Stella Price is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Michelle Collins.

Stella was introduced along with her boyfriend, Karl Munro (John Michie), and her daughter, Eva (Catherine Tyldesley).

Stella became the new bar manager of the show's public house, The Rovers Return Inn, following the departure of landlady, Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard).

Karl is a very different character for him, though, and the ladies of Weatherfield need to watch themselves as this sexy charmer will quickly make his presence felt.

Of course Michelle's soap credentials are superb and in the same way she made Cindy Beale one of EastEnders' most memorable bitches, I am certain she is going to be fantastic as the warm, funny, steely, flawed and larger-than-life northern matriarch Stella.

[4] Other actresses who auditioned for the role of Stella included Lisa Maxwell,[5] Sarah Jane Buckley[6] and Jacqueline Leonard.

[8] Collins, who commuted from North London to Manchester where Coronation Street is filmed,[9] made her first screen appearance on 16 June 2011.

[13] Collins explained to media entertainment website Digital Spy that Stella is not a "big, bouncy barmaid" as she is more subtle.

[16] Collins also added that she knew it was going to be hard to get used to seeing Cindy Beale in The Rovers but viewers have accepted it a bit more to which she said was great.

[17] In May 2011, the Daily Mirror reported that the secret Stella is hiding is that she is Leanne Battersby's (Jane Danson) biological mother.

[21] Collins told Soaplife magazine that Stella has moved to Weatherfield as she has decided that it is the time to finally make herself known to Leanne.

[20] Speaking to Inside Soap magazine about the storyline, Danson explained: "Leanne has never really given her birth mother a second thought because she's not been in her life.

'"[25] Blackburn hoped Stella's departure would be moving and said the door had been left open for Collins to return in the future.

[26] Stella arrives in Weatherfield and applies for the position of bar manager at The Rovers Return Inn public house.

She initially refuses the position when the landlord Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) explains that accommodation is not included.

Stella moves in with her boyfriend, Karl Munro (John Michie) and her daughter, Eva (Catherine Tyldesley).

She goes to the bookmakers and whilst there a robber threatens worker, Leanne Barlow (Jane Danson), with a baseball bat.

Later Stella calls to the flat to talk with Leanne but is run over by a drunk Carla Connor (Alison King) while she's standing on the street.

After Frank Foster (Andrew Lancel) switched places with an unconscious Carla, he is cautioned for supposedly dangerous driving.

Stella befriends Karl's colleague Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles), who is lonely after breaking up with his girlfriend Cheryl Gray (Holly Quin-Ankrah).

When money goes missing from the till, Stella accuses several people, including Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan), Sean Tully (Antony Cotton), Sunita Alahan (Shobna Gulati) and Tommy Duckworth (Chris Fountain).

Stella invites Leanne and Eva on a girls night out in order to repair their broken relationship and upon their return they discover Karl and Sunita together.

She throws Karl out of his home and he sleeps in his taxi after declining a bed offer by both Steve and Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh).

In September 2012, Stella's mother Gloria (Sue Johnston) arrived on the street and the moment she turned up, she was already upsetting Ken Barlow (William Roache) by the noise she was making when knocking on The Rovers' doors.

While Stella is enjoying a nice, warm bath, Karl sneaks into the pub cellar and sets fire to The Rovers.

Stella admits she can't stay around in the pub because of bad memories, so tells Eva and Gloria that she's selling up.

Stella and Gloria are present when Tina and Kylie Platt (Paula Lane) share a catfight in front of the bar at The Rovers.

After Gloria's departure Stella discovers that Kevin is returning to the Street and is planning on moving back into number 13 meaning she only has a few days to find somewhere else to live.

Stella arranges with Dev for Leanne, Eva and Simon to move into the flat above the kebab shop and reveals that she has been offered a job in a hotel in New York City through an old school friend.

Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh (who plays Michelle Connor) said it was "great" that Collins was joining the show.