Emmerdale star killed off-screen lands major Coronation Street role | Soaps

Soap fans, get ready: former Emmerdale favourite Kelli Hollis is back on our screens, but this time, she’s swapping the Dales for the cobbles of Coronation Street.

Kelli, who played Ali Spencer on Emmerdale between 2011 and 2015, is returning to the soap world 11 years after leaving the village. Since then, she’s kept busy with roles on Ackley Bridge, Waterloo Road, and Doctors, proving her versatility across some of British TV’s most loved dramas. Now, she’s set to make a splash in Weatherfield with a brand-new, prison-based storyline.

Her character will be one of the inmates at the women’s prison where Debbie Webster is serving time. For those catching up on Corrie drama, Debbie landed behind bars after taking the fall for her secret son Carl, who was driving under the influence the night of the Corriedale multi-vehicle crash. It’s a tough spot for Debbie, and Kelli’s ‘Queen Bee’ inmate is about to make her life even more complicated.

According to The Sun, Hollis’s character is a central figure in the prison hierarchy, the kind of inmate who runs the place and makes sure everyone knows it. And she won’t just be keeping an eye on Debbie; there’s already some friction brewing with Lou Michaelis, another returning Corrie baddie played by Farrel Hegarty. Lou, who fans last saw stirring trouble on the cobbles, is now Debbie’s ‘support buddy’ thanks to Debbie’s early-onset dementia diagnosis.

But as the insider puts it, ‘It’s not exactly a match made in heaven. Debbie isn’t too chuffed to see Lou standing in front of her, and Lou doesn’t look too thrilled either, so it seems to be a mutual feeling.’

If you’ve been following Debbie’s storyline, you’ll know it’s already full of tension. She’s adjusting to life behind bars, managing her dementia, and recovering from a recent mini-stroke. Add Kelli Hollis’s authoritative inmate to the mix, and it’s clear that prison life in Weatherfield is anything but dull.

Fans can expect some classic soap tension: rivalries, alliances, and a little bit of scheming as Debbie tries to navigate the prison’s social hierarchy. Kelli’s character is being described as a ‘Queen Bee,’ which means she’s bound to cross paths and perhaps clash with Debbie more than once. Will they become frenemies, or is this the start of another Corrie disaster? Only time will tell.

For Kelli, this is a major return to soaps after a significant break from acting. Her Ali Spencer days in Emmerdale left fans remembering her as a strong, feisty character who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Now, she’s bringing that same energy to Coronation Street, but in a completely different setting.

With the combination of Debbie’s struggles, Lou’s return, and Kelli’s formidable presence, this storyline is shaping up to be explosive.

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