Coronation Street star Martin Hancock has explained how his return to the ITV soap is all thanks to a co-star's throwback social media post and the subsequent press coverage.
Geoffrey 'Spider' Nugent is set to return to the cobbles tonight [July 1], 25 years after his initial exit from the show, and ahead of his comeback episode airing, Martin appeared on This Morning to explain how co-star Georgia Taylor, his mother-in-law and Instagram all helped him enjoy another stint on the soap.
Toyah Battersby actress Georgia caused Corrie fans to go wild last August, when she shared a throwback snap of herself in character alongside Martin as eco-warrior Spider during the nineties.
Many called for the soap favourite to return to Weatherfield after Georgia's trip down memory lane - including Martin's loved ones.
"What happened was Claire [Georgia] posted a picture of me and her when we were very young and the papers picked up on it and then my mother-in-law saw it," Martin explained to hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary on Friday.
"She rang my wife and told her, then I had a look at it in the papers. Then my wife sort of said to me 'you're not getting any younger and you've always said you wanted to go back and you have happy memories - why don't you ring your agent?'"
He went on to explain how there was "a bit of toing and froing" but eventually his return to Coronation Street was confirmed.
Elsewhere in his interview, Martin proudly explained how his on-screen alter-ego has always "been on the right side of history" and mused how Spider's activism and veganism is more mainstream these days.
Spider was the street's first ever vegan character when he arrived in the fictional Manchester town back in 1997.
The London-born actor first left the show in 2000, feeling that the character of Spider had run its course, but had brief cameos in the years that followed - last appearing on screen in 2003.
In August 2021, Martin's co-star Georgia delighted fans when she posted a "belter" of a throwback of herself from the late nineties with her character's former on-screen lover Spider.
"Thanks to @jondew1 for sharing this belter of a #tbt from 1999," the soap veteran captioned the retro shot.
"I mean, eyebrows are for losers, right?"
In the vintage snap, the blonde actress can be seen snuggling up to Emily Bishop's eco-warrior nephew, with fans and former Coronation Street stars quick to comment underneath the nostalgic picture.
"This is awesome!! SPIDER!" exclaimed Corrie actress Sally Carman at the time, while former co-star Catherine Tyldesley wrote: "This is EVERYTHING x"
Many fans of the long-running soap called for a comeback from the nature loving character.
One follower quipped: "What a great photo. Would love Martin to return as Spider and watch Toyah’s reaction. So great watching you and Jane in both Classic and present Corrie at the moment. Great work in both."
Another Corrie fan even had an idea for how Spider could be brought back to the street, suggesting: "Wouldn't it be amazing if he came back to say auntie Emily has passed away and left the house to him OMG. Think i should join the writers."
Those hopeful fans got their wish earlier this year, when it was announced in April that Spider would be appearing on our TV screens once again.
"Having the opportunity to walk back onto the cobbles is fabulous, I’m so excited to be seeing a lot of old friends and picking up what Spider has been up to," Martin said as it was confirmed he was returning to the ITV soap.
"I’ve always wanted to come back at some point and it just felt like this is the right time. I’m eternally grateful to Iain for the opportunity."
Speaking on Friday, the actor told This Morning viewers he plans to be "back for a while" and stay "as long as the writers will put up with me".
*This Morning airs weekdays on ITV
