Coronation Street fans have watched Sam Blakeman become somewhat of a Roy Cropper protégé in recent months as the grieving youngster bonded with the Weatherfield stalwart over chess.
Following the death of his mum, Natasha Blakeman, poor Sam stopped talking and the usual sparky, intelligent schoolboy who had a love for space retreated into himself after visiting his mum at the undertakers. It took months for his dad Nick Tilsley and step mum Leanne Battersby to get him to open up.
But Sam has since re-found his spark after first being left disappointed at losing a game of chess to Roy. Nick, however, worried his son was becoming too obsessed with the game and stopped him being able to play and see Roy.
Unhappy, Sam convinced Leanne to take him to Roy's café in secret where he carried on learning how to become a chess whizz. But, after finding his book with dates of his games inside, Nick uncovered the truth and despite his reservations, he has now embraced his son's new hobby.
So much so, the Bistro is hosting a chess competition which Sam is competing in and earlier this week viewers saw him make it to the final after playing an opponent very familiar to the actor who plays him, Jude Riordan.
Taking to Instagram, the 10-year-old Corrie star, whose account is run with the supervision of his parents, shared a brilliant photo his dad had found on Twitter which saw his face superimposed onto Roy, aka David Neilson's, body.
"My dad@paulrio27 found this on Twitter and I've been laughing ALL night," Jude said before commenting: "Roy is the OG."
It showed Roy in his trademark beige coat with his grey shopping back firmly hooked around his arm while Jude, or Sam's, face was positioned on the top.
The young soap star then shared another photo to prove he is a 'mini Roy' as he posed with the Coronation Street bee outside the Salford-based set alongside his older brother Zach who made his on-screen debut alongside his sibling earlier this week.
"I am DEFO a mini Roy. I even have a Roy bag," Jude said as he pointed out his own brown shopper bag he was holding onto in the snap.
During Friday night's trip to the cobbles, viewers will return to the Bistro where Nick is going over some chess tactics with Sam, convinced his genius son is going to wipe the floor with his opponent. Sam is soon taking his seat opposite his opponent, Jalena, for the final of the chess tournament but will he take the crown?
Whether he does or doesn't become chess champ, there is something else Sam will be taking away from the tournament... a crush!
Next week, a smitten Sam admits to Hope Stape and Roy that he likes his new chess opponent Jalena but new pal Roy suggests Sam talks to his dad about matters of the heart and Nick is chuffed to help out and gives sam some fatherly advice.
