Rejoice! Coronation Street legend signs up for another year and we couldn’t be happier
Forty-five years on since her first appearance as the beloved Coronation Street matriarch, Sue Nicholls has signed on for another year of drama.
Sue, who has played Audrey Roberts on the ITV soap since 1979, first arrived on the street as the floozy mother of Gail Potter (Helen Worth) following her engagement to Brian Tilsley (Christopher Quinten) and later for their wedding.
Making fleeting appearances for the next four years, including for the birth of her grandson Nick (then Warren Jackson), it wasn’t until 1985 that she became a mainstay, eventually marrying shopkeeper Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley) and opening the first incarnation of her infamous hair salon in the front room of their terraced home.
During her time on the show she has been lady mayoress of Weatherfield, shared scenes with King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), dealt with the sad deaths of friends Alma Halliwell (Amanda Barrie) and Maxine Peacock (Tracy Shaw) and had a string of men on her arm, including butcher Fred Elliott (John Savident) and conman Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers).
More recently she’s had to deal with the grief of losing her serial killer son Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) and a devastating storyline that saw Audrey attempt to take her own life.
Now, amid a number of cast leaving the show including Peter Ash, who plays Paul Foreman, and Simon Barlow actor Alex Bain, soap boss Iain McLeod is reportedly keen to hold onto their longest-serving players.
Speaking of Sue’s decision to continue as Audrey, a source said: ‘The thought of Coronation Street without Sue and Audrey is not worth thinking about.’
‘Bosses are thrilled she’s agreed to stay for another year’ they added.
‘Audrey moving on [in the wake of son Stephen’s death] will be a big part of the cobbles going forward.’
According to the source, legends Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor) and Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) have also recently renewed their contracts: ‘Bosses were desperate to keep them and they were happy to sign. They both love the show.’
We previously revealed in December that the iconic Bill Roache, Ken Barlow for almost 64 years, has also scribbled on the dotted line for more high drama going forward. This will undoubtedly have been good news for Roache who is allegedly facing bankruptcy.
Personally, I can’t wait to see what’s around the corner next for the big four characters – particularly Audrey who has recently taken the reigns back as manageress of her hair stylists. Long live the blue rinses!
