Michael Le Vell has been handed a six figure sum to renew his contract for 'Coronation Street'.
The 51-year-old actor - who has played mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap since the 1980s - is reportedly "over-the-moon" to find out he will be receiving a £150,000 contract, which lasts until the end of 2016, and a promise of some exciting new storylines.
An insider said: "Michael was over-the-moon to be told he would be getting a new deal. No one is ever safe in soaps but the bosses have been impressed with his professionalism in tackling his problems head-on and dealing with them."
And Michael - who previously took a break from the show to undergo a stint in rehab for his drinking - is looking ahead to the future and feels like "the worst of his problems are behind him".
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "He really does now feel that the worst of his problems are behind him. Sure, he had a drink to toast New Year but there is no way he will return to the bad old days. He knows he has too much to lose."
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