Michelle Collins and John Michie to join Coronation Street

Actors Michelle Collins, who played Cindy in Eastenders, and John Michie, who found fame in TV series Taggart, are to join the cast of Corrie as the new Rovers landlady Stella and her husband Karl. The pair will step onto the cobbles next month to begin recording scenes that will air in June.

Stella is brought into the Rovers by owner Steve McDonald after a series of bust-ups with his wife Becky leave the pub's future in jeopardy. Their marriage, of course, hasn't been the smoothest, what with Becky's colourful past, buying her nephew, attempting to flee the country with two children, and then Steve's dad robbing a bank at gunpoint. It's enough to make anyone want to give up on life.

Steve hopes that employing Stella as his new bar manager he will get an easy life, but gets more than he bargains for when she moves in her husband Karl and her gorgeous but feisty daughter Eva, who's yet to be cast. However, the locals love Stella's warm and no nonsense personality, but is she too good to be true as it is revealed she is hiding a dark secret.

News of Stella's past will have shocking consequences for some of the street's most loved residents, as well as have an effect on Stella and Karl's relationship.

The Apprentice- Stella is hired

The right person won in the end, with Stella English piping Chris Bates to the post with her well branded bourbon drink. Although it was a close call, experience triumphed over youth and rightly so.

Both finalists stepped up their game in the last task on Sunday night which saw them create a new alcoholic drink targeted at men and women over 25-years-old. Joined by former contestants, minus ‘Stuart the brand Baggs’, Stella created a bourbon based drink mixed with honey and spices, while Chris’ team came up with a rum based pomegranate and vanilla drink named Prism, it’s unique selling point a pyramid-shaped bottle. But Chris’ downfall was the colour of his drink, chosen by team mates Liz and Shibby, a feminine rose pink. Sensible Stella stuck to bourbon’s natural colour in a tall, slim bottle. Although feedback was that the drink was too pungent and the bottle looked like a vinegar bottle.

However despite some negative comments, Sir Alan Sugar chose the candidate with 10 years business experience. 2011 looks set to be a Stella year for the mum of two.