Coronation Street actress Alexandra Mardell has signed a contract extension to stay in the soap until 2021, it has been reported.
Bubbly hairdresser Emma Brooker, who was first introduced as David Platt's unusual but brief love interest, will be staying on the cobbles for at least another year after proving to be a hit with viewers, according to The Sun .
This comes after Alexandra was awarded with a British Soap Award for Best Newcomer last year, beating EastEnders' Ricky Champ, Emmerdale's James Moore and Hollyoaks' Talia Grant.
Over the last year, a popular fan theory was confirmed after it was revealed that Emma was Steve McDonald's love child with Fiona Middleton.
Alexandra previously confessed that she was worried about joining Corrie over fears she'd "ruin" it for her mum, who is an avid fan of the ITV soap.
She said: "She was worried I was going to ruin her favourite show for her.
"But after the first episode she watched it and she was like: ‘Oh actually no, I like it, you haven’t ruined it, you’re good.'"
Mirror TV has contacted Corrie for comment.
Last year, Alexandra opened up to the Mirror about the death of her own father three years ago, which led to her discovery that he had been suffering from undiagnosed cardiomyopathy.
Tragically, in some cases, it can lead to cardiac arrest – and caused Alexandra’s dad Michael to suffer a fatal heart attack at the age of just 54.
To her relief, Alexandra was told she was free of the disease, but was also given the shocking news that she had a hole in her heart.
She said at the time: "I sometimes get palpitations and difficulty with breathing. I have always had issues with my breathing when exercising, but I always thought that was just my general lack of fitness. It’s nice in a way to have a little bit of an excuse!
"Luckily, it hasn’t caused me any major problems so far. I need check-ups every five years and if there are issues in the future it’s something they are able to close up. It only came to light when I was being tested for cardiomyopathy – if it hadn’t been for that test I would never have known."
*Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV
