Ex Brookie star Philip joins Benidorm cast

(Image credit: Eamonn and James Clarke/EMPICS E)

Philip Olivier has joined the cast of ITV's Benidorm.

The actor, best known for his role as Tinhead in axed soap Brookside, was pictured on location with the rest of the cast, according to The Sun.

Liverpudlian Philip was snapped alongside show regular and Splash! contestant Jake Canuso.

The pair were dressed in matching outfits - tight black jeans and t-shirts with glowing tans and slicked back hair.

Jake, 43, plays Solano barman Mateo and the matching outfits suggest Philip's character could be behind the bar too.

Another newcomer to the show is theatre actress Hannah Waddingham, who has previously starred in Spamalot and The Wizard Of Oz.

Benidorm regulars all looked happy to be back, including Steve Pemberton and Siobhan Finneran (Mick and Janice Garvey) and Sheila Reid (Madge Barron).

Philip, 32, will be joining other ex-soap actors on set - last week Coronation Street favourites Ken Morley and Sherrie Hewson confirmed they would be back for the next series.

Executive producer Ben Cavey said: "Things are certainly heating up by the pool in this series, with some great new characters, as well as the return of many of our well-loved regulars."

Patrick McLennan

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.