Corrie veteran Georgia Taylor, aka Toyah Battersby, is to join the cast of Casualty. She will play a new consultant called Ruth in the Beeb's hit medical drama. Georgia, 27, was last seen on BBC One in cult drama Life On Mars. Toyah, her most famous character, first appeared in Weatherfield in 1997. Even though she was the most sensitive, studious member of her mouthy family, she still experienced her fair share of drama. During her time in the street, viewers saw Toyah fall for Emily's eco-warrior nephew Spider, run away to find her real father and, in a controversial storyline, being raped by a former friend. Georgia quit the soap in 2003, but still remains a familiar face on our screens. She's cropped up in Where The Heart Is, The Royal, Red Cap, The Afternoon Play and Lilies. The Lancashire native also took a major role in the musical drama series Blackpool and its sequel, Viva Blackpool. She made her film debut in last year's version of Alan Bennett's hit play The History Boys, and is due to appear in upcoming Jason Statham movie The Bank Job. Meanwhile, The Bill has signed up an ex-Footballers' Wives star. Ben Richards, a former judge on Strictly Dance Fever who has also appeared in Holby and the West End version of Guys and Dolls, will play hearthrob PC Nate Roberts on the ITV police drama from November.
