There’s good news for Alan Halsall fans amid his stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! – he has reportedly signed a brand new Coronation Street contract that will keep him on screens as Tyrone Dobbs.

The actor, who joined the ITV soap at the age of 16 in 1998, is said to have signed a deal that will keep him on the show until the end of next year.

The Sun reports that Alan’s soap bosses offered him the new contract before he went into the Australian jungle, where he is currently living alongside the likes of McFly’s Danny Jones and former Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse.

A source told the paper: ‘Alan is really loved on Corrie and bosses wanted him to know he had their full support.

‘The jungle is going to open a lot of doors for him but they wanted to make sure he knows how important a part of the cobbles he is.

‘Viewers will be seeing a lot more of him over the next year.’

After his appearance on this year’s I’m A Celebrity was announced last month, Alan revealed his bosses had given him their blessing to do the reality show. 

He said: ‘Corrie has been fantastic with it all and I am definitely not leaving the soap. You just won’t see my character for a while on-screen.’

Alan said he would ‘miss work’ while in the jungle, adding: ‘It’s such a huge part of my life and I have been there for such a long time. I work with my best friends.’ 

Meanwhile, Alan’s co-star Maureen Lipman, who plays his on-screen grandmother Evelyn Plummer, has confirmed she is to take a step back from her role to take a ‘gap year’.

The actress, 78, has been a regular cast member in the ITV soap since 2018, but will only appear on a recurring basis moving forward.

Metro has contacted a Coronation Street for comment and is awaiting a response.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1, or stream first from 7am on ITVX.