Will Mellor's life off screen including co-star wife as he returns to Coronation Street

Claire Sweeney, who stars as Cassie Plummer in Coronation Street, is set to lace up her skates as she competes on Dancing on Ice. Speaking about her participation on the ITV show, she confessed to Prima magazine: "I wanted to challenge myself. You get little vulnerabilities and anxieties with menopause and you start to lose your bottle as you get older, so I want to conquer some fears and get my confidence and chutzpah back." As reported by the Nottingham Post, Claire also expressed excitement about joining the ice skating show.

Since The Traitors kicked off earlier this month, we've been getting to know the contestants hoping to walk away with the huge cash prize. Andrew Jenkins, 45, is currently working alongside his Faithfuls to weed out the Traitors and take home the money. During his time on the show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, viewers have been able to see very distinctive scars around the back of Andrew's head, leaving many wondering how he got them.The scars on Andrew's head were caused by an almost fatal car accident he was in, where he was pronounced dead on the side of a road.

With the latest series of Grantchester now unfolding on our screens, fans of the popular detective series will no doubt be savouring every minute of star Tom Brittney ’s time on screen, before he departs the show at the end of Series 9. The 32 year old actor is best known for playing Reverend Will Davenport in the hit period series alongside co-star Robson Green, a role he has held since 2019. But sadly Tom has announced his intention to move onto pastures new at the end of the next series which is currently being filmed and is slated to air some time next year.

As The Repair Shop once again returns to our screens with another batch of priceless treasures to be restored, Jay Blades is once again at the helm of the show, which first started back in 2017. From antique treasures to beloved soft toys, Jay has continually delighted viewers at home with his ability to repair any item brought into the shop, with the help of his expert team of craftsmen and skilled labourers.

Emmerdale star Lesley Dunlop has played the role of Brenda Walker since 2008 with her storylines resonating with her real life, from her doting husband to a heartbreaking family diagnosis. Lesley, 67, has become a beloved character on the hit ITV soap for over 15 years and in that time fell in love with her co-star Chris Chittel, who plays the role of Eric Pollard.The couple who are married in real life, first met when Lesley joined the Emmerdale cast as shopkeeper Brenda and their romance quickly blossomed away from the cameras.

Eight years on since soap fans saw Coronation Street star Paula Lane grace the cobbles, the much loved actress has finally returned to our screens, this time in rival soap Emmerdale. Making her debut as the character Ella Forster, fans will first see the new character when she loses her job after sticking up for Mandy Dingle, the girlfriend of Paddy Kirk, at the annual veterinary ball.

Silent Witness star David Caves has returned to his beloved role as Jack Hodgson in the new series of the BBC crime drama. The series, which was first aired in 1996, follows a group of forensic scientists as they investigate ghastly crimes in a bid to catch those responsible. David, 44, has played the leading role of Jack since 2013 and in that time viewers have been invested in his romance with colleague Dr Nikki Alexander, played by Emilia Fox.

Dancing on Ice 2024 will kick off on Sunday, 14 January with a fresh set of celebrities ready to take to the ice as they battle to be crowned the winner of the ITV show. 11 famous faces are set to take part, including Claire Sweeney, Amber Davies, Ricky Hatton, Miles Nazaire, Adele Roberts and Ricky Norwood, with Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern taking on presenting duties. Two new professional skaters - Amani Fancy and Simon Senecal - have also joined the line-up, following the departure of Matt Evers.

David Leon has reprised his role as DS Joe Ashworth in ITV's Vera after a decade away from the series, but he also starred in a forgotten TV role and had a football career. The actor, 43, who first starred in the ITV drama from 2011 to 2014, returned to his role with a bang on Sunday, January 7, much to the delight of Vera fans as series 13 kicked off.The new series also welcomed back Brenda Blethyn playing the titular detective, DCI Vera Stanhope, while Kenny Doughty, who played Aiden Healy and Ibinabo Jack, who portrayed DC Jacqueline Williams have not returned for this series.

Coronation Street's Fiz Dobbs, played by Jennie McAlpine since 2001, is a well-loved character on the show.The actress has been away from the Cobbles for a while on maternity leave after welcoming her third child, Doris. Jennie and her husband Chris Farr, who have been married since 2005, are also parents to Hilda and Albert. In an exclusive chat with OK!, Jennie shared: "Doris is a family name and I love that it goes with Albert and Hilda.They're also all very 'Corrie'." The actress who played the first Rovers landlady, Annie Walker, was called Doris Speed so there's obviously something in my DNA that means these baby names keep happening!" She added: "People have said before that Albert and Hilda sound like two childhood sweethearts writing to each other during the war.

