Cat burglar Les Dennis set for Coronation Street debut

New Coronation Street star Les Dennis makes his debut on the soap, when his character is rumbled as a burglar.

The comic and former Family Fortunes host, 60, arrives on screen in Coronation Street next week.

He plays a petty criminal, Michael Rogers, who is caught stealing from Gail McIntyre's house on the famous street.

In the first soap images of the star Gail, played by Helen Worth, arrives home to find Michael, who claims to be inspecting a gas leak, in her living room.

Pushing Gail, Michael jumps in a van and drives off as Kylie Platt, played by Paula Lane, runs after him before Gail discovers her favourite necklace has been stolen.

Les has previously said he is 'thrilled' to be joining Coronation Street.

He said: "I've loved it since the beginning. I grew up watching all the amazing characters in the show. I now not only have the chance of meeting them, but also working with them. It doesn't get better than that."

Coronation Street producer Stuart Blackburn has called Les 'a fantastic performer and a real coup for Corrie'.

The actor makes his debut on Monday, March 24.

– Press Association

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.