Coronation Street villain Lou Michaelis, played by Farrel Hegarty, is reportedly returning to the cobbles just months after being sent to prison. The character, introduced last summer as the wife of Mick Michaelis, was last seen in July after assaulting Gary Windass and being sentenced to four years behind bars.
Insiders claim that Hegarty impressed bosses during her initial stint, turning what could have been a one-dimensional villain into a Corrie classic. A source told The Sun: 'Farrel is loved by bosses – she turned what could’ve been a one dimensional villain into a Corrie classic. Bringing her back was a no brainer. There’s potential for her to be back full-time down the line too.'
During her time away, Hegarty has built a large social media following with satirical sketches, amassing over 30 million views. She was previously shortlisted for the ITV Entertainment Creator Award. Her character Lou is currently serving time at Norcross Prison, having accepted that she would be away for a long time and asking Sally Metcalfe not to bring her children to visit.
Hegarty previously told The Mirror that she knew from the start the role would be short-term, but she was drawn to the character's complexity. 'She's built up a lot of coping mechanisms, where she's presenting a hard and feisty character with her walls up,' she explained. 'It's that desperation to protect that inner circle and because of that, she makes a mess of things. But a character like that is so fun to play, because there's never a dull moment.'
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
