Coronation Street legend Philip Middlemiss is set to make a return to acting after ten years.
The actor, 60, – who is best known for playing bookmaker Des Barnes in Coronation Street between 1990 and 1998 – will reportedly be making his acting comeback in another soap.
Swapping Weatherfield for Letherbridge, Philip will be taking on the role of DI Travis Lennox in the popular BBC series Doctors.
Yet the role may be short-lived as the BBC is axing the long-running daytime soap, saying it is just too expensive to keep making the drama.
It isn’t the first time the actor has come into sight on the series, as he once played the character of Frank Pickard in a 2014 episode.
Coronation Street legend Philip Middlemiss is set to make a return to acting after ten years (pictured in 1990)
The actor, 60, – who is best known for playing bookmaker Des Barnes in Coronation Street between 1990 and 1998 – will reportedly be making his acting comeback in another soap (pictured with co-star Amelia Bullmore in 1990)
During his Coronation Street days, the actor starred as newlywed Des Barnes who arrived on the famed cobbles alongside on-screen wife Steph, played by Amelia Bullmore, also 60.
Amelia’s character Steph left the regular cast in 1991, however, Philip’s character Des enjoyed a longer stint, as the bookmaker remarried to Natalie Horrocks, played by Denise Welch, 66, in 1998.
During the soap, love rat Des had a heartbreaking exit from the show as he tried to intervene when a group of men attacked his stepson, Tony Horrocks, played by Lee Warburton, 52.
Having been knocked unconscious, Des appeared to be recovering in hospital, however, he then passed away from a heart attack.
After leaving Coronation Street, Philip starred in the ITV series Where The Heart Is from 2000 to 2006, where he played David Buckley.
He also featured as himself in shows including Blankety Blank and Noel’s House Party.
in 2010 he appeared in an episode of Celebrity Come Dine With Me which also featured former Coronation Street stars Julie Goodyear, 82, Ken Morley, 81, and Tupele Dorgu, 46.
However, two years later, the actor faced bankruptcy after a film he had poured his life savings into in 2008 failed to take off due to the financial crisis.
Forcing Philip to take money from family and friends, he told the Manchester Evening News: ‘It was partly funded by myself but I didn’t have the money to fund the rest of the film.’
During his Coronation Street days, the actor starred as newlywed Des Barnes who arrived on the famed cobbles alongside on-screen wife Steph, played by Amelia Bullmore, also 60
Amelia’s character Steph left the regular cast in 1991, however, Philip’s character Des enjoyed a longer stint, as the bookmaker remarried to Natalie Horrocks, played by Denise Welch, 66 (both pictured in 1998)
Philip was seen on Loose Women back in April
‘Filming came to a grinding halt. It was nearly three-quarters of the way along the line. It has been a difficult time. Three-and-a-half years is a long time to fund myself without any income.’
He then revealed: ‘I have had to get money from family and friends.’
It comes after Philip looked worlds away from his soap character during an appearance on Loose Women last month.
He appeared on the show sporting short white hair, which was much lighter than the brown locks he sported on the cobbles.
He appeared in good spirits as he wore a smart black jacket over a white top this week.
