Sam Aston says ‘Coronation Street’ is the "best place to work", despite a number of stars announcing their exit.
Bhavna Limbachia (Rana Habeeb), Connie Hyde (Gina Seddon), Kym Marsh (Michelle Connor), Tristan Gemmill (Robert Preston), Faye Brookes (Kate Connor) and Lucy Fallon (Bethany Platt) all revealed within three months of each other that they will be departing the ITV soap .
But 25-year-old Sam – who has played Chesney Brown on the show since 2003 – says reports of a "mass exodus" have been "blown out of proportion" and insists the cast and crew are "well looked after".
Speaking to OK! magazine, he said: "It’s been blown out of proportion.
"Anyone who’s leaving will genuinely say ‘Corrie’ is one of the best places to work.
"We get well looked after and the cast and crew are great. It’s a privilege to be part of such an amazing show."
The actor – who wed girlfriend Briony Gardner earlier this month – says he’ll stay with the ITV show "as long as they want" him and thinks he could spend his entire career with the soap.
He said: "As long as they want me, I’ll stay. I can see me staying there my entire career if they’ll have me."
Sam has been playing Chesney for so long fans confuse him with his alter-ego while his work friends even refer to him by his character’s name.
When asked if people just think he’s Chesney, Sam replied: "They do! Everybody calls me Chesney at work for a joke, too.
"Mikey [North] also gets called Chesney, as he gets mistaken for him. It’s great at the minute as they’re giving me good storylines."