'We owe him everything' Kym Marsh pays touching tribute to Coronation Street's Tony Warren
CORONATION STREET'S Kym Marsh has given a touching tribute to Tony Warren MBE, who created the soap, after he passed away last week.
The mastermind behind one of the nation's best loved programmes had been suffering from a short illness.
Tony had devised the idea for the Weatherfield soap at the age of 24 – and it remains one of the country's most iconic programmes.
At the time, the cast and crew were said to be "heartbroken" and the actress has also offered her condolences.
Speaking to OK! Kym, 39, said: "It's such sad news. He was a lovely man and very modest about being the person who created Corrie.
Coronation Street creator Tony Warren passes away
"We owe him everything and we will all really miss him."
The star also discussed welcoming back co-star Simon Gregson, 41, to the cobbles after he took a six-month hiatus.
She joked: "He's supposed to have been in Spain for six months so he had a spray tan.
"He joked about his hands looking patchy and said 'I look like I've had a fight with a gingerbread man!'"
Simon's return to the soap didn't exactly go to plan either.
He was due to come back wearing a sombrero and carrying an inflatable donkey for Kym's character Michelle's 40th birthday party.
However, producers were forced to scrap to scenes after his co-star Beverly Callard - who plays his on-screen mum Liz - was taken ill.
Read the full interview with Kym Marsh in this week's issue of OK! magazine, out now.