Transvestite character comes to Coronation Street

'Coronation Street' is to get its first transvestite character.

The ITV soap will introduce actor Andrew Hall as Marc - or Marcia when he is dressed as a female - who will simultaneously romance rival hairdressers Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) and Claudia Colby (Rula Lenska).

The plotline will see the beauty salon workers both get stood up, then spot a mystery woman leave Marc's house; what they don't realise, however, is it is actually their boyfriend as his female alter-ego.

Marc will be confronted by the pair, but manages to convince them they had seen his sister, however, his penchant for cross-dressing won't remain a secret for long.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Many men aren't gay but like to wear a frock. Cross-dressing is another taboo that soaps are looking to tackle."

Andrew, 56, has previously appeared in BBC Two comedy 'Butterflies' alongside Nicholas Lyndhurst and Wendy Craig. He will join the soap in March.

'Coronation Street' was the first UK soap to introduce a transsexual character, Hayley Cropper - played by Julie Hesmondhalgh - in 1998.