Colson Smith: His Life and Career After Coronation Street
Few soap exits land with as much real-world resonance as Colson Smith’s departure from Coronation Street in 2025. After 14 years playing PC Craig Tinker, the 26-year-old is now carving out a different kind of public life — one built on radio presenting, running, and running a cricket club.
Full name: Colson John Smith · Born: 13 August 1998 · Place of birth: Dorchester, Dorset · Character: Craig Tinker · Years on Corrie: 2011–2024 · Current role: Presenter & runner
Quick snapshot
- Exact timeline of his post‑Corrie career moves
- Name of his current partner
- Net worth (no official figures published)
- Future acting roles
- Informed in autumn 2024 that Craig Tinker’s story would end (GB News – see above) (Digital Spy)
- Final scenes filmed by March 2025 (Digital Spy)
- On‑screen death reported for May 2025 (Yahoo News UK)
- Summer 2025: BBC Radio Leeds role (GB News – see above)
- Ongoing: ‘On the Sofa’ show and social media (41K+ followers)
- Possible future acting work – no announcements yet
Colson Smith’s key biographical details are captured in the table below.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Colson John Smith |
| Date of birth | |
| Place of birth | Dorchester, Dorset, England |
| Occupation | Actor, presenter |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Known for | Craig Tinker in Coronation Street |
| @colsonjsmith | |
| X (Twitter) | @colsonsmith |
What Is Colson Smith Doing Now?
What is Colson Smith’s current job?
- In May 2025, Smith announced he had taken a summer presenting role with BBC Radio Leeds (UK public-service broadcaster).
- He also hosts the show “On the Sofa” and describes himself on Instagram as “Presenter. Telly & Radio talking for a living. Running for fun. Oh and I run a cricket club.”
- His X bio (social platform) lists “Runner. Actor. Presenter.”
Smith traded a guaranteed soap salary for a portfolio of freelance gigs. For a 26‑year‑old with nearly 1,000 episodes behind him, the gamble is that public speaking and sport can match the steady income of a long‑running soap.
Is Colson Smith still acting?
- Not currently. Smith’s departure from Coronation Street ended his only regular acting role. He appeared in the film The Selfish Giant (2013) but has no announced acting projects since leaving the soap.
Smith spent 80 % of his life on one show. The question for agents and casting directors is whether his range extends beyond the earnest PC Craig Tinker.
What does Colson Smith do for a living now?
- He is a presenter (radio and TV), a runner (competitive and recreational), and co‑owner of a cricket club. His social media activity suggests he also does brand partnerships, though no specific deals are public.
Smith’s immediate transition to BBC Radio Leeds indicates he had been preparing for this shift while still on the soap.
Why Did Colson Smith Leave Coronation Street?
Did Colson Smith choose to leave?
- No – Smith stated publicly that he was informed the character’s story would end and that the departure was connected to contract‑renewal timing, not his own decision. Digital Spy (UK entertainment outlet) reported that he was not leaving by choice.
- He told GB News that he had been informed in autumn 2024 that “Craig Tinker’s story would end in 2025”.
Was Colson Smith written out of Coronation Street?
- Yes. The character Craig Tinker was killed off after a brutal assault in scenes that aired around 21 May 2025, according to Yahoo News UK (aggregator). A separate Wikipedia entry suggests 23 May 2025, though that source is less reliable.
Why did Craig Tinker leave Corrie?
- The storyline involved Craig Tinker being attacked and killed. Smith said he was “excited to play out Craig’s exit” and called the departure “the end of the beginning”. Yahoo News UK quoted him saying that.
The implication is that Smith was a victim of contract cycles, not performance issues.
What Is Colson Smith’s Real Name?
Is Colson Smith his stage name?
- No. His full birth name is Colson John Smith, as verified by Wikipedia. He does not use a stage name.
What is Colson Smith’s full name?
- Colson John Smith.
How old is Colson Smith?
- Born 13 August 1998 in Dorchester, Dorset. That makes him 26 as of 2025. GB News confirmed he joined the soap at age 11.
Smith spent more than half his life on one show – a rare career arc that makes his post‑soap identity all the more scrutinised.
What this means: Smith’s name is not a stage name, contrasting with many actors who adopt pseudonyms.
Is Colson Smith Married?
Does Colson Smith have a girlfriend?
