Corrie's Kat Kelly given 'darker' plots

Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly has revealed that "darker" storylines are ahead for her character Becky Granger.

The 29-year-old actress admitted that producers are keen to explore Becky's past over the coming months, leading to fresh problems for her troubled alter-ego.

Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday, Kelly explained: "We're currently filming scenes that will be shown this summer and we're going back to a bit of darkness with Becky. She had her life's high at the beginning of the year by getting together with Steve McDonald so now she's going to dip back down, which I'm really pleased about.

"There will be a few shady characters from Becky's past returning to cause her problems. When she first came into the Street she had a lot of one-night stands and those times come back to haunt her."

The star also confirmed reports that she has signed a new contract which will keep her in Weatherfield until 2011.

"I'm going to be around for another couple of years which is great," she said. "I really wanted to be in Corrie when it turned 50 and I'm really looking forward to what's coming up."

Kelly walked away with the best actress prize at the British Soap Awards last weekend.