Ricky Tomlinson wrote to Coronation Street cast after Seb Franklin murder storyline

Ricky Tomlinson sent the 'Coronation Street' cast fan mail after Seb Franklin was killed off.

The 'Royle Family' legend was impressed with the storyline surrounding the murder of Seb - who was played by Harry Visinoni - and he wanted to write a letter to let them know how much he appreciated the emotionally-charged scenes.

He told the Daily Star newspaper's Hot TV column: "The stuff that was going on in 'Coronation Street' last summer was absolutely amazing. Some of the performances were magical.

"It was the storyline about the young lad Seb being beaten to death. The episodes were absolutely superb. So I wrote a letter on headed notepaper.

"I addressed it to the cast of 'Coronation Street' and I just put, 'The stuff you're doing is fantastic'. It's nice to give a little back."

The 82-year-old actor is no stranger to soap land, having appeared as Bobby Grant on 'Brookside' between 1982 and 1988.

He added: "I love the soaps. I watch them all."

For the intense storyline, 'Corrie' bosses worked closely with The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, a group focused on tackling hate crime to getting a better understanding of the reality of social exclusion and prejudice experienced by some groups in society in honour of Sophie, a teen who was murdered by a group while walking through a park with her boyfriend.

Last year, Sally Carman (Abi Webster) won the Best Actress accolade at the Inside Soap Awards following the death of her on-screen son Seb.

She said in her acceptance speech: “This is ace. I’m just so happy to be getting these storylines – and to be recognised for doing a good job is the best feeling.

"The writing of the storyline was so beautiful, so it was an honour to be asked to deliver those words."

Gary Gillatt, the editor of Inside Soap, added: “The 36th annual Inside Soap Awards are dominated not so much by one soap as a single storyline: the hate crime attack on Coronation Street’s Seb and Nina, and the ripple effect it had on their families and community.

"It’s the kind of intimate story – taking us close to an all-too-real tragedy – that packs a punch, delivered by the most talented and popular actors working in Britain today.”