- He is not married, but he is in a relationship. In 2025 he shared rare photos with his partner on social media, though her name has not been made public. Instagram posts show a partner without tagging or naming.
Who is Colson Smith’s partner?
- Not publicly identified. Smith keeps his personal life relatively private.
Has Colson Smith ever been married?
- No. He has never been married.
The pattern of privacy suggests Smith values his personal life distinct from his public role.
Who Leaves Coronation Street in 2026?
Which characters are leaving Coronation Street in 2026?
- No official cast departures have been announced for 2026. Speculation often surrounds actors’ contracts, but ITV has not confirmed any exits.
Are there any confirmed departures?
- Only those already announced for 2025: Colson Smith, Charlotte Jordan, and Sue Cleaver were named in a January 2025 round‑up by Express (UK tabloid).
What is the future of the cast?
- Past departures provide a pattern: actors like Colson Smith leave when contracts are not renewed. Viewers should check official ITV announcements for 2026.
Timeline: Colson Smith’s Journey
- 13 August 1998 – Born in Dorchester, Dorset. (Wikipedia)
- 2011 – Joined Coronation Street as Craig Tinker at age 11. (GB News – see above)
- 2013 – Appeared in the film The Selfish Giant. (Wikipedia)
- January 2025 – Announced he would leave the soap; cited contract‑renewal timing. (GB News – see above)
- March 2025 – Filmed final scenes, approximately three weeks before the announcement. (Digital Spy)
- May 2025 – On‑screen death (reported for 21 May). (Yahoo News UK)
- Summer 2025 – Begins presenting role with BBC Radio Leeds. (GB News – see above)
The gap between his final scene and the new radio job was barely two months. Smith moved fast – a sign that he had already been planning this pivot while still filming.
What’s Confirmed vs. What’s Unclear
Confirmed facts
- Birth date and place (13 August 1998, Dorchester)
- Role on Coronation Street and departure in 2024
- Current work as presenter and runner
- Not married
- Real name Colson John Smith
What remains unclear
- Exact timeline of his post‑Corrie career moves
- Name of his current partner
- Net worth (no official figures)
- Future acting roles
Quotes from Colson Smith
“Presenter. Telly & Radio talking for a living. Running for fun. Oh and I run a cricket club.”
“Runner. Actor. Presenter.”
“Corrie will also lose Craig Tinker in 2025. He’s a lovely lad.”
– Sharon Marshall on This Morning, quoted by Express (UK tabloid)
“I’ve grown up in, on and around Coronation Street. I’m incredibly lucky to have had that.”
– Colson Smith, quoted by Yahoo News UK (aggregator)
For a 26‑year‑old who spent 14 of those years on Britain’s most‑watched soap, Colson Smith’s jump from scripted drama to live radio is a test of whether his public‑speaking skills can match his acting. The pattern of former soap stars who fail to transition is long. Smith’s advantage: he already has a social‑media following (41K on Instagram) and a BBC platform. For ITV viewers curious about what he does next, the answer is simple: tune into BBC Radio Leeds, or watch his Instagram stories. The alternative is to wait for a possible acting return – but there is no sign of that yet.
rte.ie, manchestereveningnews.co.uk, uk.news.yahoo.com, radiotimes.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Colson Smith’s net worth?
No official net‑worth figures are available. Estimates from fan sites are unreliable. Smith’s income now likely comes from presenting, social‑media partnerships, and his cricket club.
How did Colson Smith lose weight?
Smith has spoken about taking up running as a hobby. He often posts about his runs on Instagram, but has not detailed a specific weight‑loss programme.
Does Colson Smith have any siblings?
He has not publicly mentioned any siblings. The available biographical data (Wikipedia, news articles) lists no brothers or sisters.
What is Colson Smith’s height?
His height is not officially listed in any reliable source. Speculation varies online but should be treated as unconfirmed.
Is Colson Smith on Instagram?
Yes. His Instagram handle is @colsonjsmith, where he posts about running, presenting, and his cricket club.
What did Colson Smith do before Coronation Street?
He was an 11‑year‑old schoolboy when he landed the role. There is no known prior professional acting work.
Will Colson Smith ever return to Coronation Street?
His character was killed off, making a return unlikely. However, soap resurrections happen. Smith has not ruled anything out in interviews.
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