Peter Kay's character takes Shelley out on a date

Kay - famous for his Phoenix Nights series on Channel 4 - said he agreed to the role because he is friends with actress Sally Lindsay (Shelley).

The comic confesses to being a "huge fan" of the soap, which he puts down to hailing from the North West.

Kay has appeared on the long-running serial once before, as a fitter working in the corner shop in November 1997.

During his episode, to be aired on 30 January, Kay sports a ginger wig to play Eric, a dithering drayman who plucks up the courage to ask Rovers' Return landlady Shelley out for dinner.

Washing up

But, as to be expected with any character played by Kay, things do not go to plan.

Kay, who recently became a father for the first time, said he was originally offered a part relating to a storyline with Les Battersby but he asked if instead he could work alongside his friend Lindsay.

He said: "I have always been a huge fan of Coronation Street, I think it's hard to live in the North West and not be. I've been brought up with it all my life and it still amazes me that everything stops when you hear the Coronation Street theme at 7.30.

"I haven't seen the end product and would rather wait until when it's actually on telly. No doubt I'll hear the theme from the kitchen while I'm washing up and come running in as usual."