Coronation Street's award-winning scriptwriter John Stevenson has sadly passed away.

Aged 86 at the time of his death, John was responsible for the many of the ITV's soap most memorable plots over the course of 447 episodes up until 2006. One such corker was the devastating dementia battle for Mike Baldwin, played by the late Johnny Briggs.

Reacting to this sad loss, former Martin Platt actor Sean Wilson, who now plies his trade as a cheesemaker, described his late friend as a "talismanic writer of many an episode of the halcyon years of Coronation Street", with special mention of John's appreciation and execution of Northern England's "comedic charms" on screen.

"From a little knowing wink to a rip-roaring belly laugh, John was a craftsman of TV humour," wrote the 58 year old.

"His like will never be seen again in TV it seems. He always had kind words for me throughout my tenure there and wrote some of my favourite episodes ever. Rest well John with a wry smile of contentment x."

Maureen Holdsworth star Sherrie Hewson commented: "So very sad xxx", while another Weatherfield regular added: "What lovely words Sean. He was indeed a wonderful writer, his scripts were always a joy to read."

John notably collected the Lifetime Achievement prize at 2005's British Soap Awards, having also worked on the likes of Heartbeat, The Brothers McGregor and Mother's Ruin.

His wonderful talent was alluded to backstage at this week's National Television Awards, as Special Recognition award winner Sarah Lancashire paid tribute to her Corrie roots.

"When I was in Coronation Street, we had a phenomenal writing team in the '90s and every soap evolves every decade, and my decade was blessed with Paul Abbott, Sally Wainwright, John Stevenson [and] Frank Cottrell-Boyce," she told the press.

"It's one of the best training schools in the world, it really is, but the calibre of people that you're working with and in such immediate fashion is extraordinary. I'm very proud of my four years in Coronation Street. I was terribly lucky to work with extraordinary people."

In some brighter news, Corrie favourite Ellie Leach has exclusively told OK! that she wants to become "the next Michelle Keegan" after ditching her soap role as Faye Windass.

"I always admired the fact that Michelle Keegan went from Corrie and then she got Our Girl," she smiled.

"That role was just amazing, that strong female female role, I just love that. I'd love to do something like Anne Hathaway did in Devil Wears Prada. I'd be like, 'I'm not taking these clothes off – this is my new wardrobe!'"

Namechecking Suranne Jones, Katherine Kelly and Sarah Lancashire too, who've all gone on to find phenomenal success independent of Corrie, she went on to reveal: "I look up to those women. One of the great things about being in a soap so young, is there are so many people to look up to.

"Those women are inspirational and they prove that you can do anything."

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