David Platt’s Near Exit From Weatherfield

Coronation Street legend Jack P Shepherd has revealed that his character, David Platt, came dangerously close to being written out of the ITV soap. The actor, who has played David since 2000, confessed during An Audience with Coronation Street at Salford’s Lowry Theatre that writers once planned to kill him off as a teenager.

“They were going to kill me off because I’d done bad things,” Jack explained. “It’s like anything, each character goes through bad scenarios, and if they keep doing bad things, they have to get rid of them, don’t they? I found out at a writer’s meeting that they’d just killed me off. They’d just decided to.”

The Scene That Changed Everything

David Platt had already been involved in a series of shocking storylines by that point, from lashing out at his mother Gail to darker moments that cemented his reputation as one of Corrie’s most complex characters. But one performance stopped producers in their tracks.

Jack revealed that during a heated scene with Helen Worth (Gail Platt), his decision to play David with raw sincerity instead of teenage rebellion shifted the writers’ perception. Instead of storming off in anger, he quietly confronted Gail about Richard Hillman’s crimes with chilling calmness.

“I played it a little differently, and I was just very matter-of-fact,” Jack recalled. “That’s when they went, ‘Oh, maybe he’s alright. Maybe there is a way back for his character. Maybe this lad’s quite good and we’ll try and keep hold of him.’”

That one choice secured David’s survival – and allowed him to headline some of Coronation Street’s most powerful stories for the next two decades.

Jack’s NTA ‘Loser Face’ Explained

The revelation comes just weeks after Jack addressed speculation about his reaction at this year’s National Television Awards. Fans claimed he looked frustrated after losing the Best Serial Drama Performance award to EastEnders star Steve McFadden.

Jack laughed off the rumours on his podcast On the Sofa with Colson, Jack and Ben. “Usually, I do the ‘massively pissed off’ look because it makes me laugh,” he admitted. “But this year, because I had no camera on me, I didn’t do anything. Then they had a little sniper camera and caught me just watching the NTAs. I genuinely wasn’t pissed off.”

David Platt’s Future in Corrie

David Platt has survived countless tragedies, betrayals, and even near-death experiences since joining the cobbles. From Kylie’s devastating death to his harrowing rape storyline, he has remained one of Coronation Street’s most enduring figures. Thanks to that one pivotal scene, fans are still watching his story unfold – and wondering what fresh turmoil lies ahead in Weatherfield.