sir ian mckellen to appear in corrie

For my next job I shall realise a long-held ambition – to appear in Coronation Street. On 29 March I go to the Granada Studios in Manchester and team up with the regulars for 10 episodes as Mel Hutchwright, a dodgy novelist invited to meet the local reading group. More I shouldn’t reveal, except that the script is hilarious and well up to the Street’s current high standards as UK’s most popular television programme.

About 15 years ago I turned down a previous offer to visit the Street, as Elsie Tanner’s long-lost nephew. But I chickened out. After all it can’t be easy to fit in with the expertise of the cast who have made Coronation Street so watchable over so many years. Now, I am nervous but raring to go. I don’t yet know what Mel will look like nor sound like (a bit of my native northern accent maybe) but I’m already studying his lines, as rehearsal time is scarce for the five-times-a-week show.

Coronation Street is recorded just off Quay Street in Manchester where I did some of my earliest theatre-going at the Opera House. So it will be a little like going home. Once I’m done, I go further north to the Lake District to record for BBC radio the 12 books of William Wordsworth’s verse autobiography, “The Prelude”, first published 200 years ago. Under the direction of Robert Woof who is curator of Dove Cottage where Wordsworth lived, I hope to record the poem in the place where it was composed, another chance to use my northern accent, akin to Wordsworth’s own.

Hmmm I saw that through a link on the digital spy website? Was that yours by any chance?

no i got it from somewhere else

I think that is fantastic news and look forward greatly to seeing you use some of your wonderful comedic talent. What a scoop for Corry. You're not goingto murder anyone are you? because if you are that Charlie is an evil devil

Coronation Street star Antony Cotton has revealed that Sir Ian McKellen would like to make a return to the soap.

McKellen appeared on the ITV show for a three-week guest stint in 2005, playing conman Mel Hutchwright.

Cotton, who is a real-life friend of McKellen, has now said that the acclaimed actor is interested in revisiting his role as the fraudster.

Discussing celebrity appearances in soaps, Cotton commented: "I think that Corrie has had the greatest cameo, which was from McKellen. His role wasn't just a cameo and he was amazing.

"Ian did say to me, and I'm going to put this out there, 'I think it's about time that Mel Hutchwright maybe made a reappearance'."

He continued: "It was a brilliant storyline. It was written especially for him and he was playing a scoundrel. It had a start, middle and an end, and it was with amazing characters - John Savident, Barbara Knox, Eileen Derbyshire and Malcolm Hebden. That was a very special cameo.

"I think Corrie doesn't need cameos, but when one comes along like Ian playing Mel Hutchwright, then it's glorious because it's meant to be and it's not shoehorned in."

Mel's time on the cobbles came to an end when his true identity was revealed as Lionel Hipkiss, who was trying to trick Weatherfield's book club members into handing over their cash to him.

How long before its Sir Ant'ny!