Coronation Street casts Hollywood actor to play returning character’s husband

Catherine Tyldesley is said to be returning as the new Rovers landlady(Image: ITV)

Catherine Tydlesley is set to reprise her role as Eva Price on Coronation Street, and will arrive with a Hollywood star playing her new husband. The actress, 41, quit her role as Eva on the cobbles in 2018 but is now said to be making a comeback, and the former barmaid will now be installed as Rovers Return landlady.

Reports surrounding the return of Leanne Battersby’s sister emerged earlier this year, but then nothing was announced. Fresh reports just last week claimed the planned plot was now approaching.

It’s thought that the move has come about after EastEnders bosses revealed that Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) will be taking the reins of the Queen Victoria pub. Aaron McCusker, who starred as Freddie Mercury’s boyfriend in the film Bohemian Rhapsody, is reportedly set to arrive alongside her as her new husband.

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Aaron McCusker is said to have been cast as Eva’s husband (Image: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Twentieth Century Fox)

A source told The Sun: “Corrie bosses were never going to take EastEnders shrewd decision to reinstate Kat and Alfie at the Vic lying down. So they took their time looking for the perfect actor to play her husband to Eva as she makes her return to Corrie as the new boss of the Rovers.”

The insider added that Corrie bosses knew they had found the ‘perfect’ actor as soon as the Irish-born star walked into the room. They added of his character: “Aaron’s character is also someone not to be messed with, and the locals are going to be in for a shock if they think they can take advantage of his good nature and that cheeky Irish charm.

“It’s the start of an exciting new chapter in the pub’s history.” Aaron is also known for his role as Jamie Maguire in Shameless, whilst Catherine has appeared in shows such as Scarborough and The Good Ship Murder since her exit from the serial.

She was also set to star in a cancelled touring production of Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical last year and went viral over a social media scandal known as Cakegate in late 2023. The actress first appeared on Coronation Street in 2011, and arrived as the daughter of Stella Price (Michelle Collins), who had arrived to take over the pub herself and reveal herself as the long-lost mother of Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson).

Eva Price is said to be returning to the ITV soap(Image: ITV)

Over the course of seven years, Catherine saw her alter-ego through numerous relationships with the likes of Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas), Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis) and Nick Tilsey (Ben Price). Her most notable relationship was with Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward), but that started to go awry when he began an affair with Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon).

Instead of confronting Aidan head-on about his infidelity, she decided to take revenge by putting a bright pink Range Rover on his credit card and then decided to fake a pregnancy. Maria discovered Eva’s lies and exposed them all at the wedding but Eva later discovered that she was in fact pregnant with Aidan’s baby.

In order to go through with the birth in secret, she went off to a remote cottage and had planned to give baby Susie away to Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor). However, Aidan later took his own life and Eva began to grow close to her daughter, eventually opting to leave in the back of a taxi with her for good.

If Eva does return and take over the Rovers, she will be following in the footsteps of former characters such as Annie Walker (Doris Speed), Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) and Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard), all of whom have helmed the nation’s most famous pub over the course of the show’s history. One such landlady is Jenny Connor, who is confirmed to be leaving the ITV soap.