CORONATION Street boss Kate Brooks has teased a big twist for Carla Connor and Lisa Swain as a familiar face returns to cause chaos on the cobbles.
There are some things that are going to cause problems for Carla Connor (Alison King) and Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) on the ITV soap – and one very big one in particular…
A big Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis) return!
There are other familiar faces coming back in 2025 which the Coronation Street boss cannot disclose, but a few people will be returning to the street to cause their own forms of chaos.
Kate Brooks teased: “We last left Rob languishing in prison. He made mistakes. He comes back to the show and we think he might be a reformed character who has seen the error of his ways, but whether that’s the case or not, I don’t know!
“He definitely comes back and causes a lot of trouble for Carla and Lisa. Just when Carla and Lisa think it’s safe to sit down and watch Netflix, Rob Donovan comes along and scuppers all of that.
“So, it’s a big story for them and a big story for Rob. Lots of twists and turns. It’s a big story for Betsy as well, who is fabulous and will be right at the centre of that.
“I love Rob and Carla. I love tapping into their history together, and we really explore that through this story.
“There’s so many twists and turns along the way, it’s really exciting. It’s going to be eventful for Carla and Lisa.”
But is he back long-term?
Kate revealed: “It’s not just a couple of episodes – it’s a good chunk.
“It’s really exciting, and what I like about this story in particular is that Carla and Lisa are finally together and united.
“Everyone knows about them and they’re moving on with their lives, and then this drops on them, and they’re like, ‘How did that happen
“‘Are we not meant to be relaxing and enjoying being with each other?'”
“So, it’s a real test for their relationship in the early stages, but a good test.”
Rob’s return also means he will be reunited with his ex lover Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), whose chemistry was unmatched.
Soap has - or will lose some iconic characters this year - here we've rounded up the latest departures...
EASTENDERS
Navin Chowdhry
CORONATION STREET
Calum Lill
Bill Fellows
Launa Santos
Helen Worth
Lucy Fallon
HOLLYOAKS
Matthew James Bailey
Gregory Finnegan
Stephanie Warring
Annie Wallace
NEIGHBOURS
Ryan Maloney
Lucinda Cowden
The former flames planned to run away together after Rob broke out of prison, with Tracy helping to keep him hidden.
But then Rob changed his mind and handed himself over to the police parting ways.
With Tracy now single, will she be tempted to go back into her former lover’s arms?
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and is available on ITVX.
IT’S the time of year when most of us feel at our worst.
Weeks of boozing and stuffing our faces with festive treats has left us lethargic and bloated, with the average Brit gaining a pound in fat over Christmas.
As January creeps upon us next week, a huge 26 million people in the UK are predicted to start a weight loss diet – though 87 per cent of those will give up within 12 days.
What’s more, enquiries into cosmetic body procedures increases by 38 per cent in the ‘twixmas period.
But Aesthetician to the stars, Sadaf Jaffari, insists that we don’t need to be taking such drastic measures to see immediate results.
She tells Fabulous: “There are so many incredible treatments on the market these days to tone up and sculpt stubborn stomachs.
“This time of year – just after Christmas and just before awards season – is when my celebrity clients come in to get tummy treatments – and they have a huge impact.
“There’s no need to go to drastic measures or hop on fad diets when you can do these amazing treatments at a fraction of the cost – and with little to no risk or downtime.”
Here, Sadaf reveals her top five treatments to tone up tums without a tuck.
EmSculpt Neo
Sadaf says: “Emsculpt NEO one of the best celeb treatments for fat reduction and works on the arms and bum as well as tummy.
“It’s is a non-invasive body sculpting treatment that utilises a combination of High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) and Radio Frequency (RF) technologies to reduce stubborn fat cells, build muscle, and contour the body.
“The treatment takes just 30 minutes and it feels like warm vibrations to begin with, then as the settings increase you will really start to really feel your muscles contracting as it gets to work.
“You will leave with your muscles engaged and a lot of patients report improved posture immediately.
“What’s more, you can see results after two sessions and results can last up to 6 months alongside a good workout routine.”
