norris takes corrie break
VETERAN ACTOR GIVEN ‘EXTENDED LEAVE’
THE Coronation Street actor who has played Norris Cole since 1994 is taking an ‘extended break’ from the soap.
Malcolm Hebden, 78, has been given an extended leave of absence and no firm date has been given as to when he might return.
Last week, we reported how he had become the victim of a cruel online hoax claiming that he had died. Fans rushed to Twitter to express their condolences for Malcolm after an American website reported the shocking ‘news.’
But co-stars of the nosy shopkeeper dispelled the rumours, with Sally Ann Matthews – who plays Jenny Bradley – saying it was ‘thankfully not’ true.
It was also confirmed to the M.E.N. by a Coronation Street spokesman.
Some worried fans took to the social media site in an attempt to clear up the rumours – with one writing: “Malcolm Hebden aka Norris Cole from Corrie has NOT died. Just a fake article doing its rounds. Sick people.”
Malcolm first appeared in Coronation Street in 1974, playing Mavis Riley’s Spanish boyfriend Carlos.
He reappeared in 1994 as Norris Cole, but gave up the role in 1997 before returning in 1999.
He became owner of Corrie’s famous Kabin in 2009, and has won several soap awards along the way.
And he raised laughs in a recent storyline with Jim Moir, AKA comedian Vic Reeves, when Jim’s character Colin Callen suspected that Norris was his father. And viewers found it hilarious when the pair were seen rocking the same outfit.
They both looked fetching in identical yellow shirts and grey tank tops. One fan commented next to a cry with laughter-face emoji: “Vic Reeves dressed as Norris.”