Image copyright ITV

Coronation Street is to tackle male suicide in a storyline which will see factory boss Aidan Connor kill himself.

Producers say the plot "is designed to give people who hide their feelings of desperation a chance to start a conversation".

The makers of the soap have worked with mental health charities on the storyline.

More than three-quarters of suicides in the UK are by men, and it's the biggest killer of males under 45.

Image copyright ITV Image caption Viewers will last see Aidan on screen with his ex-fiancée Eva, who has just given birth to a baby

In an hour-long episode to be shown on 9 May, Aidan Connor kills himself - although the soap's makers say "no element of the suicide will be shown on screen".

Shayne Ward, who plays the character, said he hopes "that anyone who recognises something of themselves in Aidan will realise they can, and really should, talk about how they're feeling".

The former X Factor winner added: "We have all heard stories like Aidan's when it was too late, when people looked back and wished they had spotted the signs, but it isn't always possible.

"If we can encourage someone who is feeling low... to realise they need to talk, then we have achieved what we set out to with this story."

Image copyright ITV Image caption Aidan's father Johnny Connor will discover his son's body in his flat after he fails to turn up for work

"Through this story, we want to assure anyone who feels suicidal that there is always someone who wants to listen and support you," says producer Katie Oakes.

"We want to tell people that however bleak they are feeling, there is always another way."

The show's producers say they've worked with charities Samaritans and Calm to make sure they handle the story sensitively and realistically.

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can find help at BBC Advice.

For details of organisations which offer advice and support, click here. In the UK you can call for free, at any time, to hear recorded information on 0800 066 066.

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