A popular Coronation Street character is set to make a stunning return to the ITV soap.

Catherine Tyldesley’s character Eva Price will return to the cobbles later this year to run local pub, the Rovers Return.

Eva, who was last seen on the show in 2018, will return alongside her latest partner and his mother, who are both new to the show.

Shameless actor Aaron McCusker stars as Eva’s partner Ben Driscoll, with Father Ted’s Pauline McLynn playing his interfering mother Maggie.

Ben’s two sons and Eva’s daughter Suzie will also be joining the cast.

Residents will discover that Eva and Ben are the new landlords in October, more than seven years after Eva stopped pulling pints to start a new life in France with her daughter.

Coronation Street producer Kate Brooks said: “We are beyond thrilled that Eva is returning as the landlady of the Rovers, with her new blended family in tow.

“The Driscolls do not arrive quietly, so expect big drama, explosive secrets and raucous knees ups galore. To have actors of Catherine, Aaron and Pauline’s considerable calibre at the beating heart of this family is absolutely wonderful, and we can’t wait for you to get to know and fall in love with them as much as we have already done.

“Strap yourselves in, it’s going to be an exciting and eventful ride.”

It comes as Sally Ann Matthews, known for playing the fiery Rovers Return landlady Jenny Connor, announced she’s leaving the soap after decades on screen last week.

The 54-year-old said in a post shared on Friday (1 August) that it was “time” to play different roles – ones that she “always hoped I would when I’d grown up”.

Matthews made her debut on the soap in 1986 as Alan Bradley’s tearaway daughter, before leaving in 1991. She made a shock return in 2016, which was only meant to last for a matter of months, but ended up staying as a central character in the show for another decade.

A host of other stars have left the British soap this year, including Sue Cleaver, who spent 25 years playing Eileen Grimshaw.

Among the others who have left are Colson Smith, who played Craig Tinker on the ITV soap opera, and Luca Toolan, who played Mason Radcliff