Dr Ali Neeson has had a rocky two years on the Coronation Street cobbles - and his exit could have landed him in serious trouble.

The GP, played by James Burrows, said an emotional goodbye to his brother Ryan Connor, his ex Maria Connor and his friend Toyah Battersby as he went to start a new life.

After saying goodbye to the people he cares about the most, he climbed into his car and drove off.

Unfortunately Ali spotted his enemy Gary Windass with accomplice Sharon - and he pulled out his mobile phone while driving as though he was going to take a photo of them to finally expose Gary's shenanigans as a devious loan shark.

(Image: ITV)

Ali should know that it's illegal to hold a phone or sat nav while driving, and the law still applies if you're stationary with the engine turned on.

You can get six penalty points and a £200 fine if you use a hand-held phone when driving and lose your licence if you passed your driving test in the last two years.

At the last minute Ali changed his mind about a final bid for revenge and put the phone away before driving off.

(Image: ITV)

"That was really sad!!! bye Ali you've been fab," said one emotional fan on Twitter.

"Tell me why I am literally crying at Ali leaving I can't cope," said another.

James joined the soap in 2018 as the son of Michelle Connor, played by Kym Marsh, who also recently left the street.

The character has been gunning for Gary as he continued his relationship with Ali's former love Maria.

Ali's life was in danger when he suddenly collapsed after taking an overdose of diazepam planted by debt collector Sharon who was asked by Gary to teach his teach love rival Ali a lesson.

After the Coronation Street doctor ended up in hospital he protested that he was no longer addicted to painkillers and realised it was all Gary's doing.

Last year his addiction put Maria's son Liam in danger, and ended their relationship, when he fell asleep on her sofa leaving a pizza cooking in the oven.

When the character returned to the street in 2018 played by James, at first he didn't want anything to do with his biological mum after she had handed him back to the couple who had raised him as part of a baby swap storyline.

Things got complicated when he had a brief fling with Michelle's best friend Carla Connor, and even more when the son had Michelle raised as her own, Ryan, returned from Ibiza.

Thankfully Ali, Ryan Michelle grew close as a family unit, and that bond was displayed when he murdered drugs lord Ronan Truman in bloody Corrie scenes after he terrorised the Connors over the death of his son Cormac.

As Ronan fought for his life following a dramatic car crash involving the Connors, Ali ensured Ronan was no longer a threat to his family by removing a metal fence post impaled through his stomach, fully aware that it was keeping him alive.

It was this journey to the dark side that saw Ali become addicted to painkillers.