Coronation Street has won lots of famous fans over the years who have been thrilled to land a role in their favourite soap.
A roaring success for the the cobbles has been acclaimed British actress Maureen Lipman, who joined the street in 2018 to play Tyrone Dobbs' battleaxe grandmother Evelyn Plummer and has been a firm favourite ever since.
She returned to the street 16 years after her last appearance on the soap as Rovers Return relief manager Lillian Spencer, a good friend of butcher Fred Elliot, in 2002.
Maureen joined a long line of celebs who have had surprising cameo roles and guest appearances in Weatherfield over the years, or even started out their acting careers on Corrie.
So who else has graced the street, from pop royalty to actual royalty?
Sir Cliff Richard
Appearing as an extra in 1997, the Congratulations singer enjoyed a pint in the Rovers.
And the singing legend, a fan of the soap, posed for pictures with Beverley Callard (Liz McDonald) and Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) outside the pub.
Cheryl
Former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl made a cameo appearance on the cobbles for ITV's Text Santa appeal in 2013.
The sometime X-Factor judge made jaws drop when she strutted into the Rovers Return to look for her old, now dearly-departed, friend Tina McIntyre, played by Michelle Keegan.
Status Quo
Rockers Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt from denim-wearing rock band Status Quo appeared in three episodes of the soap in 2005, performing at Les Battersby and Cilla Brown's wedding.
They were also responsible for the departure of hairdresser Candice, played by Nikki Sanderson, who left to become their stylist.
Ben Kingsley
The Pendlebury-raised, Oscar-winning Gandhi actor was starting out as a young actor when he appeared on the soap from 1966 to 1967 as Ron Jenkins, who was involved with Ken Barlow's first wife Val.
In 2010 he hinted that he may return, saying: "I did enjoy my time on Coronation Street. I said I might go back, have a pint in the Rovers Return."
Joanna Lumley
The Absolutely Fabulous and Avengers star played Elaine Perkins, a girlfriend of Ken Barlow who turned down his proposal of marriage in 1973.
Elaine was the graduate daughter of Bessie Street School headmaster Wilfred Perkins and dated Ken during his teaching days.
Joan Collins
Dame Joan Collins, best known her role as the impossibly glamorous Alexis Colby in the iconic 80s TV drama Dynasty, appeared in a Coronation Street spin-off in 1997.
Joan made a special guest appearance as herself in the end scene of the 1997 feature-length video Viva Las Vegas! alongside Corrie icons Bill Tarmey and Liz Dawn as Jack and Vera.
The couple flew to LAs Vegas to renew their wedding vows and Jack accidentally caused Vera to spill her drink all over herself as Joan walked by.
And she assured Vera that it would wash out, saying, “I should know.”
Sir Ian McKellen
The legendary thespian starred in 10 episodes in 2005 as con-merchant 'novelist' Melvin Hutchwright who turned up at a book club meeting hosted by Blanche Hunt and persuaded his new friends to pay for the publishing of his new book.
It was exposed by Ken that he was really Lionel Hipkiss, who pulled scams at book clubs all over the country.
Prince Charles
In a live episode broadcast on Friday December 8 2000 as part of the show’s 40th anniversary celebrations, the Prince of Wales visited the show's Manchester studios and met cast members.
Footage of him meeting actress Sue Nicholls as Audrey Robers while opening a new planning office at Weatherfield town hall was incorporated into the storyline and was the only part of the episode which was pre-recorded.
Sir Patrick Stewart
The Yorkshire-born Star Trek: The Next Generation and X Men legend, who worked on stage with Manchester's Library Theatre Company, had one of his first roles in TV on the soap in 1967.
He played a fire officer called to put out a fire at number 9 Coronation Street caused by Dennis Tanner when he was tasked with decorating the house for Len Fairclough.
Peter Schmeichel
In June 1999 the former Manchester United and Manchester City star made an uncredited and non-speaking appearance in the Rovers Return.
A few years later few years later Chesney Brown's beloved Great Dane, who famously caused Les Battersby and Cilla's Brown's bath to collapse through the ceiling, would be named after the Danish goalkeeper.
The beloved pooch was played by four dogs including one named Schmeichel so as not to confuse the actor dog.
Anna Friel
Before her days playing Beth Jordache who shared a controversial kiss with her best friend Margaret Clemence on Brookside, Marcella actress Anna played Belinda Johnson, the best friend of Steve McDonald's first wife Vicky Arden in August 1991.
Like snobby Vicky, Belinda was from a wealthy family and Vicky horrified her pal with stories of living in a backstreet pub with her grandfather Alec Gilroy.
Anna, from Rochdale, made four appearances in Corrie and two of them featured her voice heard over the phone to Vicky.
Mel B
Spice Girl Mel B's very first job was on Coronation Street. The singer known as Scary Spice, whose real name is Melanie Brown, had a small role in the soap working in Bettabuy supermarket when she was 17.
Speaking on Loose Women she said: “Stacking shelves. There were no words involved, just stacking shelves. I loved it.”
In 2014 she returned to the famous street to play Santa’s right-hand woman in a comical Text Santa sketch.
Noddy Holder
The Slade rocker played Stan Potter in 2000 in Corrie's 40th anniversary live episode. Stan was a mate of Duggie Ferguson and he was embroiled in a plan to delay construction workers on the street.
