Since his 1997 heart attack, Bryan Mosley had been appearing as Alf Roberts in a reduced capacity but, despite further problems including a dramatic weight loss, he had refused to call it a day. Out of concern for the actor, Hanson instructed writers to kill off Alf. Mosley's character passed away peacefully - and unnoticed - while slumped in a chair at Nick Tilsley's 18th birthday party in the New Year's Day episode. Mosley passed away on 9th February, six weeks after his character's on-screen death.