A Coronation Street star has said he would be “incredibly sad” if his character is killed off after as fans fear the worst.

Joe Duttine has played taxi driver Tim Metcalfe on the ITV soap for a decade, but viewers saw him attacked by serial killer Stephen Reid twice last night.

After strangling Tim, the killer hit him over the head with a metal bar, before tying him up and appearing to suffocate him.

One viewer said: “I cried my eyes out!!!! That was brutal to show before 9pm!!!!”

While another added “Not our Tim!”, and a third said: “Can’t lose Tim.”

Speaking to the Metro ahead of last night’s episode, Joe said he would be “sad” to say goodbye to the character altogether, saying it has been a “joy” to be part of the show for so long.

He said: “Coronation Street has been absolutely brilliant for me, and it’s been an absolute joy to work on. So, if that’s the way the character has to go, that’s the way he has to go, and I’ll just be grateful for the time I’ve spent here. Obviously, I’d be incredibly sad, but that’s the nature of the show."

Rhyl Journal: Joe Duttine has plated Tim Metcalfe on ITV Coronation Street for more than a decadeJoe Duttine has plated Tim Metcalfe on ITV Coronation Street for more than a decade (Image: Bang Showbiz)

The former Shameless star went on to tease that while fans of the show can expect "a lot of humour" in scenes set to air over the coming week, his character is in a "lot of danger" as he remained coy about his character's fate.

He said: "I think they can expect a lot of suspense, some humour, a lot of character-based stuff, and a real feeling of an ensemble show with lots of twists and turns and [unexpected moments]. Characters in situations that they don’t always find themselves. I think he’s [Tim] in a lot of danger! He’s been hit over the head and who knows what’s going to happen to him? He’s definitely a fish out of water!

"It’s good to stretch the acting muscles a little bit and have the opportunity to get out and do stuff that’s a challenge and flex your creative muscles a bit. I enjoyed it a lot."