Coronation Street star Antony Cotton has revealed that Ian McKellen would like to make a return to the soap.
Legendary thespian McKellen appeared on the UK soap for a three-week guest stint in 2005, playing conman Mel Hutchwright.
Cotton, who is a real-life friend of McKellen, has stated that the acclaimed actor is interested in revisiting his role as the Weatherfield fraudster.
Discussing celebrity appearances in soaps, Cotton said: "I think that Corrie has had the greatest cameo, which was from McKellen. His role wasn't just a cameo and he was amazing.
"Ian did say to me, and I'm going to put this out there, 'I think it's about time that Mel Hutchwright maybe made a reappearance'."
He added: "It was a brilliant storyline. It was written especially for him and he was playing a scoundrel. It had a start, middle and an end, and it was with amazing characters - John Savident, Barbara Knox, Eileen Derbyshire and Malcolm Hebden. That was a very special cameo.
"I think Corrie doesn't need cameos, but when one comes along like Ian playing Mel Hutchwright, then it's glorious because it's meant to be and it's not shoehorned in."
