Coronation Street legend Denise Black, who played Denise Osbourne on the ITV soap, has joined the cast of Waterloo Road.

Coronation Street star Denise Black has been cast in Waterloo Road. The 67 year old actress is renowned for her role as hairdresser Denise Osbourne on ITV’sflagship soap, particularly for her romantic entanglement with Ken Barlow (William Roache) during the 1990s.

Denise first graced Coronation Street from 1992 to 1997. Her liaison with Ken led to the birth of their son Daniel Osbourne, but it all came crashing down when it was revealed she’d been having an affair with Brian Dunkley (Benny Young), leading to her disappearance from the show for a decade.

In 2007, Denise briefly returned to reintroduce Ken to Daniel after his adoptive daughter Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) was incarcerated for the murder of Charlie Stubbs. She attempted to rekindle their romance, but Ken chose to return to Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride), and it would be nearly another decade before she reappeared.

In 2016, Daniel, now portrayed by Rob Mallard, resurfaced after his father suffered a stroke and has remained a mainstay on the show since.

Denise also made a comeback alongside him and was last seen offering her condolences to Ken over Deirdre’s passing.

Following her various roles on the cobbles, she took up a part in ITV’s Emmerdale, portraying Joanie Dingle, the adoptive grandmother of Amy Wyatt’s on-screen son Kyle from 2013 until 2017.

Her character embarked on an affair with Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell), leading to marriage, but it all culminated in tragedy when Joanie succumbed to a heart attack in January 2017, reports the Mirror.

However, Denise has now traded soap for drama and joined the cast of the BBC’s flagship school drama, which was resurrected in 2023 after nearly a decade off air. In the sixth episode of the current series, Denise takes on the role of Liam Scholes’ character Noel

In dramatic scenes, Denise’s new character, Mo McManus, finds herself embroiled in a police confrontation.

Waterloo Road first hit the BBC in 2007, launching the television careers of Hollyoaks actress Chelsee Healey, former Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Thomas, and Katie McGlynn, among others. Celebrities like Louis Tomlinson, Jodie Comer and Jack O’Connell also kick-started their careers as students at the troubled Manchester comprehensive school before achieving global success.

Throughout its initial nine series, the show tackled hard-hitting topics such as teenage pregnancy, murder, and addiction. It boasted a star-studded cast including ex-EastEnders actress Jill Halfpenny as drama teacher Izzie Redpath, Loose Women’s Denise Welch playing the bumbling French teacher Steph Haydock, and Silent Witness star Amanda Burton as headmistress Karen Fisher.

The programme was resurrected in 2023 after the original series gained popularity on streaming platforms. However, the bosses recently confessed that the reboot has exceeded all their expectations.

Cameron Roach, the show’s executive producer, expressed: “When the BBC commissioned the reboot of we had hoped it might run for a few seasons.

“To be commissioned for further series, bringing the total episodes since relaunch to seventy hours, is a huge achievement and a reflection of the incredible creative teams in front of and behind the camera.

“As well as continuing to celebrate emerging talent, the show is fast gaining a reputation for working with the best comedy talent, as Jon Richardson joins the cast this season.

“As a team we’re incredibly proud that a very British show can be such an enduring success for the BBC and continue to bring in new generations of viewers.”