Eva Price RETURNS: Coronation Street Drops FIRST GLIMPSE Of Catherine Tyldesley’s Comeback As She Takes Control Of The Iconic Rovers

Catherine Tyldesley has returned to Coronation Street as Eva Price – and is taking over the RoversCredit: ITV

A teaser shows Eva Price running the boozer with her other halfCredit: ITV

Her hubby Ben Driscoll reveals he bought the Rovers for EvaCredit: ITV

Iconic Father Ted actress Pauline makes her entrance – to bring bad news for Eva
The actress played Rovers barmaid Eva Price before quitting in 2018 – but now Eva is back and running the show.

She’ll be seen on the soap later this month with her new family including a hot hubby on her arm.

A teaser for the episode reveals happy scenes of the couple running the Rovers Return and enjoying a snog.

It cuts to them standing outside the pub as husband Ben Driscoll – played by Shameless hunk Aaron McCusker – tells her “I bought it for you”.

But in soap fashion drama comes knocking when Ben’s mum Maggie walks through the door to bring shocking news for Eva.

She’s played by iconic comedy actress Pauline McLynn from Father Ted and EastEnders fame.

Fans will remember Catherine first joined the cobbles as the daughter of Rovers landlady Stella Price, played by Michelle Collins.

Back in February, The Sun were first to reveal the exciting news that Catherine was set reprise her famous Corrie role.

Eva will return with daughter Susie, played by Aurora Bradshaw, stepson, Will, played by Lucas Hodgson-Wale.

She’s also stepmum to Olie (Raphael Akuwudike) Dee-Dee Bailey’s boyfriend.

Coronation Street producer Kate Brooks said: “We are beyond thrilled that Eva is returning as the landlady of the Rovers, with her new blended family in tow.

“The Driscolls do not arrive quietly, so expect big drama, explosive secrets and raucous knees ups galore.

“To have actors of Catherine, Aaron and Pauline’s considerable calibre at the beating heart of this family is absolutely wonderful, and we can’t wait for you to get to know and fall in love with them as much as we have already done.”

Catherine, 42, also revealed to the Sun she is thrilled Eva will follow in the footsteps of show legends Bet Lynch and Liz McDonald as the pub’s boss.

She said: “I was in Malta filming, and when my agent said Kate wanted to speak to me about Corrie I assumed it was someone’s funeral.

“I thought somebody’s dying — they want me to rock up.

“My agent said, ‘I don’t really know what to expect. Let’s just keep a poker face and see what happens.’

“We were on a Zoom call and Kate said, ‘Would you like to be landlady?’ and I went ‘Aaargh!’

“My agent was like, ‘Nice one.’ I was just really shocked.

“It’s an absolute dream. I remember watching the show as a kid, thinking, ‘God, I’d kill to be landlady one day. How cool would that be?’”

She originally left Coronation Street to pursue other acting roles and spend more time with her young son Alfie, now ten, who she shares with her personal trainer husband Tom Pitfield.

The couple also have daughter Iris, three.

Since leaving the cobbles, Catherine has appeared in a string of hit dramas as well as Strictly Come Dancing where she finished 11th with pro partner Johannes Radebe in 2019.

She also appeared in ITV detective series McDonald & Dodds and reunited with her Corrie co-star Shayne Ward for high seas crime drama The Good Ship Murder on Channel 5.

And Catherine, who lives in Greater Manchester with her family, says her cobbles comeback came at just the right time.

She recalled: “I’d been away for nine months.

“I feel really blessed to have carried on working and done some great things, but I remember my husband Tom saying to me, ‘God, I hope your next job’s in Manchester, Cath’ — and then we got this call.

“I’ve been asked before to come back but it didn’t work in the past because I had other projects. This time, I was like, ‘This could work’.

“So it all came around at the right time. On a personal and professional level it felt right, and I’m so thrilled to be back. It’s just been gorgeous.”

But slipping back into Eva’s trademark cackle has not been as easy.

Catherine said: “The laugh coming back has taken some work.

“I think my pitch had dropped a little bit, so that’s a vocal warm-up. Only dolphins can hear me.”

Catherine as Eva Price behind the bar at the Rovers Return in 2018Credit: Rex Features

Catherine with new soap family, from left, actors Lucas Hodgson-Wale, Pauline McLynn, Aaron McCusker, Aurora Bradshaw and Raphael Akuwudike