Eileen Grimshaw is to be surprised this week on Coronation Street as her ex Jesse Chadwick returns to the cobbles.
Jesse, played by comedian and actor John Thomson, will reunite with Eileen, portrayed by long-serving actress Sue Cleaver, following her return to Weatherfied from Thailand.
However, she will be further shocked to learn that he has not come to see her, but is looking for her neighbour and nemesis Gail Rodwell, played by Helen Worth.
It will be revealed on the ITV soap opera that Gail and Jesse met each other when travelling a few years previously and have kept in touch.
After hearing about the challenges of Gail’s granddaughter Bethany’s Turkish cosmetic surgery, Jesse decides to pay a visit to his friend.
Gail is delighted with his return, but her family are suspicious about Jesse’s motivation as they know his past.
Children’s entertainer Jesse first arrived in Weatherfield in 2008 and started a relationship with Eileen the following year.
In 2010, Eileen hoped he would treat her after he landed a big win at the bookies, but instead he splashed the money on a holiday for him and his parents.
A furious Eileen told him to leave and on his return, believing there was no future for them together, he attempted to make a move at her half-sister Julie Carp, played by Katy Cavanagh.
Julie later told Eileen just as she decided to get back with Jesse, prompting them to chase him out of the Rovers pub.
Thomson’s return comes as Worth, 73, is set to bid farewell to the ITV soap opera at the end of the year after 50 years playing the role of Gail.
Her final scenes had been thrown into uncertainty earlier this year after actor Sean Wilson, who played her ex-husband, Martin, announced his departure from the soap.
Wilson was set to reappear on screen in October as part of Worth’s departure storyline, but ITV confirmed in August he had left the show for “personal reasons”.
An initial announcement said Wilson was to start filming scenes on July 24, with a storyline featuring his on-screen son, David, played by Jack P Shepherd, shocked to find his father at the house and immediately suspicious about his return to their lives.
Reflecting whether Jesse could get back with Eileen, Thomson said: “No, he’s not really prepared to see Eileen after things ended so badly between them.
“When Jesse left he’d been spreading his bets over two sisters, which is slightly morally bankrupt to say the least.
“He’s changed dramatically because he’s very remorseful for that behaviour, so for him to think that Eileen would even contemplate having him back after he made a play for her sister is not on his radar.
“I don’t think the new Jesse could possibly entertain that there would ever be anything with Eileen again because of his actions in the past.”
The actor added that he was “really happy” to get a call asking him to return to the ITV soap opera.
“Although the last time I was in the show was 15 years ago it has felt like meeting up with an old friend you haven’t seen for a long time and the years just melt away”, he said.
Jesse Chadwick is set to arrive in Coronation Street on Wednesday October 9 on ITV and ITVX.
