Comic Jim Moir who is fondly known by his stage name Vic Reeves, one-half of hilarious duo Reeves and Mortimer, alongside pal Bob Mortimer, has fulfilled a life long ambition and joined the cast of Coronation Street. The 58-year-old has signed a three-month contract to play larger than life character Colin Callen who is interested in buying the Kabin after meeting Norris (Malcolm Hebden) and Mary (Patti Clare) at a Mr and Mrs competition. Jim admitted "Colin is a bizarre character, and he makes himself known of the cobbles, I haven't worked him out yet, but I think I will have done by the time I leave.

I think viewers will enjoy watching him, but there’ll be suspicious of him."

Bob Mortimer

And, what does Jim's sidekick Bob, who has worked with the star for 27 years make of his friend's move into the world of TV soaps? "Bob was very pleased for me. He said 'you’re going to have a lot more people shouting at you now you're in the street.' I don’t know what they will be shouting at me, I’ve got a good idea, but I can't let the cat out of the bag just yet," laughs Jim.

Being Scared

The dad-of-four who has been married to second-wife Nancy Sorrell since 2003 admitted that despite having a string of TV hits behind him, including Shooting Stars and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and even a brief music career (who could forget his catchy 90s hit Dizzy) confessed he was still nervous when he first joined the Corrie cast " I have scrounged my way on the street a few times before, but it was great stepping out on to the iconic set this time to work, I felt like I did the first time I visited New York.

It was a bit like your first day at big school, which my kids related too. I said to them, 'when I went to my big school recently Coronation Street I was scared, but then it disappeared because everyone is so nice and you start making friends.'"

And, despite appearing on our screens for over three decades, he is finding life on the Corrie cobbles very fast paced.

"Corrie moves a bit quick, it’s kind of like a factory, you want to go in there and do your lines and get out as quickly as possible. I find if I learn my lines three weeks in advance, then it makes it easier to learn them the night before because it all comes straight back to me."

Jim also joked that he had been taking acting tips from movie star Nicolas Cage, to play his character, Colin.

"I used a pointing technic while I was playing Colin which I’ve seen Nicolas Cage use in the past, I just wanted to find some new pointing moves for him to do. And, the Yorkshireman also promised that even though he will only be gracing our screens for twenty episodes the door has been firmly left open by producers for him to return.

Coronation Street last week confirmed it would start airing six times a week from Wednesday 20th September - meaning Corrie fans will get a double helping of their favourite soap on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays every week - we can't wait.

Coronation Street Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, ITV, 7.30pm & 8.30pm