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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome

ITV Corrie star Charlie De Melo tipped for a major role as he 'acts like competition winner' at awards

Coronation Street fans have tipped Charlie De Melo for a new major role after he bumped into some famous faces at a star-studded awards bash over the weekend. The actor, who plays Imran Habeeb in the ITV soap, represented the cast at the Bafta TV Awards 2022.

The ceremony took place at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday (May 8) and Charlie hit the red carpet alongside co-star Sally Dynevor, known for playing her namesake Sally Metcalfe in the long-running TV favourite.

The soap's stars were joined by some of the Corrie team and it ended in celebrations as they picked up the award for Best Soap and Continuing Drama, fighting off competition from Casualty, Emmerdale and Holby City.

READ MORE: ITV Coronation Street fans ask 'where's Craig' as they point out police error in Peter Barlow scenes

However, Corrie's acceptance speech wasn't aired in full during the televised version of the awards on BBC One. In what viewers didn't get to see, Sally, who competed in Dancing On Ice last year, dedicated the ITV series' TV Bafta win to Sophie Lancaster and her mother Sylvia.

The soap had the help and support of Sylvia when they portrayed a shocking hate crime on-screen last year with goth Nina Lucas and boyfriend Seb Franklin, played by Mollie Gallagher and Harry Visinoni. Sylvia died in April 2022, with her death described as “sudden and unexpected” in an announcement on the Foundation's Facebook page.

As the dust settled on the big win Charlie, who rocked the red carpet in a cream suit jacket and black trousers, took to Instagram with a series of photos from the special afternoon. "Enormously proud and incredibly grateful to be a part of this family. This community, within a community, within a community," he shared to his thousands of followers alongside the post.

Charlie and Sally on the red carpet (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)

"We may not make the edit, we may have our acceptance speeches cut. But if the last few years of unimaginable difficulty has taught us anything, it's that it doesn't really matter. We endure. We (as far as I know) are the only show of our kind to never go dark. We remained in your living rooms throughout lockdowns and isolation and sickness. We were a constant in an unsure and inconstant time. We endured.

"To our audience, who stuck with us. Who engaged with us as we tried to make you laugh, make you cry, make you think. Thank you. To my innumerable and unbearably talented colleagues who couldn't be there last night. Thank you. You all deserve to be front and centre and lauded far more than I ever will."

He then added: "OK worthiness over. Thanks @bafta last night was fantastic. We all had a brilliant time. Felt like a competition winner the ENTIRE day."

As well as photos of himself and Sally on the red carpet, Charlie also a few selfies he managed to grab with some more stars, including Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan and actress Olivia Coleman. Corrie co-star Sally Ann Matthews commented: "I LOVE that you selfied the shizzle out of it," while former co-star Ruxandra Porojnicu said: "Omgggg!! Nicola and Olivia C !!! well done guys! Looking sharp."

"B eautifully put, bab," on-screen wife Georgia Taylor, who plays the soap's Toyah Battersby wrote. Also among the commenters was screenwriter Russell T Davies who said: " Great win!" And it appears he is another Charlie had a chinwag with while at the fancy do.

Charlie with Russell T Davies (Charlie De Melo Instagram)

He returned to his Instagram page with a selfie of himself and the Doctor Who producer, who had helped announce the new Doctor earlier the same day, and simply said: "RTD + CDM," which led to a lot of similar comments.

@yeloopie said: "Definitely new companion material," as @jason.buckby.9 replied: "new companion???????"

@emmavictoria4567 went so far to say: "Future Dr Who I reckon. Cough cough," while @carl_b_edwards laughed: "Net working it Charlie."

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