Is Shayne Ward heading to Corrie?

(Image credit: PA Archive/Press Association Images)

It’s been reported that singer and actor Shayne Ward could be joining the cast of Coronation Street.  

The soap’s producers have apparently approached Shayne’s management company hoping to sign up the star, who rose to fame when he won The X Factor in 2005. 

A show source told the Daily Star Sunday: “The bosses think Shayne would be perfect for the show. They’ve made moves to try and get him on board and have made it clear they are open to discussions.”

Manchester-born Shayne, 30, is close friends with a number of Corrie stars, including Samia Ghadie, who plays Maria, and Hayley Tamaddon, who plays Andrea Beckett, and it’s been reported that he’s such a big fan of the show that he would jump at the chance if he was offered a role in the Weatherfield soap, which regularly attracts an audience of seven million viewers. 

“He’s made it clear he’s definitely interested,” the source told the newspaper. ”Talks are ongoing at this stage. They were keen to find out if Shayne would be up for going into TV acting full-time. Nothing is confirmed at this point but it is looking hopeful.”

After winning the ITV singing contest in 2005, Shayne had chart success with singles, including the Christmas Number 1 That’s My Goal which was the Christmas  Number 1 of the same year. After clocking up three million record sales in the last ten years, he is due to release his fourth album, Closer, next month. As well as his singing career, Shayne has enjoyed a stint on the West End stage in London. 

He had a leading role in hit show Rock of Ages and starred in a touring production of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds alongside Jason Donovan and Brian McFadden.

The news that Shayne could be heading to the Weatherfield cobbles comes on the tail of a string of famous faces joining the soap, most recently Waterloo Road actress Melanie Hill, former Emmerdale star Claire King and comedian Les Dennis.