🚨 LIFE BEYOND THE BADGE: THE SH0CKING TRUTH INSIDE COLSON SMITH’S REAL LIFE AFTER ABANDONING CORONATION STREET 💣
It’s been a full year since Coronation Street fans said a heartbreaking goodbye to PC Craig Tinker, after he was killed off in brutal scenes at the hands of Mick Michaelis.
Viewers will remember that Craig later died in hospital from brain swelling, following a savage attack where he was struck over the head with a baseball bat.
But while it marked the end of the road for Craigy on the cobbles, it also opened up an exciting new chapter for actor Colson Smith.
PC Craig Tinker’s death in Coronation Street
In May 2025, PC Craig Tinker’s time in Weatherfield sadly came to a tragic end after he suffered devastating brain swelling, leading to him flatlining in hospital.
It all started when Craig pulled Mick Michaelis over for drink driving, a routine stop that quickly escalated out of control.
Already angry after finding out Kit could be Brody’s dad, Mick took his frustration out on Craig. Things turned violent when Mick grabbed a baseball bat and struck Craig over the head, leaving him unconscious on the ground.
Maria Connor later discovered Craig badly injured with a serious head wound and immediately called for an ambulance in a desperate attempt to save him.
Craig was rushed to hospital, where Kirk Sutherland, Maria, Asha and colleague Jess kept a vigil by his side, but heartbreakingly he later died.
That evening, Weatherfield came together to pay tribute to Craig following an off-screen funeral, as friends, family and colleagues said their emotional goodbyes.
The moving tribute marked the end of Craig’s journey on the cobbles, with Lisa Swain delivering a heartfelt speech in honour of the much-loved PC.
After his Coronation Street exit, Colson Smith has kept busy, continuing to present the On the Sofa podcast alongside Corrie co-stars Ben Price and Jack P Shepherd.
And it seems presenting is very much his passion, with Colson also appearing in segments on This Morning.
Last summer, Colson hosted a summer show on BBC Radio Leeds, later going on to present for BBC Sport.
Speaking to Coronation Street Insider and other media last year, Colson said: “I’ve always enjoyed working. I make no secret that I want to be a presenter. That’s where my love and passion lies at the moment.”
As well as moving into the presenting world, Colson has also been running Castleford Cricket Club at Savile Park, taking on marathons, and even went Instagram official with his make-up artist partner Taylor Gunn late last year.
It looks like Colson is very much living his best life right now.
Colson Smith proved there are no hard feelings following his brutal Coronation Street exit as he shared a series of unseen photos. The actor, who had played Craig Tinker, saw his time on the soap come to a very dramatic end on Wednesday night.
After 14 years on the cobbles, Craig bowed out in devastating scenes. He was murdered by villain Mick Michaelis in a cold-blooded and violent attack.
Shockingly, Craig was left for dead before being rushed to hospital where the police officer succumbed to his brutal injuries. Colson had worked on Corrie since he was just 11-years-old, but accepted his time had finally come to an end when he was called for a meeting with boss Kate Brooks.
The actor was axed from the soap, yet Colson managed to keep his spirits high as he bid farewell to Craig. Taking to Instagram after his final episode aired, Colson shared a series of cheeky photos from his time on the show.
He said: “My dump from my final block as Craig Tinker on Coronation Street. Thank you for having me.” Colson gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at his final outing as Craig, where he showed off his naughty side.
In one snap, Colson could be seen on top of the Rovers Return as he perched out of the top window. He also tried to keep smiling while filming his death scene as he laid out on a crash mat.
Colson gave fans a sneaky look into the dressing room as he showed how he was covered in cuts and scars thanks to the makeup department.
Despite the harrowing scenes, the TV star managed to take selfies while covered in blood in-between shots, with one backstage and another on his hospital stretcher.
Colson even topped up his tan in his full police uniform while waiting for camera to get rolling on his murder scene.
Speaking to The Mirror and other press, actor Colson shared his true thoughts on his axing and his exit plot. He also shared the shocked reaction of others when they found out his news.
Colson told us: “I think Craig dying, and Craig dying in the line of duty as a copper, that kind of hero’s death was by far the most perfect story for the exit. The last few weeks were mint, they were perfect and it was a really nice way to go out.
“I worked with great people, and I feel very lucky, and I felt very confident in everything that we did. I feel like the story worked.” Colson revealed the moment he figured out he had been dropped from the show, before soap boss Kate had even spoken to him.
He explained: “I knew that Craig had backed himself into a corner that was going to be really hard to get out of, so I fully expected the chat to go that way.”
Colson admitted he wanted Craig to be killed off and wouldn’t accept any other way of leaving. “I would want to die, I would want the door to be shut, so then I can kind of know in my head that Corrie has been this, Corrie has done that, and it is now done, and Craig’s journey is over,” he said. “So in a really weird way, it was the right thing for me to be killed.”