Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall signs new six figure year-long contract with the soap – his 21st on the show
CORRIE star Alan Halsall is celebrating being handed a new deal that will see him notch up his 21st year in Weatherfield.
The 36-year-old actor endured a miserable 2018 which he told pals was "one of the worst of his life" when he split from wife Lucy-Jo Hudson.
The couple parted ways despite building a new dream home together.
But, earlier this year, he fell in love with former co-star Tisha Merry, 26, and now the Tyrone Dobbs star has been handed a new six-figure deal which will see him remain in Corrie until at least 2020.
And the new 12-month contract – the longest deal handed to cast members – will see him reach the 21-year milestone in the ITV soap.
A source revealed: “Alan is overjoyed and life couldn’t get any better for him so far this year.
"He was glad to see the back of 2018 with all the heartache he suffered but now he can look forward to 2020 with optimism.
“He’s got a new Corrie deal in his back pocket and a beautiful woman on his arm.
"He’s also got a lovely daughter Sienna, six, from his marriage with ex Lucy-Jo, so what more could he want?”
This week Alan joked that he was battling to retain his youth now that he’s dating younger woman Tisha.
He is embracing a beauty regime to combat the ageing process by trying out skin and eye treatments, face masks and scrubs in a bid to look younger.
He shared a snap of him road-testing a facial treatment which would have the regulars in the Rovers Return choking on their pints of bitter.
He told fans on social media: “The s*** ya have to do when your girlfriend's 10 years younger than you!”
Alan and Tisha – who played Steph Britton in the soap – have been dating for several months but only confirmed their romance in the spring.
The pair initially sparked romance rumours in February after posting a series of snaps from a visit to Manchester's AJ Bell Stadium, where they cheered on the Salford Red Devils.
most read
Tisha played Steph from 2013 to 2017 with a brief return stint last year.
Alan split from former Corrie star Lucy-Jo, 36, in May last year – only a few months after they’d moved into their new home in Worsley, near Manchester.
They had married in 2009 and eight weeks after they announced their marriage was over, she revealed she was dating panto star Lewis Devine with whom she is now pregnant.
Following the split from wife Lucy-Jo, Alan found solace in the gym with monster three-hour workouts.
But it was at the David Lloyd fitness centre near Manchester – popular with Corrie stars like Faye Brooks and Colson Smith – that he grew close to Tisha.
Coronation Street had no comment.
Got a story? email [email protected] or call us direct on 02077824220.
We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.