'Coronation Street' Nigel Havers signs up for pantomime

Published Apr 30 2012, 10:30 BST  |  By Paul Millar

Coronation Street star Nigel Havers has reportedly joined pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.

The 60-year-old, who plays popular conman Lewis Archer in the ITV soap, will apparently earn £200,000 for the five-week show in December.

A Coronation Street source told The Sun: "Nigel is adored. But there was no way he could turn down the cash on offer."

The veteran actor has been cast as Fleshcreep in the panto, which also stars Lee Mead, at Southampton's Mayflower Theatre.

However, it is unknown whether bosses will have to rework his character's storylines in the lead-up to his exit. Reports suggest that show chiefs want Havers to stay full-time as a permanent cast member and are considering writing his absence into the scripts.

Havers rejoined the Weatherfield serial in September last year, having originally appeared in the show as the gigolo in 2010. Since returning to the Street, Lewis has rekindled his romance with Audrey Roberts.

His alter ego Lewis deceived Audrey (Sue Nicholls), Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) and Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) before his departure.