Cilla Black with Corrie's Rita and Norris
Cilla Black has filmed a 'Coronation Street' cameo.
The 69-year-old presenter fulfilled a lifelong dream by making her debut on the ITV show in the Rovers Return pub, where she socialised with soap stalwarts Rita Sullivan - who is played by Barbara Knox - and Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden).
She said: "I play myself and I walk in the pub and no-one realises it's me."
The scene sees Cilla enter the pub but nobody can place who she is until Rita realises she is a singer she knew from the 1960s, when the corner shop owner was also a performer.
Cilla's 'Corrie' appearance was organised by her friend Paul O'Grady, who set up the special surprise as part of tonight's (16.10.13) 'The One and Only Cilla Black', which marks the 'Blind Date' host's 50 years in showbusiness.
The veteran singer's cameo on the cobbles comes after she was previously approached about appearing in the long-running soap on several occasions, but she turned down the offers because of the long working hours.
Speaking in 2010, she said: "They have asked me to join the show. It's not their first approach - they have asked me several times. I love 'Corrie', but I keep saying no.
"I couldn't cope with all the hours they do, they work them like dogs. It's really hard work.
"It would be nice to do a cameo, but even Ian McKellen worked long hours when he did it for a while. If the role was right, I would do a one-off thing."
'The One and Only Cilla Black' airs tonight at 9pm on ITV.
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