ITV Coronation Street Dev Alahan star’s life ‘problems’ and show exit admission as he leaves Cobbles

Dev Alahan has become one of Coronation Street’s most iconic characters. Jimmi Harkishin has played the soap favourite since 1999 and he continues to play a significant role in Weatherfield.

Dev has been at the centre of a major storyline recently as he is proposed to partner, Bernie Winter, who is played by Jane Hazlegrove. However, the character revealed in Wednesday’s episode that he will soon be departing the Cobbles.

Dev was rocked by the news his auntie Gita has had a fall in India. He confided in his fiancee and told Bernie he would like for her to join him on the trip to Asia so he could care for his relative.

The couple had a conversation with Dev’s son, Aadi, and explained they would like him to look after the shop during their time away. Although Dev is set for time away from the show, it is expected he will soon return this spring and is not one of the cast members exiting the show on a permanent basis.

Jimmi has previously opened up about how much he enjoys working on the show and admitted he harbours no plans of exiting the role permanently. He told Mirror Online: “I just love it. I’m an actor and I get to act every week.

“Coronation Street is just this brilliant, brilliant programme, to work for. It feels like home and I never forget how fortunate I am to do something I love. I think to myself, ‘Is there anything I’d really like to go out there and do more than I like doing Corrie?’ The answer to that is, ‘No’. If there was, I’d do it.”

The actor was born in Paris with the name Rajan Harkishindas to an Indian father and Italian mother. His acting career got underway in 1986 and he has appeared in the BBC soap Casualty, as well as Jonathan Creek and the film East is East.

Jimmi has previously took time away from the show in 2004 when he was granted indefinite leave to sort out “problems” in his private life. At the time, a spokesperson for Granada said: “Both Granada and Jimmi recognise he has some problems that he needs to sort out.

“He will be taking a break from the show while he seeks help to deal with these issues. This is with the full support of the Company, Coronation Street and his colleagues.”

Jimmi had already filmed five weeks’ worth of scenes in advance and storylines were re-written to explain his absence. The soap actor was forced to take another break in April 2014 as he was understood to be exhausted from the busy filming schedule.

Show officials confirmed the actor was planning to take the time off after making a formal request with producers, but insisted he would definitely return. At the time, a Corrie spokesperson said: “It was agreed way in advance, and other actors who have been on the show a long time have done the same thing from time to time and taken a sabbatical.”

Many members of the Coronation Street cast have confirmed they will be leaving the soap this year. Colson Smith, Charlotte Jordan, Sue Devaney, Sue Cleaver, Shelley King, and Paddy Bever have will be leaving their roles over the course of 2025. Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITVX