ITV Coronation Street stars ‘thrilled’ as Hollyoaks legend lands ‘dream job’ on cobbles

Coronation Street will be welcoming a new character in the coming weeks and it will be played by a Hollyoaks legend already familiar to soap fans

**Adam Barlow has been single since wife Sarah Platt left him**

A Hollyoaks legend has been cast by Coronation Street for a new storyline centered on Adam Barlow.

Fans of the soap opera will remember that Adam (Sam Robertson) is unmarried since his wife Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) had an affair with Damon Hay (Ciaran Griffiths) and then chose to go seek a romance with the cobbler.

A Hollyoaks icon is now appearing in the ITV soap opera as Rebecca, a new character that will apparently be Adam’s love interest once his marriage collapses, as part of Adam’s continuing plot. Actress Gemma Merna, well known to soap fans for her role as Carmel McQueen in Hollyoaks from 2006 to 2014, is portraying Rebecca.

Gemma, 40, shared the wonderful news on Instagram on Tuesday, writing: “The news is out. I have maintained a little secrecy. I’m overjoyed to share that @coronationstreet is where I got my dream job! Is it really true? Since I was a little child, I have always wanted to be on Coronation Street.

“Being from Manchester, this is really a dream come true for me. I’ve had it on my vision board for more than a decade, and I finally had the opportunity to walk the cobbles. It still amazes me that I’m writing this. The finest part, in my opinion, was informing my mother over the phone.

**Coronation Street has cast a Hollyoaks legend for a new storyline involving Adam Barlow ( Image: @gemmamerna/Instagram)**

“To my father, grandmother, grandfather, and great-grandmother, who were all lifelong viewers and ardent admirers. Up there, I hope you’re proud of me. In the next weeks, Rebecca will be appearing on television. #coronationstreetcast #coronationstreet #dreamsdocometrue #tvactor #actor #sohappy.”

A number of Corrie stars, past and present, quickly offered their congrats when Coronation Street reshared the image on their own Instagram. Emojis expressing excitement were posted by Samia Longchambon, who portrays Maria Connor; Catherine Tyldesley, who portrayed Eva Price in the past, wrote: “Thrilled for you love xx”; and Brooke Vincent, who played Sophie Webster, wrote: “Omg!!!!!!” I love it “with heart emojis.

Inside Soap claims that Rebecca, a new character on the ITV soap opera, is there for a limited plot in which Adam falls in love with her. It coincides with Nicole Barber-Lane, a fellow Hollyoaks legend, making a cameo appearance on the cobbles as Ange, the proprietor of a nearby taxi company, last year. On Hollyoaks, Nicole, 53, portrayed Myra McQueen from 2006 until 2019.