With ITV drama Grantchester back on our screens on Thursday 11 January, viewers will see detective duo DI Geordie Keating and Reverend Will Davenport attempt to solve a new bunch of murders. But alongside the two leads, played by Robson Green and Tom Brittney, a host of familiar faces from previous seasons will be returning. Among those is Charlotte Ritchie, who is known for playing Bonnie Evans.The niece of Cathy Keating, Bonnie was a widow and single mum to little Ernie, though tied the knot in series seven after meeting Will and the couple are now expecting their first child together.

Bargain Hunt presenter Izzie Balmer has become a fan favourite since joining the show in 2022, but off screen has a surprising hobby. The jewellery expert, 34, has certainly made her mark when it comes to antiques having appeared on TV shows Flog It!, Street Auction and Antiques Road Trip. She has become so popular that Izzie has gained her very own fan base with a dedicated group on Facebook called the Izzie Balmer Appreciation Society.

Brenda Blethyn has been on our screens for years, having enjoyed a successful and fruitful career as an actor. Starting out way back in the 1980s, the 77 year old didn't experience her breakthrough moment until 1996, when she starred as Cynthia Purley in the drama Secrets & Lies.This role really put her on the map and earned her multiple awards, including Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe. Plus, she also received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Jason Donovan is best known for his myriad of roles acting and singing across the West End, as well as launching his career in hit Australian soap Neighbours back in the 1980s. The 52 year old star is now currently starring in the new series of Dancing On Ice, which is due to debut on ITV this weekend. As fans gear up to watch the performer donning his skates and taking to the rink, his family will undoubtedly be there to support him with bells on too.

After a year away from our screens, The Traitors is once again back with a bang as series two kicks off in style on Wednesday 3 January. The nail-biting show, which will see 22 contestants go head to head in the hopes of securing a cash prize of up to £120,000, will divide the competitors into two teams, the Traitors and the Faithfuls - before tasking the Traitors with eliminating their fellow contestants while keeping their identities a secret.

Fool Me Once, starring acclaimed actor Richard Armitage, dropped on Netflix this week and quickly earned a spot in the Top 10 on the streaming platform. The thriller series released on 1 January, follows the story of Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan) who is adjusting to life after her husband Joe Burkett (Richard Armitage) was murdered. But things take an unexpected twist when Maya installs a nanny cam to keep an eye on her young daughter and spots her husband in their home.

As Waterloo Road returns to our screens with a brand new series, fans of the BBC school drama will once again be treated to a new batch of storylines for their favourite characters to sink their teeth into. Among the returning characters for 2024, is Andrew Treneman, portrayed by Jamie Glover who famously returned to the hit show last year, 14 years since he last set foot in the troubled comprehensive school from which the show takes its name.

As Mr Bates vs The Post Office kicked off this week on ITV, countless viewers sat down to watch the emotional dramatisation of the Horizon post office scandal that saw dozens of postmasters and postmistresses wrongly accused of stealing money due to a computer error. The series, which spans four episodes, features a star studded cast, with one familiar face among them being former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh, who famously played Hayley Cropper in the soap for an impressive 16 years in total! As well as her soap roots, over the years, Julie has starred in several popular shows, including Happy Valley, Broadchurch and The Pact, to name just a few - but when she’s not busy acting, the star likes to live a quiet life in Tameside with her family.

The familiar face of Toby Jones has returned to our screens for the new ITV drama Mr Bates vs Post Office, but what fans might not know is that he also has star-studded parents.Toby, 57, who holds an OBE, is best known for being the voice of Dobby in the Harry Potter films from 2002 to 2010. Other huge roles from the actor include Percy Alleline in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Claudius, the announcer for The Hunger Games.

Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany Platt in Coronation Street, is back on the cobbles. Rumours were swirling over the summer that Lucy was set to return to the ITV soap, three years after Bethany left Weatherfield for London.Tina O'Brien seemed to confirm Lucy's return when she celebrated her 40th birthday on set with her on-screen family. She shared a photo of herself with Helen Worth, Sue Nicholls, Jack P Shepherd, Ben Price and Julia Goulding, all posing behind a birthday cake.