Coronation Street are set to introduce a new gay character following the death of Rana Habeeb.
Fans of popular couple 'Kana' were left furious over the decision to kill Rana off before she was able to marry fiancee Kate.
Some viewers lashed out at the soap for denying them the opportunity to watch its very first gay wedding.
But bosses are now keen to cast an actor to play a rising football star, Kai, who is not yet out of the closet to his parents.
A source told The Sun : "They’re now hunting for a new gay character called Kai, and held auditions last week."
Coronation Street fans predict reunion for Sophie and Kate after Rana death twist
The family's first scenes will see Kai come out to his brother Michael.
"Kai will be a rising football star, who is also black, and he’s worried that being out will cause him issues," the insider added.
Despite fans' fury over Rana's death, actress Bhavna Limbachia has made it explicitly clear that she wanted her character to be killed off.
She recently said: "When I told Kate Oates and Iain McLeod that I wanted to leave the show to try other things, it was my decision and my choice for Rana to die because it was the only fitting end to the character. Kate and Rana had fought so hard to be together and they had been through thick and thin together.
"I believe their love was so pure as two souls that there was no way that Rana was just going to have a change of heart, hop in a cab and leave."
*Coronation Street airs at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday on ITV
