The ‘Coronation Street’ cast is about to get even bigger, with two Weatherfield residents getting some new family members in the coming months.
Crooked builder Pat Phelan is in for a shock, when he discovers that he has a grown-up daughter from a past relationship, Nicola.
But the surprises don’t stop there, as he then learns that Nicola has a child of her own, and ‘Corrie’ fans already know him.
It turns out that Seb Franklin - the teenage boyfriend of Faye Windass - is Nicola’s son, which is sure to be bad news for Faye’s mum, Anna, who has bad blood with Phelan already.
Also getting some new family members is Mary Taylor, following the revelation last year that she gave a son, Jude, up for adoption in her younger years.
After meeting Jude last year, Mary almost moved to South Africa to be with him over the festive period, but ultimately changed her mind, deciding Weatherfield was where she belonged.
It seems Jude is set to return when ‘Corrie’ begins airing six episodes a week, and he’ll be joined by the rest of his family too.
An insider told The Sun: “When bosses announced that there would be an extra episode every week, they knew they needed more characters and storylines. Now they have firm plans in place, and are trying to fill the roles with the best talent they can.
Phelan’s paternity news is just the latest in a long line of dramas, after he was arrested, and later released, on suspicion of trying to kill Ken Barlow last week.
With Phelan seemingly out of the frame, it’s still not known who was responsible for pushing the long-serving character down the stairs, with a number of ‘Corrie’ regulars named as potential suspects.