Coronation Street star says storyline was 'stupid'

The 54-year-old star, who is set to return to ITV soap next week when he Chris Gascoyne's imprisoned alter-ego Peter Barlow buys alcohol off him in jail, insists it was "silly" when his character held up a bank in 2011 in an attempt to get money to buy the Rovers Return pub.

Despite this, the actor realised something had to be done as his on-screen wife Beverley Callard - who has previously spoken about her battle with depression - was unwell at the time.

He said: "It was stupid. But there was a crisis going on.

"Beverley [Callard] was ill as we all know, so people had to write something pretty damn quick. I thought it was silly.

"But it had to be written in a hurry. So, hey ho. But we played it to the hilt and people enjoyed it."

Lawson revealed that Jim is set to strike a deal with Peter after meeting him in prison which leads to the ex-army man being reunited with wife Liz McDonald, and the actor – who is back on Corrie for a three-month stint - is hoping the pair will fall in love again so he can return to the cobbles permanently.

He told RadioTimes.com: "Jim asks Peter to ask Ken to get a message out and Steve comes along. We’ve also shot Liz coming along which was brilliant. Good scenes. I’m glad to say we haven’t lost it.

"Jim thinks the lady doth protest too much. He wonders who she is trying to convince. But she says, 'My new man is twice the man you’ll ever be!'

"Yet underneath it all, Elizabeth McDonald will always be in love with Jim and vice-versa. That is a constant and I hope the writers keep it a constant. Then I’ll be back!"

Jim was handed a seven-year sentence in 2011 after holding up the bank, and as a result Liz fled to Spain to live with son Andy.

Callard later reprised her role as Liz in October 2013.