Will Mellor has revealed he'll be carrying a part of his dad Bill with him as he starts his Coronation Street debut.
The former Hollyoaks and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps actor will play menacing drugs lord Harvey in Weatherfield this month.
Will was heartbroken to lose his dad last year and now he's said he will be wearing his dad's ring as he plays the character.
Will said: "I wear my dad's ring and I don't ever take it off.
"I thought it would be nice to incorporate it into the character and that way my dad is with me on set all the time.
"He was a massive Corrie fan and he would be so proud that I was in the show, so this way he is also in the show with me."
Will told the Manchester Evening News that his mum Shirley has wanted him to appear on Corrie since he started acting age 12.
He said: "She's had to wait 32 years and finally her son's on Coronation Street and not playing the nicest character but she's over the moon, she really is, and so are the family.
"We've all had a really tough year, losing my father last year.
"This has been a real boost to us this year."
Will arrives in Weatherfield on Friday, March 12 as the leader of the local drugs gang with a team of willing teens at his beck and call.
Harvey piles on the pressure when vulnerable Simon Barlow wants out of the gang and Leanne Battersby decides to fight to save her son from a life of crime.
However it soon becomes clear that mother and son are in way too deep and evil Harvey has no intention of letting them out of his grasp.
Speaking about his role he said: "I started this year with a positive outlook. Whatever comes my way I'm going to grab it with both hands and just run with it.
"Coronation Street rang and the character was put to me and I love the character.
"It's very different for me. I've never played a character like this.
"It was just tick tick, let's do it."
This is Will's third journey into soapland.
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His Corrie debut marks 26 years since he started in Hollyoaks as cheeky chappy Jambo.
And he previously played womanising salesman Warren Stamp EastEnders in 2007, who attempted to rape Carly Wicks by putting drugs in her drink.
And now he's getting stuck into another villainous role.
He said: "He's a street guy who's turning vulnerable people into drug dealers because they're not on the police radar.
"It's the lowest of the low to me to do that to innocent person and to pressurise them into doing things that they don't want to do with bully tactics.
"There's an arrogance that comes with this character as well that can't be touched."
He added: "I'm a perfectionist and I want it to be right. I've just tried to make it as believable as I can and as real as I can so people don't see me as Will Mellor, they see the character."
The 44-year-old is prepared for a strong reaction from diehard Corrie fans as he turns Simon and Leanne's lives upside down.
He said:"I wouldn't be doing my job if people didn't feel that way.
"I've already had messages saying 'why can't you leave Simon and Leanne alone.'
"I was like 'I haven't been on screen yet.' I'm expecting to get a little bit of grief."
