Coronation Street isn’t known for killing off its characters, but Imran Habeeb has breathed his last.
The nation’s favourite soap isn’t quick to jump to the kill when there are so many other options available if a cast member quits or a character needs axing.
So when it does kill a character off, you can bet it is for good reason.
And in the case of Imran – it was absolutely the right reason.
Over his five years on the cobbles Imran has veered from decent, moral man to lying love-rat villain – and all in between.
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He’s run the gamut of emotions from A to about F, frankly.
But he’s always looked very nice while doing it.
Putting him with Toyah Battersby turned two neglected characters into one of the soap’s best couples.
Coronation Street made the right decision killing Imran off
And when they decided to foster children a few years ago, they were a rare thing in Soapland – a happy, well-adjusted couple.
Until they weren’t.
In the time since they began fostering Kelly Neelan, Toyah has gone from professional counsellor to knicker flogger.
And Imran has gone from decent, law-abiding foster dad to law-breaking cheater who has no problem in destroying anyone to get what he wants.
It didn’t make sense then and it doesn’t make sense now.
It was, to put it bluntly, an affront to both characters – and to viewers who grew to love them.
Watching Imran over the last year has been painful.
So his death was a relief.
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It is probably the only way to ensure that the damage to Imran is done – and can’t be dragged on for years and years.
It has the added bonus of letting Gary Windass get away with Rana’s death – and it has given Georgia Taylor material to show off her incredible talents.
Killing off Imran was the right decision – but only because the soap began killing off his character long before he had a heart attack.
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Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
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