Here’s how old Jude Riordan is as Coronation Street fans stunned by Sam Blakeman’s new look

Fans didn’t even recognise him

Sam Blakeman has found himself right in the middle of one of Coronation Street’s most talked-about storylines – and it’s left viewers asking just how old is the actor who plays him?

As Sam uncovers Miss Megan Walsh’s secret relationship with teenage pupil Will Driscoll, the schoolboy has even found himself on the receiving end of a chilling warning from the P.E teacher herself. But will Sam really drop the issue – or has Megan underestimated him?

Megan tried to warn Sam off (Credit: ITV)

Megan threatens Sam in Coronation Street

Over on the cobbles this week, Sam has become convinced that Megan and Will are more than just teacher and student – and he’s absolutely right.

His suspicions were raised after a tracksuit jacket was discovered in the flat, with Megan claiming it belonged to Daniel. But Sam quickly worked out the truth – the jacket actually belonged to Will.

Will tried to brush it off by saying Megan had been cold during training and he’d lent it to her, but Sam wasn’t fooled. He confronted Will directly about his relationship with Megan, forcing the teenager to report Sam’s probing back to her.

Determined to shut things down, Megan later met Sam at Speed Daal. She insisted Will simply had a crush on her and claimed the pair had laughed it off together, stressing that nothing inappropriate was going on.

But the tone soon changed. Megan made it clear that if Sam didn’t back off, things would stop being amusing. Standing over him and asserting her authority, she demanded he understood the warning loud and clear.

Jude and Sam are the same age (Credit: ITV)

How old is Coronation Street actor Jude Riordan?

With Sam appearing more frequently on screen, many Coronation Street viewers have been left doing a double take – stunned by just how much the character has grown up.

Some fans even wondered whether the role had been recast, but Jude Riordan is very much still playing Sam Blakeman.

One viewer commented on X: “Sam’s aged about 10 years.”

Another asked: “Is this the same kid that played Sam before?”

A third added: “What’s happened to little Sam? All grown up now.”

And one particularly unconvinced fan said: “Sam looks different. I am not convinced it is the same actor.”

So, what’s the truth? On screen, Sam Blakeman is 14 years old, having been born in April 2011.

In real life, actor Jude Riordan is just a month younger than his character and turns 15 in May this year.