Former Coronation Street star Chris Fountain flooded with support as he opens up about being 'cancelled' overnight

Former Coronation Street star Chris Fountain has been flooded with support from his celebrity pals and followers as he revealed how being sacked from the ITV soap caused his mental health to spiral. The actor played Tommy Duckworth in the ITV soap from 2011 to 2013.

He took over the role of iconic couple Jack and Vera's grandson 11 years after Joseph Aston had a brief spell in the role. It was announced in 2011 that Chris, who is also recognised for his time in Channel 4's Hollyoaks, would be reprising the character with his return coinciding with the departure of actor William Tarmey as Jack.

However, things took a sudden turn as Chris was axed in August 2013 after videos surfaced on the internet of him making rap videos about rape and violence under the alias of "The Phantom". On his dismissal from the Salford-based soap, the Bradford-born soap star stated he had "only happy memories of my time on Coronation Street".

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At the time, an ITV spokesperson said: "Chris Fountain’s contract with ITV has been terminated as a result of the unacceptable comments he made in a number of online clips."

After speaking out on his exit for the first time last May, Chris has now sat down with friend Scott Thomas on his Learning As I Go podcast. During the chat, Scott addressed Chris' rise to fame as the 'golden boy' in Hollyoaks to when he was effectively 'cancelled overnight'.

Chris explained that his mental health took a tumble in the aftermath of his sacking - which occurred with near immediate effect. He said: "That singular week in August 2013 just blew my entire life apart. All the foundations of what I'd built as a career just