Yahoo News Coronation Street's Pat Phelan actor lands role in Ackley Bridge
Former Coronation Street star Connor McIntyre has landed a new role in Ackley Bridge series four.
McIntyre previously played the villainous Pat Phelan on the cobbles from 2013 to 2014, returning to torment the residents of Weatherfield again from 2016 until he was killed off from the show in 2018.
In his new role in the Channel 4 secondary school drama, McIntyre stars as Cooper – the grandfather of another new character, Johnny (Ryan Dean), who comes from a Romany Gypsy community.
Related: Coronation Street's Asha Alahan sparks concern as she moves in with Corey Brent
Johnny is described as a charming and confident character, whose initial cocky personality is a front to hide his sensitive side. He also catches the attention of fellow new students Kayla (Robyn Cara) and Fizza (Yasmin Al-Khudhairi).
Kayla is a funny and awkward pupil finding out where she fits in the world, as she navigates both sides of her mixed heritage, while Fizza is Kayla's intelligent and tough best friend, who has a hard time dealing with her relationship with her mum.
Two more characters who have joined the Ackley Bridge cast for the current series are Marina (Carla Woodcock), Kayla's popular half-sister, and Tahir (Shobhit Piasa), the nephew of Sunetra Sarker's Kaneez.
Related: Coronation Street's Leanne, Nick and Simon to return in dramatic storyline
Sarker is one of a number of familiar faces returning to Ackley Bridge, including Robert James-Collier, Jo Joyner, Charlie Hardwick, Tony Jayawardena, Fern Deacon, Phoebe Tuffs-Berry, Cody Ryan, Nazmeen Kauser and Zara Salim.
Ackley Bridge's series four schedule also looks very different – instead of its usual once-a-week one-hour episode, the show is airing ten 30-minute episodes from Monday to Friday for two weeks.
Ackley Bridge airs weeknights at 6pm on Channel 4, with all episodes now available on All 4.
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