Peter Barlow returns to Coronation Street

A familiar face is returning to Weatherfield to join the locals in saying a final farewell to Deirdre Barlow.

Following the death of actress Anne Kirkbride in January, Coronation Street’s bosses are planning a send-off for the character who she played for more than 40 years. 

Talking to the Birmingham Mail, actor Chris Gascoyne – aka Peter Barlow – has revealed that he has been asked to return to the soap for the funeral of Peter's stepmother Deirdre Barlow.

"We will be saying goodbye to Deirdre but also to Annie, so it is bound to be very emotional,” said Chris, 47. “I worked with Annie for 15 years and I loved her, she was a really lovely woman and I miss her."

Chris, who left the soap in November 2014, will be reunited with his soap family – dad Ken (William Roache) and sister Tracy (Kate Ford) when he appears in a few episodes in June.

He added that he didn’t have to think twice about returning to the famous cobbles. 

"They asked me to go back to the street for a couple of episodes and of course I said yes,” he said. “It is only right that Peter would be there, and if I can I will always want to keep that continuity."