Veteran actor West strolls on to Coronation Street

Published on 19/12/2012 00:00

Veteran actor Timothy West is set to grace the cobbles on Coronation Street.

The 78-year-old star of stage and screen will play carpet salesman Eric, the new boyfriend of Gloria Price, who is portrayed by Sue Johnston. A spokeswoman for the show confirmed he will make his debut next year.

West – who is married to Fawlty Towers actress Prunella Scales, who appeared on Coronation Street in 1961 – joins other illustrious actors who have appeared on the ITV1 soap, including Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ben Kingsley.

A newspaper reported that Gloria, who has been absent from Weatherfield in recent weeks, will return in early 2013 with Eric on her arm.

The Yorkshire-born actor recently complained about a lack of TV work, saying: “The casting directors want you to have been on screen in the last month looking exactly as you do now, otherwise it confuses them.”