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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Solent News

ITV Coronation Street star Paula Wilcox on her sex symbol past before the cobbles

Corrie actress Paula Wilcox has won hearts on the cobbles as Elaine Jones the mother of Tim Metcalfe.

And the star has revealed taxi drivers tell her they 'fell in love' with her when she starred in Man About the House, 45 years after the sitcom ended.

The Manchester-born actress admits it's 'very flattering' when drivers recognise her from the hit seventies show.

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But she says when they tell her they 'used to be in love'', she retorts: "What do you mean, used to be?"

Paula as Elaine on Coronation Street (ITV)

Paula was cast as flirtatious Chrissy Plummer on the show at just 24.

Speaking to Woman's Weekly magazine she said: "I definitely still get recognised from Man About the House.

"I get taxi drivers saying they used to be in love with me, and I say, 'What do you mean, used to be?'"

She adds: "It's very flattering after all this time. It was a lovely programme and it's nice to be recognised for something that was dear to people's hearts.

Paula (right) with Richard O'Sullivan and Sally Thomsett in Man About The House (Thames Television)

"It's difficult to believe it nowadays, but it was quite cheeky for its time.

"Two young girls sharing a flat with a man was quite titillating and both the girls could be flirty.

"There was something for everybody and lots of generations watched it."

Paula's character Elaine arrived in Weatherfield in 2020 as the ex wife of evil abuser Geoff Metcalfe and the birth mother of Tim Metcalfe.

And there was a shock for Tim in the ITV soap when it was revealed that Elaine was his mum after he was told that she had died when he was a baby.

Elaine, who changed her name from Philippa Metcalfe after fleeing her abusive marriage to Geoff, has since grown close to her son and she recently returned to Weatherfield as he underwent a triple heart bypass.

Paula first appeared in the soap as Janice Langton back in 1969.

Janice was the sister of Deirdre Barlow's first husband Ray Langton, who passed away at Deirdre and Ken Barlow's wedding reception at the Rovers Return in 2005.

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