Coronation Street legend sparks concern days after hospital dash, saying ‘I’m in mad pain’
The soap favourite, 65, revealed he’s back at his Cheshire home with his wife but is still suffering from “mad sciatic pain”.
Charlie Lawson, who played Street legend Jim McDonald, shared a video on X and wrote: “Well, back home! I’m in the exact same pain and state of immobility as I went in 10 days ago!!!”
Charlie was relieved to find he doesn’t have cauda equina syndrome – compression at the lower end of the spine that can cause permanent damage with life-changing consequences.
He said he was home with wife Debbie and dog Seamus but having to rest all the time.
He said: “I don’t mind telling you I’m fed up, I haven’t been able to walk Seamus as you can see and it’s starting to get to me being an outside tough character.
“I can’t stand this sitting indoors and having to rest all the time with mad sciatic pain and all the rest of it but I’m home, the sun’s out and I’m with my darling Debbie so I’ll see you soon. Cheerio now.”
Charlie underwent an MRI and various tests during his hospital visit.
In a video, Charlie explained his predicament, saying: “Hi folks, went to physio this morning and she sent me straight to A&E, which I did.
“They examined me. I have an MRI scan and I’m sitting waiting for the results.
“They’ve whisked me back in for more examinations so it’s not going awfully well at the moment.
“Anyway, I’ll keep you updated.
“They put a wristband on me and all sorts of craic. I’ve fallen over twice, so something going wrong down there.”
The well-wishes are still coming in for Charlie, with one sympathetic fan writing: “Awww Charlie, thanks for updating us. I’ve been thinking about you. Hope you get some answers and get back to full health soon. Such a worry. Look after yourself and love to Debbie xx.”
Another said: “I hope they sort something soon Charlie. Chronic pain is a horrendous thing to live with until it is controlled.”
A third said: “Can see it in your eyes. I hope you get it sorted. It’s awful. Please look at decompression of the spine. It helped my husband immensely. Wishing you so much luck get well.”
Charlie joined Coronation Street in 1989 immediately grabbing attention as Jim, the patriarch of the McDonald family.
He was on the soap for eleven years before he quit the role.
In his 2024 memoir, Charlie recalled “hating every minute” of working on the set, prior to his exit in 2000.
The actor went into detail about how he had wanted to leave the soap a year before he finally did.
He wrote: “For months now, I have been going through the motions of turning up and doing Jim McDonald, and hating every moment of it and believe it or not, on more than one occasion seriously considering taking the lift to the fourth floor, walking into Jane Macnaught’s office, our Christmas producer, and telling her to shove it up their a***s.
“The biggest mistake was that I did not take this action.”
Despite his grievances, Charlie has reprised the role of Jim on multiple occasions over the years, with the last time being in 2018.
