Coronation Street viewers have been stunned after discovering where they have seen the actress playing Paula before. The troublemaker (Kelli Hollis) first appeared on the ITV soap earlier this year as a fellow prisoner alongside Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney).
Paula's Return to the Cobbles
Fans will remember Debbie - who has dementia - served time in prison after admitting to dangerous driving and causing the death of local vicar Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) in the dramatic Corriedale episode. During her time inside, Debbie clashed with Paula, before ultimately being freed while Paula continued serving her sentence. In recent weeks on the show, however, Debbie's dementia appears to have deteriorated significantly.
During Wednesday's instalment (October 21), Paula returned to the soap when she was spotted having a drink at the Chariot Square Hotel, eavesdropping on a conversation between Carl (Jonathan Howard) and Ronnie (Vinta Morgan) discussing their worries about Debbie's worsening dementia.
Fans Recognise the Actress
Paula's comeback to the cobbles has certainly got viewers talking, with many left astonished after working out where they recognise actress Kelli Hollis from. On a Coronation Street Facebook fan page, one viewer wrote: "Oh dear that one who was in prison with Debbie is back, where do I recognise her from?"
Another viewer explained: "She was in Emmerdale, played Amelia's mum." A third then added: "Shameless as well." Someone else remarked: "Thought it was her."
Kelli Hollis's Career Highlights
During her career, Kelli has featured in numerous programmes including Channel 4's Shameless, portraying Yvonne Karib for six years. She also played Linda in the drama Ackley Bridge and Chantel in BBC1 drama Waterloo Road. In 2006, Kelli took on the role of Anne West in the TV film See No Evil about the Moors Murders.
In 2011, Kelli joined Emmerdale, playing Ali Spencer, mother of Sean (Luke Roskell) and Amelia (Daisy Campbell). The character departed the soap to relocate to Liverpool in 2015, but in 2018, Ali was killed off-screen in a car accident.
Speaking in 2021 about her character being killed off, Kelli told the Soap From the Box podcast: "I'll be honest, they were so lovely and actually rang me to tell me they were killing her off-screen."
"I got a lovely phone call and a message, 'Just so you know, we're going to kill you off'. There's always that little bit of you thinking, 'Never say never'. All these actors saying they'll never go back, always move forward, for me personally, I was like, 'I wish you hadn't' but in another sense I was almost glad they did because then it's done."
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
