DIARYDIANNE Corrie killer’s back - or is he?
NOTORIOUS Coronation Street serial killer Richard Hillman will come BACK from the dead - to haunt his exwife Gail Rodwell in shock new soap scenes.
Soap bosses have confirmed that Gail, played by Helen Worth, will get a nasty shock when killer Richard returns from beyond the grave - via a psychic medium.
Richard famously met a watery end when he drove his on-screen wife and family into the canal back in 2003.
His reign of terror on the cobbles included murdering his exwife Patricia and delivering a blow to the head of hairdresser Maxine Peacock.
Now, he is set to bring more horror back to Gail - when she gets involved with a clairvoyant through her mother Audrey, played by Sue Nicholls.
Corrie have tonight confirmed that Four Weddings and a Funeral star Sophie Thompson has been cast as quirky medium Rosemary who meets Audrey when she visits her salon and convinces her she has been contacted by her late husband Alf.
Gail is dismissive of Rosemary and her ‘gift’ and warns Audrey to be careful but it isn’t long before Rosemary says she is getting messages from Gail’s dead husbands.
Sophie will first appear on screen in mid March and Gail becomes keen to find out just what her late husbands, including Richard, want to tell her.
A Corrie spokesperson said: “Sophie is a superb actress and perfect for the role of Rosemary, we are excited she is joining the cast and working alongside Helen and Sue.
“Gail and Audrey are convinced she is getting messages from Alf and Gail’s husbands.
“It remains to be seen if she is all she claims to be.”
Speculation had been growing about a shock return for Richard Hillman ever since actor Brian Capron was spotted at the Corrie Christmas party back in early December.
He was pictured beaming at the festive bash, held at Harvey Nichols in the city centre.
However, Corrie bosses have tonight confirmed that despite the shock twist, Richard Hillman will NOT be returning as a character to the show.