Former Coronation Street Star Nigel Havers Joins Benidorm

Former Coronation Street star Nigel Havers has joined the cast of Benidorm.

Copyright [Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock]

The 64-year-old actor is set to appear in the next series of the comedy, scheduled to hit screens next year, after he landed the role of a vicious crook who attempts to con cash from staff at the famous Solana hotel in Costa Blanca.

A source said: “Signing Nigel up is a real coup as he loves comedy and has a class acting background.”

Show bosses also hope the star - who has starred in movies including Chariots of Fire and Empire of the Sun - will provide eye candy for older women.

Copyright [Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock]

The insider told The Sun: “He also appeals to women of a certain age as he was a real heartthrob.”

And Nigel is certainly no stranger to ruffling feathers as in Corrie he played suave scammer Lewis Archer on and off for two years.

Lewis forged a plan to steal money from Peter Barlow’s (Chris Gascoyne) betting shop by cashing fraudulent betting slips.

This news comes after it was revealed Benidorm star Tim Healy was forced to be written out of the ninth series when he fell ill with a mystery ailment while shooting scenes last month.

Copyright [Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock]

The 64-year-old actor - who is known for playing eccentric cross-dresser Lesley in the sitcom - was left fighting for his life in a hospital in Spain for almost a month.

Despite being at death’s door, the star was stable enough to travel back to the UK over the weekend and is now recuperating at a hospital in Manchester.

However, producers of the show don’t think he’ll be well enough to return to filming any time soon and have made the decision to write him out for the foreseeable future.