Helen Lederer is to join Coronation Street – as a love interest for Ken Barlow.
The comedian a makes a one-off guest appearance in the ITV1 show later this month as newcomer Elspeth.
She plays a woman attending a singles' cocktail night at the Chariot Square Hotel who catches the eye of Ken – as played by original cast member Bill Roache.
There’s a 22-year age gap between the actors as Roache is 91 and Lederer – best known for playing dippy magazine editor Catriona in all five series of Absolutely Fabulous – is 69.
It’s Elspeth who makes the first move, sending drinks over to Ken and his son-in-law Steve McDonald.
She is then invited to join their table to get to know Ken better, to the annoyance of Steve, who’s frustrated that Ken is having better luck with the ladies.
Lederer said of her casting: ‘It came out of the blue but for me Coronation Street, of all the soaps, is the most substantial and ironic with such humour, it's really a class act. So when you get the call for Coronation Street you drop everything. And to be offered a part playing a role opposite William Roache is even more exciting.’
Speaking of the filming, she said: ‘It was a very rainy day up in Manchester and I was so excited to see the words "Coronation Street" on the side of the building, so I got a photo taken like a tourist before I went in. What struck me was how amazing everyone was and how comfortable they made me feel.’
And she said her character should be a role model for older women, explaining: ‘Elspeth is quite a forward person. She is someone who is not afraid to put lipstick on and get her hair done, make an effort with her nails and pull the velvet draped dress over her slightly fuller figure and sit at the bar by herself with an open heart and an open mind. She is bold and proud to be there on her own and speak to people.
‘She is bold – she does something which is often something that men will do to women. I think bold is a very key word now for this generation of women of a certain age who still want to live their life. If she wants to have a chat with a person she thinks 'I'll do that'.
‘So many people would have the fear of being rejected but she doesn't. She takes the initiative and she is not disappointed as Ken is open to getting to know her.
‘At this stage of our lives we should grab every moment. What is the worst that can happen, someone might say no and that is her attitude. Being older you just have the attitude of "some you win, some you lose". Otherwise you'd never do anything.
Elspeth is only scheduled to appear in one episode, but Lederer – who is publishing a memoir about her life in comedy later this month – said she's open to returning to the role in the future.
She said: ‘The answer to that is "most definitely". Ken had Steve to deal with but he was certainly interested in her. He definitely made sure he got her number, he initiated it. So who knows one day he might actually call her and I can come back to Weatherfield.’
Lederer joins a string of comics appearing in the soap, with Justin Moorhouse and Jack Carroll most recently dropping by.
Coronation Street airs these scenes on Wednesday, March 27 from 8pm.
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