Cilla makes Corrie DVD comeback

Ex-Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters has agreed to make a return to the ITV soap for a one-off DVD.

The 40-year-old, who quit her role as Cilla Battersby-Brown last year, has agreed to appear in the South Africa-set special.

Her on-screen children, Chesney (Sam Aston) and Fiz (Jennie McAlpine), will also fly out for filming.

A source at the soap told The Sun: "The Battersby-Browns look a little lost without their mean matriarch Cilla.

"Fiz and Chesney are much-loved characters but without Cilla being the evil witch to their Hansel and Gretel, they've fallen a bit flat. The storylines are being kept top secret but Cilla has moved away from Las Vegas and is now working at a casino in Sun City."

Rumours suggest that Cilla has already dug her talons into another new man. The source continued: "This new man makes Les Battersby look like the catch of the century. Fiz and Ches are in for a proper shock."

They added: "Cilla's wardrobe will be to die for. Literally. After seeing her new look, Ches might want to be an orphan again."

Filming in South Africa is due to begin next month.

Only two Coronation Street specials have previously been released. The Rover Returns! in 1999 heralded the comeback of Bet Gilroy and Reg Holdsworth, while in 2000, Viva Las Vegas! followed Jack and Vera Duckworth (Bill Tarmey and Liz Dawn) on their holiday to Sin City.