Coronation Street has said goodbye to some memorable characters over the years, and this week it was time to bid farewell to another much-loved member of the cast – Ozzy the dog. Ozzy has appeared on the ITV soap since 2007, but on Thursday his final heartbreaking scenes were aired.
Fans watched as Maria Connor was forced to part from her beloved pet after hearing that he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Maria Connor was forced to say goodbye to her beloved dog Ozzy on Thursday
Maria, played by Samia Ghadie, received the sad news from Kirk and Caz, as they returned from a trip to the vet and revealed that Ozzy would have to be put to sleep. While Maria initially is in denial, adamant that her dog can be saved, she finally accepts that it is time to let go, and, as her friends gather to support her, she holds the black lab in her arms as he passes away on the sofa.
The storyline really hit home with a lot of viewers. "I am a mess with tears rolling down my face watching poor Ozzy die on #corrie. I can't cope," wrote one fan. Another added: "Poor Ozzy! That episode broke my heart, brought back so many memories of when my dog died."
Ozzy had appeared on Coronation Street since 2007
The death of the much-loved pet came on a difficult night for soap fans. Over on Emmerdale, viewers were blindsided by the death of Holly Barton after a drugs overdose. In shocking scenes, Holly's mum Moira can be seen trying to wake her daughter, believing her to just be asleep.
"Two deaths in one day, why do they do this to me? #emmerdale #corrie," remarked one viewer, while another joked: "So an #emmerdale character dies from a drugs overdose and now they put down a dog on #corrie. @ITV really know how to entertain the nation."