Has Roy Cropper left Coronation Street? Actor David Neilson’s future

Initially a supporting character, Roy soon came to the forefront of the soap’s storylines and is the owner of the cafe Roy’s Rolls.

Roy won a legion of fans for his marriage to British soap’s first transgender character, Hayley Cropper, until she was killed off in 2014.

Roy has also gone on to develop paternal relationships with the likes of Fiz Brown, Chesney Brown, Carla Connor and his niece, Nina Lucas.

However, the recent hate crime storyline that saw Nina’s boyfriend Seb Franklin murdered has taken a toll on Roy.

A recent story saw Seb’s mother Abi try to take revenge on her son’s killer Corey Brent.

While Roy stopped Abi from murdering Corey, he since agreed to cover up that it was the gun she obtained that was later used by gangster Harvey Franklin to kill Natasha Blakeman (albeit mistakenly).

Struggling with the guilt of his lies, Roy departed the Street for South America on November 24, despite the pleas of his loved ones.

Have we lost Roy Cropper for good?

Has Roy Cropper left Coronation Street?

Roy Cropper signed over his estate to Nina (Mollie Gallagher) and departed Weatherfield in a black cab on November 24.

Despite the pleas of Carla Connor, Chesney Brown, Fiz Stape, Cathy Matthews, Mary Taylor and Brian Packham, Roy could not be persuaded to stay on the street.

However, Roy will be making a comeback this Christmas according to a new report for The Sun.

"Fans were upset when they thought Roy had left but he’s not going anywhere," a source told the paper.

"David took a couple of weeks off but will be on screen again in a few weeks.

"Viewers are going to get quite a shock and he’s set to be part of a dramatic storyline."

ITV declined to comment when approached by RadioTimes.com for this story.

Could the drama surrounding Abi's gun rear its ugly head again?

Neilson recently won an Inside Soap Award for Best Actor for his turn in the last year as Roy Cropper.

The actor told the publication: "It’s lovely for me and Mollie that idiosyncratic characters such as Roy and Nina appeal so much to viewers.

"They can be seen as eccentric, but they are valued and loved – and that’s wonderful."

However, could we be left without Roy for longer than we anticipated?

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7.30pm on ITV and ITV Hub.

Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide.