Coronation Street spoilers: Ian Puleston-Davies to leave Owen Armstrong role

Speaking today, Puleston-Davies - who debuted as builder Owen in 2010 - said of his departure: "Next year, I will have been playing Owen Armstrong for five years and it felt like a good point to move on and take some time to focus on new projects.

"I have returned to my other passion of writing and in 2015 hope to put on a new play. I have had a fantastic time at Coronation Street and made some great friends. I certainly would never rule out returning to the role of Owen at some point in the future if I was asked."

The show's executive producer Stuart Blackburn added: "Over the last few years two things have been glaringly clear to me; firstly how gifted an actor Ian is and secondly - and perhaps more importantly - is what a lovely and dedicated man he is. We wish him all the very best and there is still a great deal of fantastic drama to come for Owen and the Windasses before Ian leaves."

Blackburn revealed back in September that Owen's ex-wife will soon be arriving in Weatherfield and that the pasts of their daughters Izzy and Katy would be explored in the process.

Before his time on Coronation Street, Ian Puleston-Davies featured on both Hollyoaks and Brookside. He also co-wrote the Michael Sheen-starring Dirty Filthy love, based on Puleston-Davies's own personal experience dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder.

You can watch a 60-second guide to next week's episodes of Coronation Street below: