Anne Kirkbride has been offered a new £250,000 deal to stay at Coronation Street for at least another year.
The 60-year-old actress, who has portrayed Deirdre Barlow for 42 years, is expected to earn the huge sum after she was offered a new one-year contract three months earlier than she was due to sit down with soap bosses for talks.
Credit: ITVA show source said: "Anne is delighted with her contract renewal - it has further cemented her role as an indispensable cast member."
In a double boost, the star is said to be delighted with the return of her on-screen husband Bill Roache (Ken Barlow) - who was cleared of historic sex assault and rape charges in February - after she reportedly found it "tough" when he was away.
The source added to The Sun newspaper: "It's another positive note for her after Bill Roache returned to the set recently. She found his time away very tough.
"They have been a double act for so long that it was strange for her to be without him.
"But now, thankfully, things are back to normal for them. This contract is yet another bonus for her."
Bill, 82, recently returned to the cobbles after being written out of 'Corrie' in May 2013 when the charges - which included four counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape against girls under 16 between 1965 and 1971 - were first brought against him.
A Corrie spokesperson said: "We don't comment on contracts."
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