Michelle Collins to join Corrie?
EASTENDERS superbitch Cindy Beale is heading for a comeback – on Coronation Street.
Michelle Collins looks set to move north after a secret meeting with Corrie’s top boss.
The actress, 49, who played schemer Cindy on and off for ten years, has admitted she would love to return to the soap world.
But since Cindy died in prison in 1998, she was always going to have to wait for another soap.
Her close friend Phil Collinson is now in charge at Corrie and she has finally got the call.
The actress met up with Phil, 40, earlier this month to discuss joining the Street.
But the news is bound to come as a bitter blow to EastEnders as Cindy was one of soap’s most famous bitches.
A Corrie insider said: “Michelle would be a great signing for Corrie.
“She’s known Phil for a number of years so it was only a matter of time before he got her in for a meeting to discuss the possibility of joining the cast.
“The Street has a lot of strong female characters and she’d certainly mix it up a bit.
“Phil is a huge fan of her work and has been trying to get her up to Manchester for a meeting for months.
“He had to get the 50th anniversary out of the way before he looked at bringing her in. But now he’s started the ball rolling he’s very excited.
“Cindy was one of the best soap characters that ever appeared in Albert Square but enough time has now passed for her to turn up in Corrie as someone completely different.
“But of course it will be a bit of a blow to EastEnders. A lot of fans felt they should never have killed Cindy off but it’s great for everyone up at Corrie that they did.”
Michelle met Phil for a lengthy meeting over lunch at a trendy Manchester restaurant.
A pal said: “He seemed very keen to get her on board.
“The meeting seemed to go really well. There was lots of laughing and joking.”
Last year Michelle said: “I wouldn’t turn my back on doing a soap again. I’d like a stint in Coronation Street.”
Daily Star Sunday
Michelle Collins and John Michie join as Stella and Karl
© ITV
Coronation Street bosses have revealed that they plan to share some big news with the soap's online fans.
An "exciting" announcement about the Weatherfield show will be posted up exclusively on Corrie's official Facebook page, giving the programme's internet fanbase the chance to get the inside scoop first.
A Corrie spokesperson told DS today: "We're going to be making a big Corrie announcement exclusively on the official Corrie Facebook page soon, so fans of the show should go to www.facebook.com/coronationstreet to get the news first - as and when it breaks."
Details of the announcement and exactly when it will be made are currently being kept tightly under wraps.