OSCAR winner Sir Ben Kingsley yesterday hinted that he may return to Coronation Street — where he started his career 40 years ago.
The Gandhi actor, 65, was an unknown when he played cheeky Ron Jenkins, who chatted up Ken Barlow’s then wife Valerie.
He told TV Biz: “Oh I did enjoy my time on Coronation Street. I said I might go back, have a pint in the Rovers Return.
“I have very fond memories. I think a long-running soap is a very interesting way of looking at the social history of a time and a place.
“And this took place in Salford, so it was very much my territory and my background. It was a marvellous show.”
Sir Ben said making the ITV soap was “almost like live TV or theatre”.
He added: “We had huge cameras with great thick tapes, and we ran from one part of the studio to the other to keep the tapes rolling. Quite marvellous. Very exciting.”
Sir Ben would join a long list of knighted celebrities to grace the cobbles. Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Norman Wisdom have all appeared in the soap.
Even Prince Charles got in the 40th anniversary episode, where he was shown around Weatherfield by then Mayoress Audrey Roberts.
After appearing in Corrie, Lancashire-raised Sir Ben carved out a theatre career before taking his Oscar-winning role as Indian spiritual leader Gandhi.
He would not be the only established actor cast in a new Corrie role. Dev is to get a visit from an uncle played by film star Harish Patel, who was in Hollywood comedy Run Fatboy Run.
A VIDEO game based on Coronation Street is due out on Nintendo DS later this year.
Publisher Mindscape describes it as “an adventure and task-based concept set within the theme of the famous fictional street”.
The Sun