List of Coronation Street characters introduced in 2018
Gail Rodwell's (Helen Worth) clairvoyant Rosemary Piper (Sophie Thompson), Liz McDonald's (Beverley Callard) new love interest Mike Thornberry (Louis Emerick), school bully Tyler Jefferies (Will Barnett) and Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew), Tim Metcalfe's (Joe Duttine) father, joined the show in March.
April saw Emma Brooker (Alexandra Mardell), a new love interest for David, and Kayla Clifton (Mollie Winnard), a character introduced to continue Bethany Platt's (Lucy Fallon) sexual exploitation storyline, make their first appearances, while the year's first birth, Susie Price, daughter of Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward) and Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley), also took place this month.
Sally Metcalfe's (Sally Dynevor) lawyer Paula Martin (Stirling Gallacher) joined the cast in August, while Liz and Jim McDonald's (Charles Lawson) fraudulent "daughter" Hannah Gilmore (Hannah Ellis Ryan), Tyrone Dobbs' (Alan Halsall) long-lost grandmother Evelyn Plummer (Maureen Lipman) and Tyler's mother Vicky Jefferies (Kerri Quinn) were introduced in September.
[8] When a vacancy arises at Webster's Autocentre, following the death of their mechanic Luke Britton (Dean Fagan), Josh approaches co-owner Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and asks if he needs to fix anything in order to prove he is worthy of the job.
When Tyrone pulls out of the charity boxing match, David volunteers to fight his sister Sarah Platt's (Tina O'Brien) boyfriend Gary Windass (Mikey North) in his place despite his epilepsy ruling him out.
Gary thinks David is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of witnessing his wife Kylie's murder two years previously.
Josh arrives at Alya's house with flowers and charms her into bed to give himself a cover story in case David and Shona report him to the police.
It emerges that Rosemary is conspiring with Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers) in a scheme against Gail, which Roy Cropper (David Neilson) and Cathy Matthews (Melanie Hill) become targets of too.
Barnett described Tyler as "[Someone who] has no respect for authority and just likes to cause trouble" and on his casting stated "I am super excited about my Corrie debut, we are having family and friends around to our house to celebrate this new chapter in my life.
A few months later, Tyler and Simon discover that pensioner Flora McArdle (Eileen Davies) has inherited a large sum of money and decide to rob her flat while she is out.
[23] After the broadcast of his first episode, Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy wondered whether he could be related to established character Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine).
It is also revealed that Elaine (Paula Wilcox), Tim's mother, is alive, after she reads the notice of the trial, and that she too ran away from Geoff and their son after he abused her.
Geoff later arrives at Yasmeen's flat and attempts to convince her to sell him her share of their home so that he can start a new life with Christine, his new love interest.
Later Geoff attacks Alya at Speed Dhal and leaves her unconscious, he then returns to the house where Yasmeen is and sets fire to the photographs she has collected.
[27] Alison Slade of What's on TV reported that Kayla would create problems for Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) and Craig Tinker (Colson Smith).
[29] For her portrayal of Kayla, Winnard was nominated for Best Soap Newcomer at the 2018 Digital Spy Reader Awards; she came in eleventh place with 2.1% of the total votes.
Eva gives birth in a cottage in Lymm with the help of Toyah and the baby is named Susie after Peter's late twin sister, Susan Barlow (Joanna Foster).
[34] Paul was initially introduced as the cellmate of David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd) while he is in prison for attacking Gary Windass (Mikey North).
[35] On 24 March 2023, it was announced that Paul would be diagnosed with motor neurone disease, and that this storyline would eventually result in the character's death which was broadcast on 9 September 2024.
David puts him in contact with the local vicar Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank), who helps him get a job with Carla Connor (Alison King) at her factory, Underworld.
It is later revealed that Paul took the blame for Gemma accidentally causing the death of an elderly woman in a home robbery and spent some time in prison as a result.
Paul and Rita are present when Gemma learns that she is pregnant by her boyfriend Chesney Brown (Sam Aston) and he counsels her to be honest with him about the baby and stay in Weatherfield to raise the child.
Sabeen asks Imran to help her with the appeal but he refuses, because he knows that Harvey had terrorised Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and Simon Barlow (Alex Bain).
Sabeen is annoyed by this, so starts blackmailing Imran by telling him to help her with the appeal or else she will expose his one-night stand with Abi Franklin (Sally Carman) to Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor).
In December 2018, she and Jim are arrested as a result of their scam; however, due to a lack of evidence and the fact that Liz handed her money over willingly they could not be charged and so were allowed to walk free.
[58] The actress decided to join the cast after receiving a "sign" from her late husband, former Coronation Street writer Jack Rosenthal, that she should accept the role of Evelyn.
"[58] MacLeod said that he was "beyond thrilled" to introduce the character and believed that she would "add a fresh dollop of northern humour to the show as she turns Tyrone and Fiz's lives upside down".
She visits Weatherfield and after conning Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) and spending time in the Rovers Return Inn pub, she agrees to move into Tyrone and Fiz's home.
[61] In an interview with Claire Crick of What's on TV, Lipman revealed that Evelyn would clash with Tyrone's partner, Fiz, leading to McAlpine's temporary exit from the show.
However, after she sees an online post by Leanne showing a piece of jewellery that Nick had bought her, she returns to Weatherfield and puts their divorce on hold.
