Danson 'had schoolgirl crush on hubby'

Rex Features

Coronation Street star Jane Danson has confessed that she had a crush on her husband Robert Beck when she was a schoolgirl.

The 31-year-old actress, who plays Leanne Battersby on the ITV1 soap, confirmed that Beck was her favourite heartthrob when she was growing up.

In an interview with Reveal magazine, Danson explained: "It's so embarrassing to admit, but my husband was my celebrity crush. He was in Brookside when I was at school, and I had a sticker of him on my pencil case."

She continued: "I thought he was gorgeous, even though he was ten years older than me. Years later, when we met for the first time, I was biting my tongue the whole time. I kept thinking, 'Don't mention the sticker!'. But there was no way I could keep it from him."

Beck, who has a guest role as Tony Gordon's henchman Jimmy Dockerson in Coronation Street, appeared as Peter Harrison on Brookside between 1991 and 1993. He also played Gavin Ferris on Emmerdale in 1999.

The couple tied the knot in December 2005 and have two young sons together.