Coronation Street's Norris Cole actor makes huge TV comeback after quitting soap

11 October 2023 , 12:54

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Coronation Street's Norris Cole actor makes huge TV comeback after quitting soap

Coronation Street's Norris Cole actor is set to make a huge TV comeback.

Malcolm Hebden, 83, quit the ITV soap three years ago, having joined in 1994. The iconic soap character featured in more than 1,600 episodes and was often seen in cahoots with other golden stars including Rita Sullivan and Blanche Hunt. Malcolm announced he was retiring from acting in January 2021, having quit his Corrie role the year before. Norris was killed off the soap after they previously wrote that he had been moved to a retirement home.

Yet Malcolm is set to make a surprise appearance as the soap marks Rita Tanner actor Barbara Knox's 90th birthday. He has agreed to come out of retirement to film the special to celebrate his co-star. In the documentary, Malcolm opened up on leaving Coronation Street and admitted he misses the soap.

Norris Cole actor Malcolm Hebden is set to make a return to screens (ITV)

He confessed: "I miss work. This is a day out for me." Malcolm and Barbara have worked closely together on the soap for over two decades. The actor shared: "We had an awful lot of good laughs on set and off. I couldn’t have worked with anybody better." In honour of Rita's milestone 90th birthday, the legendary actress will be celebrated in a special called Barbara Knox At 90 that airs on Friday at 9pm on ITV1.

Malcolm’s decision to retire from acting life came just over three years after he suffered a near fatal heart attack. The star was given emergency, life saving surgery – and he went on to continue playing the character for two more years after he recovered. Discussing his treatment previously, the soap star told The Sun: “I absolutely adored playing Norris and I was pleased to be able to return briefly after my operation.

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“It took a great deal of courage to make the decision to retire. But I had come to realise that although the mind was willing the body was not so much.” Malcolm first appeared as Norris in Corrie back in 1994 and was involved in a number of storylines over the years, including marrying friend Mary Taylor and reuniting with half-brother Ramsay, played by Andrew Sachs. But Norris wasn't the first character Malcolm played in the ITV soap. He actually first stepped onto the cobbles as Carlos, Mavis Riley's Spanish lover, in 1974.

A huge funeral service was held for Norris with Ken Barlow, played by Bill Roache, Gail Patt, Helen Worth, and his on-screen ex-wife Mary Taylor, actress Patti Clare, all in attendance. Explaining the decision to kill off the character, a Corrie source told The Sun: “When Malcolm left the soap he made it clear he would not be returning and bosses took the decision to write him out."

Mia O'Hare