Alan Halsall

Alan Halsall

Alan Halsall and Kym Marsh are among 10 'Coronation Street' stars who have signed new deals.

Bosses of the ITV soap have tied down several stars, including Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw), Mikey North (Gary Windass) and Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow), on new one-year contract extensions after Michelle Keegan announced she was quitting the show.

A soap source said: "Corrie's doing brilliantly at the moment and everyone thinks there is a really good balance of actors in the current cast.

"But Michelle's decision to leave the show proves just how quickly things can change. That was a real blow and 'Corrie' can ill afford to lose any more actors as popular as her."

'Coronation Street' boss Stuart Blackburn - who landed the job at the start of the year - has also handed new deals, some with five-figure pay rises, to Antony Cotton (Sean Tully), Debbie Rush (Anna Windass), Jimmi Harkishin (Dev Alahan), Sam Aston (Chesney Brown) and Andy Whyment (Kirk Sutherland).

The source added to The Sun newspaper: "Stuart has decided to tie down as many of the big stars as possible to new one-year deals.

"He has rewarded some of them with decent five-figure pay rises as well.

"He's been there for a few months now and has worked out who he thinks is integral to the show. He's determined not to lose any of them.

"Everyone he has approached has agreed to re-sign deals which will run from July and August this year for 12 months.

"There will be several more actors penning new deals over the coming months as well.

"It's great news for Corrie fans."

Last month, Georgia May Foote (Katy Armstrong) also put pen to paper on a new contract.