Coronation Street icon working ‘normal job’ more than 14 years after he was axed from soap
Coronation Street icon Steven Arnold is working a ‘normal job’ these days, more than 14 years after he was axed from the soap.
Steven, 49, became a household name playing butcher Ashley Peacock on the ITV soap between 1995 and 2010.
And just like his character, the actor’s turned to flogging meat at a local shop in Leeds, in a shock twist that has left fans gobsmacked.
Steven is currently an employee of Bennett’s of Yorkshire Quality Butchers and has been spotted on numerous occasions working shifts at their high street shop.
It’s currently unknown how long Steven has worked at the store but Corrie fans have spotted him over the past couple of months.
In a recent Facebook post, Steven can be seen posing for a selfie with a starstruck customer who revealed her surprise at seeing him serving behind the counter.
She captioned the post: “What a lovely burger served by an equally lovely guy.”
The post attracted a lot of attention in the comments section, with one writing: “Oh so he’s a butcher in real life and not just on TV.”
Another chimed in with: “Last time I saw him he was selling meat from a butchers wagon at Skirlington market.”
Someone else added: “Lovely to see Ashley. Wondered what had happened to him.”
A fourth joked: “Ashley from Corrie playing the role of a butcher and it now looks like he is (haha).”
And another praised the actor for working a normal job, they added: “Earning an honest crust like us all x well done son x.”
Ashley was brutally killed off by soap bosses in 2010 with a dramatic tram crash stunt.
Since leaving the soap, Steven has had various cameos in short films but has mostly shied away from the spotlight.
He also regularly appears in Pantomime productions and most recently appeared in an Easter panto at Runcorn’s Brindley Theatre.
The Sun recently revealed how Steven is set to reunite with his former cobbles co-star Bruce Jones as the pair take part in a charity wrestling match in Manchester on May 6.