A familiar face on the cobbles has confirmed a major turning point — and fans didn’t see it coming.
Jude Riordan, best known for playing Sam Blakeman on Coronation Street, has revealed that his time filming on the iconic ITV soap has officially wrapped — at least for now.
‘It’s A Wrap’ — And Fans Did a Double Take
Jude joined Coronation Street in 2020 as Sam Blakeman, the son of Nick Tilsley and the late Natasha Blakeman, quickly becoming one of the show’s most recognisable young characters.
His arrival made an immediate impact, later earning him the Best Newcomer award at the National Television Awards in 2021.
Now, Jude has confirmed that filming for Corrie in 2025 has come to an end, as production paused ahead of the Christmas break.
Taking to Instagram, he shared a series of behind-the-scenes snaps from the Trafford-based set, including one alongside co-star Jane Hazlegrove, who plays Bernie Winter.
Alongside the photos, Jude wrote:
“And that’s a Christmas wrap on 2025 Corrie. It’s always a good week when you have scenes with Bernie! Loads of exciting stuff coming in 2026. STAY TUNED.”
Hashtags included #corrie, #samblakeman and #onthecobbles — but it was Jude himself who soon realised fans were distracted by something else entirely.
‘EDIT — I’M STILL SAM!’
As comments poured in, many viewers admitted they barely recognised him.
Jude quickly returned to the caption to add a playful clarification:
“EDIT — I’m still Sam, it’s not a recast 😂”
Fans flooded the post with messages reacting to his sudden growth spurt.
“Wow — how grown up!” wrote one follower.
“When did that growth happen?” joked another.
“You look so tall now!” added several more.
For long-time viewers, it was a reminder that Jude has quite literally grown up in front of the nation’s eyes.
Looking Back on ‘Really Good Times’
The update comes shortly after Jude reflected on another major chapter of his young career — his role in Sky Comedy’s Brassic, which recently came to an end following its seventh series.
Jude played Tyler Croft, the son of Erin — portrayed by former Corrie star Michelle Keegan — and worked closely with co-creator and star Joe Gilgun.
Sharing nostalgic photos from the set, Jude described the experience as unforgettable.
He wrote:
“However much fun you can imagine Brassic would be — times it by ten.
Grew up with the greats. From running lines at Liverpool docks to long drives, crew dogs and hanging out with the funniest people. Brassic days were REALLY good times!”
What Happens Next?
While Jude has confirmed his Corrie filming has wrapped for now, he made one thing clear: this is not goodbye.
With “loads of exciting stuff coming in 2026”, fans are already speculating about what lies ahead — both for Sam Blakeman and for Jude’s career beyond the cobbles.
One era may have paused quietly…
But the next chapter is already waiting.
Source: Rewritten from Daily Mail–style reporting
Original source reference: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
