Former Emmerdale star Kelli Hollis is returning to soapland in another series, 11 years after she left the Dales and the role of Ali Spencer behind. Now, the actor is crossing over to the cobbles as she joins Coronation Street for a new storyline.

Hollis played Ali on Emmerdale between 2011 and 2015, then taking on roles on Ackley Bridge, Waterloo Road and Doctors.

After a break from acting, Hollis is now set to appear on Coronation Street in a story centred on Debbie Webster. Debbie has been convicted for the murder of Billy Mayhew after she took the fall for her secret son Carl, who had been drink-driving the night of the Corriedale multi-vehicle crash.

As Debbie struggles to adjust to life in prison, where she reunites with none other than Corrie baddie Lou Michaelis, she’s also meeting the other inmates — with Hollis’s character being one of them.

Hollis is playing a central figure in Weatherfield’s women prison, with her ‘Queen Bee’ inmate (via The Sun) crossing paths with Debbie.

Debbie is assigned a support buddy due to her early onset dementia diagnosis, but it seems the two women won’t hit it off right away.

“It’s not exactly a match made in heaven,” explained our Corrie source. “Debbie isn’t too chuffed to see Lou standing in front of her, and Lou doesn’t look too thrilled either, so it seems to be a mutual feeling.

“It’s no secret that the two ladies led very different lifestyles while on the cobbles, but here’s hoping that they can somehow get along.

“It would be awful for Debbie’s dementia to deteriorate while she’s behind bars, particularly as she only recently suffered another Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), or mini-stroke.”