Coronation Street boss Stuart Blackburn has spoken about Kevin Webster's return to the soap.
Michael Le Vell will return as the car mechanic in spring 2014, after he was cleared of sex offence charges earlier this year.
Webster has not been on screen since February, when he was said to have departed in order to look after his sick father.
Blackburn told the Manchester Evening News that Webster will return to different surroundings.
He said: "At the point when Kevin was forced to leave for Germany, he was actually looking to get back together with Sally.
"So when he returns, it's to a very different world in Coronation Street. He comes back to find Sally's relationship with Tim, while his daughter Sophie's world will have changed as well, and in Sally's eyes, not necessarily for the better."
John crashes and Kevin calls an ambulance
© ITV
He added: "We're just delighted to have Michael back with us, and we're hoping he'll be back on screen in March/April."
Last month, Michael Le Vell revealed that he had received several death threats in the wake of his sexual abuse trial.
Le Vell was found not guilty of all charges against him. He had been accused of five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.