Coronation Street’s Daniel Brocklebank brings back Emmerdale link after tragic exit

The actor’s character, Billy Mayhew, lost his life in emotional scenes during Corriedale, the Corrie and Emmerdale crossover

Former Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank has reminded fans of his Emmerdale link following his tragic exit from the soap during the recent epic crossover.

The actor’s long-running character, Billy Mayhew, lost his life in emotional scenes during the special TV event, with the crossover being dubbed ‘Corriedale’, which aired on Monday night (January 5) and featured a catastrophic multi-vehicle crash on a dark and stormy country road near the village of Hotten.1

While others escaped relatively unharmed, Billy was confirmed to have perished in the minibus carrying a number of Debbie Webster and Ronnie Bailey’s wedding guests after it burst into flames following the horror pile-up as he was the only one left in the vehicle.

While others rushed to move the car Lisa Swain was trapped in as flames rushed towards her, Theo Silverton seemingly went into the minibus to save Billy. However, aware of his abuse of his partner, Todd Grimshaw, the villain took the opportunity to try and keep his secret hidden, trapping Billy back in the vehicle and making his exit before it exploded.

Following his final episode, Daniel took to social media with his own behind-the-scenes snap, in which his face could be seen covered in fake cuts and scrapes, alongside a message which read: “He’d definitely had better days! What a ride! Thank you for all of your messages. Thank you for all the years of support. Big love. Billy over & out.”

But some fans may not be aware that it’s not the first time Daniel has appeared in a soap. Before joining the Manchester-based soap in 2014 as Billy, the soap star played Ivan Jones for more than a year between 2005 and 2006 in the Yorkshire-based soap.

The character was only supposed to appear in three episode but producers were so impressed that his stay in Emmerdale was extended. In a new post days after his last scenes aired, Daniel shared a red carpet snap of himself and Emmerdale legend Nicola Wheeler, famed for playing Nicola King.

Alongside the post, he wrote: “Youth! 20 years on we’re still laughing,” and fans were quick to respond. @michellewardingley said: “Loving this.” @jillbed commented: “How lovely.” @wrightcoleenfrances wrote: “Great picture. You both look amazing.”

@parrswoodmikey1969 replied: “Please go back to Emmerdale and reprise the role of Ivan!!” @mrsmoore_lucy_mylife echoed: “Can we see Ivan back in Emmerdale soon please.” @tracybrown964 added: “Yes bring Billy to Emmerdale please.”

It comes after Daniel appeared on follow-up show, Corriedale: Backstage Pass, to discuss his final scenes and recalled how his previous role on Emmerdale had a surprising link to his last moments in Corrie.

“Many, many years ago I was also in Emmerdale and I played a bisexual Geordie binman, with the most Welsh sounding name you’ve ever heard,” Daniel told host Luis Elkes on Corriedale: Backstage Pass. “I couldn’t believe they didn’t want Ivan Jones to be Welsh. No, they did not.”

“Anyway, I filmed my very last scene in Emmerdale in, what was then, the Woolpack set. That mini-bus was in the Woolpack set, so I filmed my last scene in Corrie about a metre away from where I was sat filming my last scene in Emmerdale. How crazy is that? 20 years apart. Very cyclical.”