Her character has a place in Coronation Street history books as one of the iconic Rovers Return landladies and this weekend Michelle Collins returns to the home of Corrie in another glam role. Stella Price sparkled behind the bar at the Rovers after taking over from Liz McDonald in 2011.
Stella moved into the famous boozer with her partner Karl Munro, played by John Michie, and daughter Eva, played by Catherine Tyldesley. And next week soap legend Michelle will be just a stone's throw away from the Coronation Street set at Trafford Wharf as she takes to the stage as Miss Scarlett in the UK tour of Cluedo.
The comedy thriller is based on the hit 1985 film CLUE and the classic Hasbro board game loved by generations. The show has been touring for six months and this will be stage and screen star Michelle's first time performing at The Lowry theatre at Salford Quays.
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Directed by Mark Bell, director of the award winning The Play That Goes Wrong and A Comedy About A Bank Robbery, when Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs Peacock, Reverend Green, Mrs. White and Colonel Mustard arrive at a country house one dark and stormy evening, they are surprised to find they have all received the same intriguing invitation from Lord Boddy. It soon becomes clear that they all have something to hide as the guests of Boddy Manor are killed off one by one with a variety of familiar weapons as they're left wondering who will be next.
"It's gone down very well, it's pure escapism," said Michelle. "It's silly and funny and it's what people need at the moment. It's farcical and a very comical whodunnit.
"When we started out it was difficult putting on a new play. I got Covid during rehearsals and we were wearing masks. But it's so lovely to hear people laughing. People have missed the theatre so much."
Michelle, who played EastEnders vixen Cindy Beale from 1988 until 1998, left Coronation Street in 2014. Her character made a new start in New York and finally settled in France after Karl dramatically revealed on their wedding day that he had set fire to her beloved pub and killed his lover Sunita Alahan in her hospital bed.
"I've never been at The Lowry before," she told us. "And I was only in the new Coronation Street set for a few months. I don't have chance to watch it because the play is on at the same time but I might catch up to unwind. If it was on I would watch it. I dip in and out."
Asked if we might one day see Stella strut back onto the cobbles she said: "We actors say 'never say never.' But it's not likely to happen in the forseeable future. It was an interesting time and I'm proud to say I was landlady of the Rovers. Who knows? Never say never."
In real life smitten Michelle is getting ready to walk down the aisle with her partner of 10 years Mike Davidson, and she'll be busy planning their big day after Cluedo's run ends in a few weeks. The show is currently in Malvern before moving on to Salford and it ends at Truro Hall in Cornwall on July 23. And the mother-of-one will also be working on a film.
Last month Michelle revealed she'd picked her wedding dress after celebrating her 60th birthday. She spent the day trying on gowns in East London with her sister and niece and settled on her dream design.
Sharing a snap of herself trying on a backless white dress Michelle said she had an "amazing" day and felt "so special" but didn't give away which one she had chosen. Mike, 38, proposed to Michelle in Los Angeles back in March during a hike up Temescal Canyon.
Michelle told fans on her Instagram: "So this happened in #la he got down on bended knee while we were on the top of #temescalcanyon basically no one else around just us. It’s #beautiful and I’m #happy #10years this April about time I think."
Cluedo comes to The Lowry from Mon 27 June - Sat 2 July 2022. To book visit thelowry.com
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