'Coronation Street' bosses have announced that they are currently looking for a disabled actor to join the cast as new character Howie, who will join the cast in the Autumn.
Casting directors are going to hold auditions in three UK cities in the coming months and they’ve put out a public notice to invite potential soap stars to audition.
'Coronation Street' will welcome the character later this year
Janet Hampson, one of the ‘Corrie’ casting team has posted on Twitter, writing: “News: @itvcorrie are casting a new regular - male, 40s, visibly disabled, cheeky chap. Auditions London, Glasgow & Manchester soon. Pls RT”.
A ‘Coronation Street’ spokesperson has revealed some tiny details about the character, telling the Manchester Evening News: “Howie is a new disabled character that is being written into storylines starting on screen in the Autumn.”
“He will be connected to a current cast member, although that’s all we can say at this stage,” they added.
Manchester Evening News also reports that the move is thought to be as part of efforts to “increase diversity on the cobbles”.
The soap currently stars wheelchair-bound actress Cherylee Houston as Izzy Armstrong.
Cherylee has rare tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and became the show’s first ever disabled actress when she joined the cast in 2010.