AXED Coronation Street star Bruce Jones broke down in tears while filming Celebrity Wife Swap with former pop singer Sinitta.

The actor, who played layabout Les Battersby in the ITV soap, spent a week battling with the health fanatic who stayed at his home near Stockport.

They even ended up `brawling' in Manchester city centre in a row over Bruce's 60-a-day smoking habit. But the star, who left Weatherfield last year after being suspended by soap bosses, says the swap has left him a changed man.

Since he left the Street he admits to a life of lazy hours in front of the TV, liking nothing more than to spend his days - and nights - drinking in his local.

Bruce's wife of 30 years, Sandra, says he doesn't lift a finger to help her with the daily chores.

Her husband is seen with a tear rolling down his cheek, embracing Sinitta after she got him off the sofa, out of the pub and teaching drama students.

He tells her: "You taught me something that I never knew. You taught me a world I never knew existed.

"I have took my wife for granted. I've took my kids for granted. It's took you to come to my house to teach me this.

"I love my wife more than anyone in the world - I just thought my life was fine. My life isn't fine."

Bruce, 55, filmed the swap with Sinitta, who was once the partner of X Factor supremo Simon Cowell, earlier this year. She moved into his home as the father-of-four aimed to prove he is not the same as his on-screen character.

Meanwhile, Bruce's wife Sandra moved in with Sinitta's businessman husband Andy Willner and their two children in London.

Sinitta told ITV1's This Morning about the swap, revealing how Sandra had left `a cry for help'.

She said: "Sandra had written her manual, it was really like a letter, a cry for help. She said `My husband is not here for me emotionally. I do everything.'

"It was a letter from a sad, lonely lady, saying, `Please, sort my husband out,' which I hadn't been expecting at all - a letter really saying, `I need help with my marriage.' So I had a mission."

Bruce is seen arguing with Sinitta after she catches him sneaking to the pub, but when cameras return after the swap, things have changed.

Bruce said: "I think I appreciate Sandra a lot more than I did. I don't expect everything done for me, like before."

Bruce also had tears in his eyes as he watched Wife Swap footage on This Morning, with Sinitta offering a consoling arm.

Celebrity Wife Swap is on C4 at 8pm on Sunday.