Corrie newcomer to fill the shoes of bossy Blanche?

'Coronation Street' newcomer Sylvia Cropper could be set to fill the shoes of bossy Blanche Hunt.

Sylvia - played by Stephanie Cole - will descend upon the cobbles next month to pay a surprise visit to son Roy Cropper (David Neilson) and his wife Hayley (Julie Hesmondhalgh).

However, since the tragic death of actress Maggie Jones - who portrayed battleaxe Blanche in the ITV1 soap until she passed away in 2009 - producers are said to be missing her "acerbic" sense of humour, and are hoping the introduction of Sylvia will bring some of it back.

An insider told The Sun newspaper: "It'll be great to get some of that infamous Blanche dialogue back again."

As soon as stroppy Sylvia makes her 'Coronation Street' debut she will go about bossing long-suffering Roy about, and starts by immediately taking a swipe at his much-loved classic car.

She says: "You're expecting me to get into that? It looks like something you have to pedal."

After eventually agreeing to get in the vehicle, the pushy pensioner demands to be let out, making the bizarre claim that Roy drives like Olympic ski jumper Eddie the Eagle.

She adds: "Let me out. You drive like Eddie the Eagle!"