Former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna has joined the cast of Coronation Street.
The Manchester-born actress, 40, admitted it is a ‘dream come true’ to sign up for the ITV soap and admitted she’s always wanted to appear on the famous cobbles.
Gemma shared a snap on Instagram in front of Corrie’s iconic Rovers Return pub and wrote: ‘The news is out.
‘I’ve been keeping a little secret. I am thrilled to announce that I’ve landed my dream job on @coronationstreet!
‘Can you believe it?! I’ve wanted to be on Coronation Street since I was a little girl. Being born and bred in Manchester, it’s truly a dream come true for me.
Former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna has joined the cast of Coronation Street
The Manchester-born actress, 40, admitted it is a ‘dream come true’ to sign up for the ITV soap and admitted she’s always wanted to appear on the famous cobbles
She posted a picture on Instagram in front of Corrie’s iconic Rovers Return pub and wrote: ‘The news is out’
‘It’s been on my vision board for over 10 years, and finally, I got the chance to walk the cobbles. I can’t even believe I’m writing this. (sic)’
Gemma added that the ‘best part’ of landing her role in Coronation Street was telling her mum.
She explained: ‘I think the best part was ringing my mum and telling her. To my dad, nana, grandad, and grandma, who all watched it for many years, and were huge fans – I hope you’re proud of me up there. (sic)’
Teasing her upcoming role, Gemma penned: ‘Rebecca will be gracing your screens in the next coming weeks.’
According to Inside Soap magazine, Gemma’s alter-ego Rebecca will be a client of lawyer Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson), and she will ‘succumb to his charms’.
Gemma is best known for her role as Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.
The soap star appeared in more than 500 episodes of the Channel 4 soap from 2006 to 2014, and one of her biggest storylines saw Carmel left with severe injuries when a tanning machine exploded in her face.
The character was later killed off in an explosion following a train crash at her cousin Porsche McQueen’s (Twinnie Lee Moore) wedding.
Gemma is most famous for playing Carmel McQueen in Hollyoaks
Since departing the soap, Gemma has gone on to become a yoga instructor, and in 2016, the star admitted she initially didn’t think she would act again after Hollyoaks
Since departing the soap, Gemma has gone on to become a yoga instructor, and in 2016, the star admitted she initially didn’t think she would act again after Hollyoaks.
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz at the time: ‘I feel like yoga has got me in a good place, because I took a year out and I didn’t feel like I would act again and it’s got me in a lovely place.’
‘When people first come into the room for one of my classes, they may see me as Gemma from Hollyoaks. But by the time they leave, I’m just Gemma the yoga teacher and they’ve had a great class.
‘I’m very tough in my classes – nobody gets away with anything! So when they’re in the room, they need to focus on their breathing and just do the class.’
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