Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts, Corrie)

Coronation Street salon owner Audrey Roberts - played by the estimable Sue Nicholls - finally finds love again in the form of Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers), despite the fact she knows he's an escort. As Audrey prepares to confide her true feelings towards him, she soon discovers his little black book containing information about all his clients. Downbeat to realise that she's just another punter, Audrey tries to give him the cold shoulder. However, when he too admits that he's developed feelings for her, Audrey's taken aback after he kisses her. It takes a little while longer for Audrey to accept his claims but the pair quickly become an item and begin getting to know each other a little better. Here, we chat to Sue about Nigel Havers, Audrey's love life and whether she thinks she could ever marry again on screen.

What's it like working with Nigel Havers?
"Fabulous! We laugh a lot - I just seem to spend my time laughing! I'm like some terrible hyena! He's delightful. I hope it works on screen. We've done some super scenes and I hope they come over as well as we want them to. He is great fun, he knows what he's doing and he's lovely and helpful and makes me laugh. I hug and I kiss him and that's just off screen! All the ladies love him and I'll walk down the street to Sainsbury's and they'll all say, 'You lucky thing!' He's charming and he knows what he's doing and he loves it, so he says. Well, he wouldn't say anything else, would he?! He's been stuck with me, poor sod, for all the weeks he was first in but he's branched out now. He's been in The Rovers and worked with Rita so he has had a little bit more fun!"

And what about Rula Lenska?
"Oh yes, she was charming - hopefully her character Claudia will be in again. I think she's the stronger one [out of Audrey and Claudia] really and it's nice to have her. Audrey isn't quite as mouthy when Claudia's around! She treats Lewis as an appendage to go out with but I think Audrey's a little more fond of him than she should be."

Do you think Audrey's ready for love again?
"She'd better be because it's coming her way! She's narked by everybody saying, 'He's just an escort', but she does become very clingy. It's a side of Audrey you haven't really seen. She suddenly realises - and pretends she doesn't! - that she has the hots for him."

Did you enjoy slapping Barbara Knox's character Rita?
"That's going to be on my CV, darling! Nobody slaps Rita - I'll be hated! She was wonderful, though. We had someone to tell us how to do it so you don't burst someone's eardrum, so it was quite fun."

Does Rita's involvement in the story strengthen their friendship?
"It will eventually. It strengthens their friendship then it goes off at a tangent again. I think it's bound to work out alright in the end. I don't know how this is going to end but it won't be anything but tears, I should think."

What does Audrey discover in the Salon next week?
"The little black book, yes. It brings it home to her that she's just one of many and that actually Rita's been very right. It's a diary in which he writes down all the details of his clients to keep him organised - whether they've got kids or dogs or cats or ex-husbands so he can have his conversation right. Then it comes to Audrey and apart from my family and my shoe size, it says, 'Average tipper'. Average tipper? How hurtful is that?! It's awful - I broke down there and then! Lewis turns up for this blessed black book and I give it to him all lemon-lipped and he says, 'What's the matter?' and I say, 'No, no just take the book, Lewis. I've realised now, I'm just one of many'. Then he gets all charm personified and that's it - she's swept away again. It's wonderful - it's Mills & Boon!"

They have a heart-to-heart, don't they?
"Yes, it's lovely. He wins her round and says, 'No, I like you, I'd miss you' - all the things I love people saying! I have to go home and get my husband to practice! Then when Audrey's all emotional, he gives her a kiss. It makes me cry to think of it because it's quite a sad scene, so that was wonderful! There's a lovely scene afterwards where Audrey's looking through this bloody black book and making fun of everybody. From then on, it's heaven.

"He turns up at the house and stays over but Audrey's got nothing in for breakfast! That made me laugh because in the scene, there's Audrey being all little girl and coy - which I don't find easy to do - and Lewis comes in. I say, 'Do you want tea or coffee?' and he says, 'Is it real coffee?' Audrey says, 'Oh no - instant', so that's mistake numero uno and then she follows that by saying, 'I haven't got anything in for breakfast' - this woman's not really prepared, is she?! She's got nothing in! No coffee, nothing in for breakfast - that's terrible! Not the beginning of a wonderful friendship, is it?!"

Do you think Audrey will ever be able to come to terms with Lewis's job?
"I doubt it - I think she's going to try but I think something will happen when he's rubbing her nose in it too much. I don't want to know though, because I'm enjoying it too much. Actually, I would like to know because I've become terribly possessive of him on screen and off - I don't want him working with anyone else! I'm terribly bossy like Audrey."

Would Audrey ever marry again?
"I don't know - I don't think he's the marrying kind anyway but he's wonderful for a good time. I don't think she'd marry, no - she's just a bit bowled over by him at the minute. That's always a fatal time, isn't it? If I can remember that far back, everything's rosy and everything's lovely and you don't think further than that. It'll go pear-shaped, it's bound to. There'll be more tears."

Can we please have more scenes with Audrey drunk?
"Of course, that's no problem for me, love!"

Are you looking forward to the 50th anniversary?
"Yes! I'm not sure what's happening but it's all so exciting. We're doing all kinds of things now, aren't we? I don't know that there's time to really celebrate, but we will! Isn't it wonderful that it's 50?!"

Additional reporting by Philippa Warr.