Rocking into Weatherfield

Corrie slob Les Battersby (Bruce Jones) will be startled to find famous band Status Quo rocking all over Weatherfield later this month.

13:39 10 September 2005

Corrie slob Les Battersby (Bruce Jones) will be startled to find famous band Status Quo rocking all over Weatherfield later this month.

Coronation Street bosses have revealed that Les will rush to meet his heroes after the group rock up at the Rovers for a swift pint ahead of a nearby gig.

Initially refusing to believe little Chesney's (Sam Aston) claim that his idols are drinking in his local, Les chases after the rockers when fiancée Cilla (Wendi Peters) backs up her son's story.

But far from getting a warm welcome from the rock legends, Les gets beaten up by band members Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt after Rossi recognises him as a deranged fan who once attacked him at a concert.

Yet all is not lost for the Status Quo devotee and the band agree to play a private gig at Les and Cilla's wedding reception by way of an apology for bashing up the Corrie taxi driver.

ITV bosses say the initial episode of the soap starring Status Quo will appear on Friday September 23, with the band making two further appearances in October.

Commenting on starring in the show, Status Quo guitarist and singer, Rossi said: "Both Rick and I are lifelong fans of Coronation Street so to be in the Rovers filming scenes with the regulars is an ambition fulfilled."