Vicky Entwistle has joined 'Ackley Bridge'.

Vicky Entwistle

Vicky Entwistle

The former 'Coronation Street' star - who played Janice Battersby in the ITV soap - will portray Sandra Turner in the Channel 4 drama series, and she was delighted to have been offered the part.

She said: "I am thrilled to be joining the very talented cast of Ackley Bridge and look forward to watching how everything unfolds.

"I had a great time filming with a wonderful bunch of people."

Vicky's alter-ego Sandra will turn the Paracha family's lives upside down after Nasreen - played by Amy-Leigh Hickman - discovers her father Iqbal (Narinder Samra) has been living with Sandra and their two children in Bradford as part of his double life, rather than working in Pakistan.

Nasreen will struggle to tell her mum Kaneez (Sunetra Sarker) the shocking news, but later discovers all is not how it seems in a revelation that will change the family forever.

Vicky will appear opposite fellow former soap stars Jo Joyner and Paul Nicholls, who both appeared in 'EastEnders'.

This comes a year after the 49-year-old actress hinted she might be set to reprise her 'Corrie' role as Janice.

Following an episode which saw Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) verbally abuse Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), Vicky wrote on Twitter: "Think I may have to take you in hand lad."

Janice and husband Les Battersby (Bruce Jones) first appeared on the cobbles back in 1997 when their characters arrived as a new "family from hell" alongside teenagers Leanne (Jane Danson) and Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor).