Peter Barlow to return to Coronation Street full-time as part of show shake-up

PETER Barlow is returning to Coronation Street full-time as part of a shake-up at the popular soap.

The popular character, played by Chris Gascoyne, left the cobbles back in 2014 and returned for Deirdre Barlow's funeral last year when Anne Kirkbride passed away.

However, we haven't seen the last of cheeky Peter as Corrie producer Katie Oates has decided to bring him back full-time.

Speaking at a Coronation Street press day in Manchester, Katie revealed that not only is Peter coming back but he will be joined by nephew Adam and half-brother Daniel too.

Katie said: "One of the things I am most excited about and something I consider a real privilege is that I am lucky enough to work on the longest-running soap.

"One of the longest-running families on that soap is the Barlows and why would you not want to strengthen that family?

"I love the idea of Ken as the head of the family which has Tracy, Simon and Amy. I am excited to bring Peter back to the show.

"I am delighted to meet Daniel Osborne, who is his child with Denise and I am excited to bring back Adam, who is Mike Baldwin's son and Ken's grandson."

The ITV boss said the Barlows are a Corrie "dynasty" and she can't wait to have them back at the centre of the soap again.

She continued: "I think that strong family dynasty - the first family on the soap, as it were - here, big, strong and sending ripples through the street, is really exciting and I am really looking forward to seeing that."

With Alison King  - known for playing Carla over the last decade - leaving back in May, there was room to bring back another central character.

She said: "We've always been in touch, he has always kept strong links with us and so it felt like an organic thing.

"Knowing as I did that I was coming here, there were a few things I wanted to do and obviously it was a shame that both Ali King (Carla) and Paula Lane (Kylie) had made the decision to go.

"You do think, 'I would like to work with that character and that character', and Peter is always one you want to work with.

"He has got such an amazing presence and such a great energy on screen. Everybody here loves him too."

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