secret, I’m good at it!
“There was something I should have done but couldn’t because the dates clashed.
“Then there was another job. So I turned those down. I wanted to honour Coronation Street.”
McIntyre is up for a number of gongs at the British Soap Awards – Best Actor, Best Male Dramatic Performance and Villain of the Year for his performance as Phelan.
Hosted by Phillip Schofield, the British Soap Awards show will air live on ITV1 from 8pm.