Price £600
CoolSculpting
Sadaf says: “Coolsculpting is one of the first treatments I trained in many years ago and it is still one of my absolute favourites. They don’t call me the CoolSculpting queen for nothing.
“It’s a nonsurgical, pain-free treatment that achieves customised body contouring and fat reduction by eliminating unwanted and stubborn fat by freezing it.
It’s most effective at reducing localised pockets of stubborn fat that are resistant to diet and exercise – so it’s great for stubborn tummies.
“The treatment time is also around 30 minutes. You feel an intense cooling for the first 8 minutes followed by complete numbness.
“Once the treatment is complete we do an intense massage on the treatment area to bring the skin back to normal temperature which is a crucial part of the treatment for effective results.
“The treatment permanently kills the existing fat cells and the results will show around 10 weeks post treatment.”
Price: £550 per cycle
Morpheus8
“Morpheus8 is the latest revolutionary technology in the world of cosmetic procedures. It combines micro-needling and radio-frequency energy to stimulate collagen production and improve the overall texture and quality of your skin.
“Morpheus8 is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to achieve smoother, tighter, and more radiant skin without invasive surgeries.
“One of the most significant advantages of Morpheus8 is that it is safe and effective for all skin types. This is because the technology uses fractionated energy to penetrate the skin and stimulate the production of new collagen and elastin fibres.
“I have seen some bad reviews about this treatment which can happen if practitioners are not using the correct settings for their patients desired results.
“Experience really is key with these treatments so it’s always best to do your research and look for an experienced practitioner.
“The procedure is also quick and virtually painless, with minimal downtime required. You can expect to see noticeable results after just one session, with optimal results achieved after a series of treatments.
“The treatment is around 2 hours which includes 1 hour of topical numbing to minimise discomfort. It can be described as hot pins pricking the skin
“Results can last up to 2 years however you will need a yearly maintenance session to keep up the results.
“This treatment is best for anyone who has loose skin however it can also help with skin texture, evening skin tone and lifting.
Price £1255
Plasma Pen
“The Plasma pen is one of my absolute favourite treatments particularly for areas with a lot of skin laxity.
“It’s a cutting-edge technique with fibroblast technology especially made for skin lifting, tightening, rejuvenation, and more.”
“Treatment time varies but starts at 1 hour and results can take a few weeks to see results with full results around the 12 week mark. This treatment is amazing for scars and stretch marks.
Price £400
TruSculpt
“Trusculpt is a cutting-edge body sculpting treatment that helps you achieve a more toned, contoured physique by reducing stubborn fat cells.
Utilising Radio Frequency technology, truSculpt delivers targeted energy to the treatment area, heating and destroying fat cells for visible results.
“Each session is 45 minutes and it feels a bit tickly when starting the treatment, once the settings are tolerated and increased it will feel like intense muscle contractions as if your muscles are engaged from a work out.
“This treatment is amazing at defining abs.”
By Jess Wilson
When Sadaf invited me to try the Morpheus8 on my stomach, I must admit, I was slightly nervous.
The idea of having lots of tiny needles stabbed into my tummy did not sound like fun.
But knowing that Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian were both fans of the treatment, I decided to give it a go.
I arrived at Sadaf’s beautiful clinic in Chelsea and was taken into a treatment room where numbing cream was applied to my stomach.
Sadaf explained that the treatment would tighten the skin around my belly button and make my stomach appear more toned and lean.
The cream was left on for an hour (during which time I enjoyed a blissful hour of Netlfix) before she returned and began the procedure.
Using the Morpheus8 machine, Sadaf carefully caused a controlled trauma zone across my stomach, creating dozens of tiny wounds with the machine head which penetrated the skin at varying levels of 4 and 7mm.
The process was repeated three times. In the first round, I could barely feel anything. By the third time, I was able to feel a tiny prickle but nothing too painful.
The entire process took about 15 minutes and I was sent home with an antiseptic wash and recovery blame which needed to be applied every few hours for the first three days.
When the numbing cream wore off that evening, I was a little sore but it went away by the next morning.
After six weeks, I could definitely see results and my skin texture was much smoother and tighter.