Carla Connor gets reinforcements as two new family

Fans of the show will know that Aidan Connor, former X Factor victor Shayne Ward, joined the show in August and the family is set to expand in the coming weeks.

After a rocky start Carla welcomed Aidan’s input but she will soon be wondering what she’s let herself in for when his dad Johnny, played by Richard Hawley, and sister Kate (Faye Brookes) burst into the factory.

But the Coronation Street favourite, played by Alison King, faces fresh drama next week when two new arrivals hit Weatherfield, and she realises Aidan (Shayne Ward) hasn’t been completely honest about where exactly his cash has come from.

Prime Suspect actor Richard Hawley has been cast as Johnny, a self-made man who is amusing and charming but ruthless in business.

Kate and Aidan Connor are distant cousins of Michelle (Kym Marsh) and the family grew up on the same estate as Carla, who later married into the Connor family.

Johnny isn’t shy about getting his hands dirty when it comes to business, having earned a good reputation for his hard work but he refuses to be pushed round by anyone and will gladly stick his ground if it comes to it. Johnny adores his family, but Carla will soon learn that he is no pushover.

And tough cookie Kate also proves herself to be more than a match for both her father and brother. Played by actress Faye Brookes, Kate is “full of mischief but passionate about family”.

With two such strong characters entering the soap, it’s clear Kate and Johnny will more than make their presence known, when they appear on screen from Monday October 5.