CORONATION Street star Angela Griffin is returning to the soap after more than 20 years.
The actress, 42, is back as hairdresser Fiona Middleton — and thrown straight into a lovechild riddle.
Soap stalwart Steve McDonald (played by Simon Gregson, 44) is told he is the dad of Fiona’s daughter Emma (actress Alexandra Mardell, 18).
Angela was the show’s first major black character, appearing for more than 250 episodes as Fiona before she left Weatherfield for good in autumn 1998.
She dated Steve and had an affair with his father Jim.
News of that fling also doomed her wedding to detective Alan McKenna (played by Glenn Hugill) just as they were about to tie the knot. The pair had a son Morgan.
Steve and Fiona reconciled but she threw him out and ended their relationship after he cheated with her best mate Maxine Peacock.
A TV source said: “Angela’s return is short and sweet but it has huge implications for Steve.
“She’s back on screens and will find out that the dates that he was with Fiona tally up to when Emma was born.”
In scenes to be shot soon, Steve is told by mum Liz (Beverley Callard) that Emma would have been conceived in 1998 when he and Fiona were dating.
Liz tells Steve: “No wonder you failed maths. Count back nine months.”
Steve then says: “How do you remember that? I can’t remember who I was seeing last month let alone in 1998? Emma can’t be my daughter. I don’t want another daughter.”
Last year The Sun revealed how Steve was to become the most prolific groom in British soap history by getting married for the seventh time.
Steve popped the question to Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), having already been married to her once before.
Steve has been in the soap since 1989 and has been married to five women in that time.
He was first wed to Vicky Arden, played by Chloe Newsome, from 1995 to 1997.
Suranne Jones’ character Karen Phillips was next, from 2001 to 2003.
They were then apart for a year, during which time Steve got Tracy pregnant with their daughter Amy.
Steve and Karen remarried in 2004 but it ended in 2006.
From 2009 to 2011 he was with Becky Granger, played by Katherine Kelly, before his first union with Tracy.
In 2015 he wed Michelle Connor, played by Kym Marsh. They had a son together, Ruairi, but he was born prematurely and did not survive.
They split last year after Steve confessed to fathering a son, Oliver, after a one-night stand with Leanne Battersby.
