Meet Carole Evans, landlady of the Weatherfield Arms

Actress Debbie Arnold is joining Coronation Street as Carole Evans, the landlady of the Weatherfield Arms. We'll see her soon when Corrie sets up a five a side footy match between the Rovers Return and their rival pub.  But Debbie's no stranger to the Street, as she tells the Sunday Sun today.

"About 30 years ago I played the part of Sylvie Hicks, a girlfriend of Mike Baldwin’s father, Frankie. It was around the time of Dallas and Dynasty, when a man in his seventies could be seen with a girl in her twenties on his arm and nothing odd was thought of it."

And now Debbie is returning to Corrie as Carole Evans: "She’s the landlady of the Weatherfield Arms and an old acquaintance and sparring partner of Stella Price,’ Debbie reveals.

During their reigns as Queen of the Rovers Return, the larger-than-life landladies of the most famous pub in Britain have always had to contend with rivals from other bars. Bet Lynch had to suffer the scheming Stella Rigby from The White Swan, whilst Annie Walker revelled in the long-running game of one-upmanship she played with the licensee of The Laughing Donkey, Nellie Harvey (who was portrayed by Mollie Sugden).

So, is that the kind of relationship we can expect to see between Stella Price and Carole Evans?

"If it’s the same sort of relationship I’d be delighted because it was very bitchy and also very funny. Mollie was one of my most favourite actresses and my absolute idol, so if Michelle and I could replicate or emulate what they had it would be fantastic.’

And best bit of all for this Sunderland lass, is that Debbie was born and bred in Sunderland too.  Find out more about Sunderland links to Coronation Street here

Debbie Arnold will be appearing in Coronation Street from Monday November 5 onwards.

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