Coronation Street has signed up actor Andrew Lewis, known for his decade-long role as Dr Paul Rose on BBC's Holby City, to join the cast for a new storyline. According to The Sun, Lewis will appear in Weatherfield as Gavin Fairholme, a character interested in buying half of the restaurant Speed Daal.
Character Arrival and Plot Details
Andrew Lewis, who also appeared in EastEnders, will reportedly arrive as Gavin Fairholme. Spoilers indicate that Alya Nazir (Sair Khan), who co-owns Speed Daal with Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), will show him around hoping to sell her share. However, Idris Nazir, who recently revealed himself as Alya's long-lost uncle, will keep a close eye on the situation and begin threatening Gavin because he wants to buy half the restaurant himself.
Idris, played by Junade Khan, has been causing trouble since his arrival, and Leanne, who has started a relationship with him, is yet to see his dark side.
Filming Rumours and Background
Coronation Street scenes are typically filmed six to eight weeks in advance, and Lewis sparked speculation with a cryptic Instagram post from Media City, where the show is produced. He wrote: "Wow! Thanks Manchester that was such fun – a fabulous and welcoming city and a few days filming. We look forward to coming back SOON"
Junade Khan, who plays Idris, made his Corrie debut in 2008 as Saj, a short-term boyfriend of Rosie Webster. He later appeared in Game of Thrones, Hollyoaks, and Waking the Dead. Before his return, Junade had been working as a bus driver and had nearly given up on acting. He told The Mirror: "I’d been a bus driver for eight years, doing little pieces of acting and it got to the point that I’d done so many self-tapes that I just didn’t want to do it anymore.”
He added: "I’ve got faith, I go to church and I pray and I always believe. But, if I’m honest, even my faith was getting a bit weak. I started to think that maybe this was it. I sent my agent an email last year saying I’d quit, but he told me that he believed in me and to just keep going. If it wasn’t for him, I would definitely have given up."
Junade also auditioned for the part of Imran Habeeb, which went to Charlie de Melo. He recalled: "I was really gutted that I didn’t get it. I was working in a call centre at the time; I absolutely hated it. I’d wake up in the morning literally feeling physically sick and I was desperate for a way out. My wife was pregnant and I thought the Coronation Street job was going to sort us out."
He continued: "I even bought a Coronation Street magnet and put it on my fridge. It was only after I did my screen test for Idris that I remembered the magnet and it all came flooding back. It was like a full-circle moment, as if it was meant to be."
The Mirror has contacted ITV for comment.
