Coronation Street: 10 best guest stars to have cameoed on the cobbles

Setting foot on the cobbles is the dream of many a Corrie fan – and that there have been some amazing Coronation Street guest stars who have lived that dream too.

Some great names have had a small part in the show for a few episodes – and many more are queuing up for a walk-on.

The Chase fave Anne Hegerty has revealed she’d love a part. And even Piers Morgan has revealed that he wants a stint.

The ex-GMB host told Daily Star Sunday: “I’d love to be a soap star and Corrie would be my first choice, my grandmother used to love that show.

Read more: Coronation Street star Mikey North’s wife wants him to do Strictly

“I see myself as a suave silver fox perched on the chair at the bar in the Rovers Return.

“My ideal love interest would be Kym Marsh, but she’s left the show now. So if I join I’ll have to find a new lady to go for.”

From comedians, to full-on Hollywood actors and pop royalty, a number of famous faces have graced the cast of Coronation Street with their presence.

Here is a round up of the biggest and best Coronation Street guest stars ever seen!

1. Peter Kay

Comedian Peter Kay starred in one episode of Coronation Street as drayman Eric Gartside.

Unlucky-in-love Shelley Unwin (Sally Lindsay) agreed to a date with Eric in January 2004 after the end of her marriage to bigamist Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).

Eric pulled out all the stops to win her over, even taking Shelley to a fancy restaurant. But when they ended up back at his house for a cup of tea, the sight of his mother, Dolly, in her dressing gown was enough to put Shelley off for good.

She make a hasty retreat and refused Eric’s offer of another date. She told him to cut the apron strings if he wanted to find love.

2. Sir Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen is best-known for playing Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Magneto in The X-Men movies, Sherlock Holmes in Mr. Holmes, and Cogsworth in the live-action Beauty and the Beast adaptation.

He joined Coronation Street for 10 episodes in May 2005. His character, Mel Hutchwright, turned up at a book club after being invited by Blanche Hunt (Maggie Jones).

Mel had written the book they were discussing, and Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden), Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) and Rita Tanner (Barbara Knox) were all in awe of him. But Ken Barlow’s (William Roache) nose was firmly put out of joint.

The author moved in with Norris and Emily to finish his next book. He allowed them to pay for everything. He even persuaded the book club to donate £200 each to help publish the novel.

But Ken wasn’t taken in.

He eventually exposed Mel for who he really was: conman Lionel Hipkiss.

Norris threw Lionel out and that was the last we ever saw of Sir Ian on the cobbles.

3. Paddy McGuinness

Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness played Dougie Ryan in six episodes in August 2005.

Some of the Corrie gang including Kirk Sutherland (Andy Whyment), Beth Tinker (Lisa George) and Craig Tinker (Colson Smith)went on a camping trip, where Dougie was with his daughter Caitlin (Eve Gordon).

He fancied himself as a bit of a Bear Grylls type and immediately rubbed Tyrone up the wrong way. Although the rest of the group were in awe of him.

A trek into the woods to forage for food ended in an argument. Eventually Dougie was put in his place by his own daughter.

Paddy has talked of a Corrie return and told The Manchester Evening News that he would love to go back for another short stint.

4. Sarah Harding

Despite Cheryl often saying she’d love a role in the soap (and having a small part in the Text Santa special), it was her now deceased Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding who ended up being one of the Coronation Street guest stars.

She appeared in five episodes of the soap as Joni Preston, ex-wife of Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill).

Joni arrived on the cobbles looking for Robert in July 2015. He’d reignited his relationship with Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), and Joni wasn’t happy.

When she finally caught up with them, she gave Tracy an almighty slap. She and Robert divorced and he handed everything over to her.

5. Joan Collins

The star of Dynasty played herself in the 1997 feature-length Viva Las Vegas!

She was on a plane with Corrie icons Jack and Vera Duckworth (Bill Tarmey and Elizabeth Dawn), who’d travelled to Vegas to renew their wedding vows.

Vera spilled a drink on herself as Joan walked past and Joan assured her it would wash out, adding: “I should know,” in reference to all the times she had a drink thrown over her in Dynasty.

6. James Fleet

Four Weddings and a Funeral and Vicar of Dibley star James Fleet was in Corrie for seven episodes in 2010 as Robbie Sloane, cellmate of Tony Gordon (Gray O’Brien).

Playing a murderer was quite the departure for James who is best known for playing loveable guys.

But in Corrie, he helped Tony escape from prison and then held both Carla Connor (Alison King) and Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh) at gunpoint.

Sadly for Robbie, who was helping Tony in return for £2000 to pay for his son to go to university, he choose the wrong man to trust as Tony shot and killed him as a thank you.

7. Holly and Phil

The King and Queen of daytime television Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were in one episode as Coronation Street guest stars in June 2018.

They played a part in the exit storyline of Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan) who was heading off on maternity leave.

Rosie, along with Craig Tinker and Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell) appeared on the This Morning sofa after taking down a drug lord on the Street.

While Craig was enamoured with Holly, Gemma flirted up a storm with Phil, and Rosie managed to insult everyone!

8. Status Quo

Quo rockers Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt appeared in three episodes of the soap in 2005 as themselves – some of the most iconic Coronation Street guest stars.

They were spotted by super-fan Les Battersby (Bruce Jones) who persuaded them to come and sing at his wedding to Cilla Battersby-Brown (Wendi Peters).

The band duly obliged. They then took Candice Stowe (Nikki Sanderson) with them on tour as their personal hairdresser.

9. Honor Blackman

Former Bond Girl Honor Blackman, who starred as Pussy Galore in the 1964 Bond movie Goldfinger, and was also in The Avengers and Jason and the Argonauts, joined Corrie in 2004 for five episodes.

She played Rula Romanoff, an old friend of Rita’s who tried to seduce Norris in a wife-swapping storyline!

Read more: Complete Coronation Street cast list 2022 – meet them all here!

11. Lorraine Kelly

Breakfast TV fave Lorraine Kelly has appeared as a Coronation Street guest star more than once!

She appeared in a spin-off Just Rosie in which Rosie Webster modelled on Lorraine’s show.

She also played a police officer in a Text Santa special.

When Maddie Heath died her grieving girlfriend Sophie Webster organised a memorial charity auction and one of the lots was a signed photograph of Lorraine.

Lorraine then made a cameo appearance as herself in May 2019.

The Platts were staying at a holiday park and she was shot in the thigh with an arrow by Gail!

Who were your favourite Corrie guest stars? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know!