“Off-screen, Coronation Street’s Bruce Jones grappled with struggles that went far beyond Weatherfield.”
Bruce Jones, best known for playing Les Battersby on Coronation Street, has been on a turbulent journey since leaving the soap. From facing homelessness and battling alcoholism to going through a painful divorce, his life off-screen has been filled with challenges. On-screen, the Battersby family stirred up trouble on the cobbles of Weatherfield but quickly became iconic after their 1997 debut.
While Les Battersby became a household name, Jones himself was fighting personal demons behind the scenes. In a candid admission, he revealed that his struggles actually began long before his time on Corrie, dating back to 1977.
As a young man, Bruce Jones became entangled in the Yorkshire Ripper case after discovering the body of victim Jean Jordan in 1977 — an event that triggered a police investigation and ultimately led to the collapse of his marriage.
Although Peter Sutcliffe was later confirmed as the killer of the 20-year-old, whose body was left on a Manchester allotment, Bruce was initially treated as a suspect. Merely finding the body had a deep and lasting impact on his mental health and contributed to his personal life falling apart.
Speaking to the Mirror in 2013, Bruce shared: “I lost my first marriage, my children. I lost everything because of that. It actually destroyed me to learn that people can do that to a human being. I had nightmares.”
In March 2007, Bruce Jones was suspended from Coronation Street after allegedly becoming intoxicated during a meeting with an undercover journalist. During the encounter, he reportedly disclosed confidential plotlines and made inappropriate remarks.
By May of that year, his departure from the soap was officially confirmed, with his contract concluding in September. After his time on Corrie, Bruce explored other ventures, including stand-up comedy in Benidorm and appearances on reality shows such as Celebrity Wife Swap, where he featured alongside singer Sinitta. But it was his participation in the 2009 BBC One documentary Famous, Rich and Homeless that shed light on his personal hardships.
Viewers were shocked to discover that the once-popular actor had blown through his £1 million fortune and had received no acting offers since leaving the soap in 2007. By May 2010, it was reported that he was living alone in a caravan in North Wales, having lost his £500,000 Cheshire home due to financial struggles.
In more recent years, Bruce has taken a surprising turn in his career by venturing into professional wrestling — a move he admits has brought him renewed purpose and energy.
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