Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) sees the advert and books Lewis for a date, forming a love triangle storyline between them and Audrey.

On 14 October 2009, Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy announced Havers had joined the cast of Coronation Street as Lewis, a potential love interest for Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls).

[3] Casting director June West considered various actors for the part, including Anthony Head, but she suggested Havers for the role as she knew he was a big fan of the show.

"[6] A writer for the Metro described Lewis as "charming" and "charismatic", and a reporter from the Daily Record wrote that he was "Weatherfield's answer to American Gigolo.

[12] Susan Hill, writing for the Daily Star said that despite Lewis' apology for attending an event with Rita, Audrey is furious and confronts her friend.

[11][16] Laws also compared the plot to a similar one in another ITV soap opera, Emmerdale, involving Diane Sugden (Elizabeth Estensen) and Charlie Haynes (George Costigan), and predicted that both storylines would end in heartache.

[11] Olivia Buxton from the Daily Mirror questioned whether Lewis would go through with the plan; she wrote that two endings to his story arc had been filmed, one of which showed him making a dramatic exit.

In his exit storyline, he leaves the UK after stealing a large sum of money from Peter Barlow's (Chris Gascoyne) betting shop.

[18] Lewis carries out his plan to place fraudulently franked betting slips in the till while Audrey arranges to have her money transferred into a bank account for them to purchase their hotel.

[18] Kate Woodward, writing for Inside Soap, said while Deirdre is attracted to Lewis, she ends their kiss and tells him to return to the party.

[18] While he is at an airport, Lewis meets businesswoman Lydia Radcliffe played by Lysette Anthony, who filmed her one-off appearance in June.

Daniel Kilkelly (Digital Spy) reported that Lewis would "quickly woo Lydia with chat-up lines" and they leave for Barbados together.

[20] While appearing on Loose Women the previous year, Havers revealed that he had been in talks with Coronation Street producers about a return to the show.

A show spokesperson told Inside Soap's Katy Moon that Lewis turns on the charm and quickly wins the reviewer over.

[27][29] Nicholls said Audrey could be making a mistake, and added, "You read this sort of thing in the papers all the time, women of a certain age being charmed by these men.

[27] Digital Spy's Daniel Kilkelly wrote that Lewis' renewed relationship with Audrey and their plans to go on a round-the-world cruise would cause a feud between her and David.

[31] Kilkelly said Lewis tries to play peacemaker and suggests postponing the trip until he can save the money himself, but Audrey insists David will co-operate and she tears up their contract.

[34] The character was reintroduced on 1 June 2018, and shown to be working with clairvoyant Rosemary Piper (Sophie Thompson) to con Gail out of her money.

Over a year later, Lewis enters a country pub and unexpectedly meets Audrey and her daughter, Gail McIntyre (Helen Worth).

David's wife, Kylie Platt (Paula Lane), introduces herself to Lewis and he defends her against Brian Packham's (Peter Gunn) accusations that she is giving her son the wrong food.

While dining at The Bistro, Lewis charms a food critic and Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) offers him a two-week trial as head waiter.

Lewis later turns up at the salon to see Audrey and explains that he disappeared because he saw Penny Thornley (Susan Hanson), a woman he once conned.

When Nick refuses to give Lewis his job back, Gloria Price (Sue Johnston) hires him to work at The Rovers Return.

Lewis attempts to drive a wedge between Gail and her family, before telling her that he has been offered a new life in Italy, running a small hotel.

Five years later, Lewis has returned to the UK, and is revealed to be in cahoots with Rosemary Piper (Sophie Thompson), a supposed clairvoyant; who has told Gail that her family has been cursed by her serial killer husband, Richard Hillman (Brian Capron).

After learning that David was raped by Josh Tucker (Ryan Clayton), Gail calls Rosemary and tells her she wants to get rid of the curse immediately, even though it will be expensive.

On the run up to Christmas, Lewis attends the funeral of one of Audrey's old friends, Archie Shuttleworth (Roy Hudd), with her, Rita and Ken Barlow (William Roache).

However, when Lewis goes to run an errand on New Year's Eve and is much later than he said he would be, Audrey finally buys into Gail's claims and tells him that he has blown his last chance.

A writer for the Liverpool Daily Post wrote, "Since Lewis (Nigel Havers) waltzed into the street, things with the over fifty club (Rita, Audrey and now Deirdre) haven't been the same.

"[38] Steve Pratt, writing for The Northern Echo, said, "As love rat scumbags go, Lewis Archer is up there with that chap who tried to push Rita under a tram in Blackpool.