Corrie sign up '8 stars on new deals'

\'Coronation Street\' are said to have signed up eight of its stars on new contracts.

Show bosses have reportedly tied down an octet of cobbles stars for the foreseeable future, including Cherylee Houston (Izzy Armstrong) and Joe Duttine (Tim Metcalfe), and the whole cast are said to be excited about the ITV soap\'s 60th anniversary in 2020.

A source told the Daily Star newspaper: "The whole team at \'Corrie\' are really looking forward to its 60th anniversary year.

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"It\'s great to know the cast are all on board and keen to be a part of what is planned.

"We\'ve a really talented group of actors working on the show and it\'s always great when they commit to staying on the cobbles."

Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw) and Peter Ash (Paul Foreman) are also said to have committed to \'Corrie\' since the autumn.

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What\'s more, there are said to be "big things" ahead for the Baileys in 2020.

It comes after Lorna Laidlaw, who plays Aggie Bailey on the ITV soap, recently admitted her \'Coronation Street\' wig has been a "godsend" because some of the soap\'s autograph hunters haven\'t recognised her when she is out of character.

She said: "The fans went mad when they realised that Mrs Tembe off \'Doctors\' is on \'Corrie\' now.

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"Apparently it was trending - I don\'t even know what that means. But I must say, the wig has been a godsend.

"I\'ve just been stood at the back gate of \'Corrie\' and someone has gone up to one of the other actors to ask for an autograph, but didn\'t ask me."

Despite being in Soapland for eight years while playing Mrs Tembe in the BBC daytime soap, Lorna found it "really scary" joining \'Coronation Street\', and she had to keep reminding herself not to revert back to her African accent.

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She said: "It was really scary, as \'Corrie\' is such a massive show compared to \'Doctors\'.

"It\'s an institution. You walk on set and you can\'t believe it - you\'re in the Rovers.

"Then you\'re in Ken Barlow\'s house - it\'s constant.

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"Also I had to remind myself not to go into an African accent, which was my default after playing Mrs Tembe for eight years."