The actress has returned to Weatherfield as Eva Price after seven years away
Catherine Tyldesley is reprising her role in Coronation Street(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley admitted that soap icon William Roache made her cry on her first day back on the cobbles.
Catherine Tyldesley made her Coronation Street debut permanently as Eva Price in June 2011, a role she played until 2018. Fans will recall that Eva left Weatherfield to start a new life in France, but she is now returning as landlady of the Rovers Return.
The 42-year-old actress appeared on This Morning on Monday (October 27) as her first scenes back on the ITV soap are set to air.
Speaking with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, Catherine shared: “I honestly thought somebody was dying, wanting me to nip back for a funeral. My agent said, ‘well look, let’s see, keep a poker face’.
“It was just so out of the blue, and I’m so thrilled.”
Discussing her first day back on the cobbles, Catherine admitted: “It was surreal. It was like they just had me in a cupboard and thought, ‘should we bob her back on?’
“A lot of the people that I worked with seven years ago were still there, which was just so lovely and I was made to feel so welcome, because I was really nervous.
“Coming back as a landlady, I was like, ‘oh gosh, big boots to fill’.”
Eva will be landlady of the Rovers(Image: ITV)
She then went on to say how supportive William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, was amid her return.
Catherine continued: “Bill Roache came up to me in the green room. I adore that man, and he was like ‘we’re really lucky to have you back’. He just made me cry.
“What a gorgeous thing to say, and he really calmed my nerves. Everyone’s been lovely, and I know that everybody says it, but Corrie is like a big family. It’s such a gorgeous place to work.”
Reflecting on her exit, Catherine said: “There was so much that I wanted to do, and I said that to the producer at the time, Kate Oates. I was like, I mean it, I will come back when the time is right, and the storyline is right.
“Please don’t close the door if you can, and she was really great with me and said, ‘I understand, go do your thing and spend some time with family’.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to continue working, and it’s been great.”
