Coronation Street’s Andy Whyment has been inundated with support after sharing a significant announcement.

Andy became a household name when he joined the ITV show back in 2000 as Kirk Sutherland, brother to Maria Connor (played by Samia Longchambon). It’s safe to say he quickly became a fan favourite.

Known for his witty one-liners and charming personality, Kirk has been at the centre of several major storylines during his time on Coronation Street.

From his tumultuous romance with Fiz Brown (Jennie McAlpine) to finding love with Beth Tinker (Lisa George) – which ultimately ended – Kirk’s stint in Weatherfield has been anything but dull.

Particularly earlier this year, when he was left heartbroken after his good friend and stepson Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) was tragically killed off by Mick Michaelis (Joe Layton), reports the Daily Star.

However, recently, actor Andy Whyment, who plays Kirk, took to Instagram to make a massive announcement about his tenure on the soap. Alongside photos of his time on Corrie, Andy revealed in the caption that he was marking 25 years.

He penned: “25 years ago today Kirk Sutherland first appeared on @coronationstreet. I absolutely LOVE playing Kirk and it’s an honour and a privilege to have been a part of the Corrie family for a quarter of a century, and hopefully many more years to come. Here’s some pictures from the journey so far!”.

Andy’s announcement was met with a ton of support from his fellow co-stars. Lisa Swain actor Vicky Myers wrote: “Fabulous achievement Andy congratulations.” Meanwhile on-screen sister Samia penned: “Best telly bro’ ever! Love you Andy and here’s to many more years of Kirk.”

Fans also shared their support with one person writing: “Such memorable moments from one of the most memorable characters. Good old Kirkie!”

Another chimed in: “Corrie wouldn’t be the same without Kirk, what a character happy 25 years Andy, thank you for bringing this character to an amazing light!”.

As well as Coronation Street, Andy also played Darren Sinclair-Jones on BBC’s sitcom The Royle Family from 1999 to 2000. And in 2019, he swapped the cobbles for the Aussie jingle when he appeared on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity, coming in second place.