Collins can't wait for screen mum

Coronation Street's Michelle Collins has said she can't wait for Sue Johnston to join the soap.

The Royle Family star is heading to the cobbles as Michelle's character Stella Price's glamorous but terrifying mum Gloria.

Michelle told OK! magazine: "What better mum could you have than Sue Johnston?

"I'm so excited! She is such a cool lady."

Michelle, who was speaking as she attended co-star Samia Ghadie's 30th birthday party, said Gloria's arrival would shake things up at the Rovers Return, where her alter-ego is the landlady.

"It's going to be very matriarchal and female led in the Rovers. I love it!," she said.

Former EastEnders actress Michelle recently signed up to stay on the soap for another year.

Sue had a small role in Corrie in the early 1980s before she went on to play Sheila Grant for eight years in Channel 4's Brookside.

She's been a firm favourite as Barbara, wife of Ricky Tomlinson's slob character Jim, in the hit comedy The Royle Family.