Stan delivered a faked document, claiming to be from the Weatherfield Preservation Society, to call off work for the night.
He then went on his way, wishing the residents of Coronation Street a merry Christmas.
Peter Kay
The Phoenix Nights comic appeared as drayman Eric Gartside, an unlikely date for former Rovers Return landlady Shelley Unwin, in 2004.
Eric took Shelley to a posh restaurant and they went back to Eric's house for a cup of tea until his overbearing mother greeted them in her dressing gown and Shelley beat a hasty retreat, refusing his offer of another date.
Bernard Manning
The late Manchester comic, who set up the World Famous Embassy Club in Harpurhey with his father in 1959 and found national fame in the 1970s when he appeared in the ITV stand-up show The Comedians along with Frank Carson and Stan Boardman, made a cameo as himself in 1971.
His niece Francesca also appeared in the programme as Sandra Milligan in 2002 and more recently, as an unnamed bouncer in 2010.
Sir Norman Wisdom
The much-loved comic veteran, who won a legion of fans for his slapstick antics, had a hilarious cameo role wearing a vest and headband in 2004.
When Jack Duckworth put his exercise bike up for sale, jogging pensioner Ernie Crabbe turned up at 9 Coronation Street, explaining that he needed to get into shape for an inter-pub bowls challenge and bought the machine.
Andrew Sachs
The late Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs, best known for starring as Spanish waiter Manuel in the classic comedy TV show, played Ramsay Clegg in 2009.
Ramsay, who was raised in Australia, was the long-lost half brother of Kabin boss Norris Cole.
The warring siblings were unable to make amends following the death of their mother and sadly Ramsay died on the plane home to Australia, leaving Norris with a trunk of possessions including a letter from their mother asking him to leave her alone and revealing her as the villain who refused to see him.
Stephanie Beacham
The former Dynasty and ex-Bad Girls actress played Martha Fraser a love interest for Ken Barlow in 2009.
Ken met Martha, who lived on a canal barge, while he was out walking the family dog Eccles and they found they shared the same love of literature and theatre.
As romance blossomed the former teacher considered sailing away with Martha but at the last minute he changed his mind and decided his future was with Deirdre.
Honor Blackman
Avenger and Bond girl Honor Blackman, famous for playing Pussy Galore in 007's Goldfinger, played Rula Romanoff, a flirty pensioner, and her character caught the eye of Kabin boss Norris Cole for five episodes in 2004.
Rula was a friend of Rita's from her club.
Vic Reeves
Last year comedian Vic Reeves, real name Jim Moir, achieved a lifetime ambition by starring in the ITV1 soap, raising laughs when he and Norris both turned up in the Kabin in identical outfits.
He approached former producer Stuart Blackburn at the Royal Television Society North West Awards to ask for a part and subsequently played Colin Callen, head of marketing at NewsCo, the company that sponsored a Mr and Mrs contest entered by Norris and Mary Taylor.
Nigel Havers
Nigel, who played seductive conman Ralph Gorse in the 80s drama The Charmer, arrived in Weatherfield to play another seductive conman Lewis Archer in 2009.
He planned to run a hotel with hair salon owner Audrey Roberts in Greece but vanished on the day they were meant to fly out, leaving Audrey devastated at a party thrown for them by daughter Gail.
Lewis turned up again two years later and this time duped Gail, plotting to take the £40,000 loan she took out against her house.
He reappeared in June 2018 with fake psychic accomplice Rosemary Piper who was fleecing people out of their cash.
Rula Lenska
Rula first appeared in 2009 and returned to Corrie in summer 2018 as fiery Claudia Colby, a rival salon owner to Audrey Roberts.
Asked why she considered herself an unlikely Weatherfield addition, she said: “Because I’m a bit cutglass posh and I remember asking my agent ‘do you think I should attempt a northern accent?"
She tried a northern accent out on co-star Sue Nicholls but didn’t think it was worth giving herself the “added hassle” of trying to sound genuinely northern.
Asked who she has in mind while playing glam Claudia she said: “A bit Joan Collins. Anbody of that sort of Dynasty era. No padded shoulders but sort of like that.”
Maxine Peake
Maxine, one of the nation's best loved actresses, appeared in Corrie in 1999. The Silk and Three Girls star, from Bolton, played Belinda Peach, the daughter of abattoir owners, who Fred Elliott tried to pair off with his son Ashley Peacock at the Freshco's ball.
Butcher Fred hoped to unite the two empires but Ashley was in love with Maxine Heavey so nothing came of Fred's matchmaking.
Sarah Harding
Sarah, who grew up in Stockport, played Joni Preston, the love rival of troublemaker Tracy Barlow, in a guest role over four episodes in 2015.
Ahead of her soap debut she said: “I was over the moon because I’ve been a fan of the show for years. My mum got me into it because I lived in Manchester for a long time."
Keith Duffy
Boyzone singer Keith played cheeky barman Ciaran McCarthy, a friend of Peter Barlow who stole Michelle Connor's heart. What was meant to be a three-week stint on the show turned into a long-term contract from 2002 to 2005. He returned again in 2010 but departed a year later.
She had a cracker of an arrival when she slapped Tracy in the face, having found out Tracy had been having a fling with her then-husband Robert.
