Coronation Street has seen many characters come and go over the years, with fans often left broken-hearted as their favourites leave the small screen.

While Nicky Wheatley (Kimberly Hart-Simpson) will soon be leaving the show, a whole host of former cast members will be returning, while we’ll be treated to some newbies, too.

Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) will soon be returning to the ITV soap, along with Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne) after a two-year break.

And, with Spider Nugent also finally making a long-awaited comeback to the Cobbles, many newer viewers are wondering who the character is and what storylines he was involved in.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Spider Nugent?

Geoffrey David ‘Spider’ Nugent made his first Coronation Street appearance on December 15, 1997, as a university graduate knocking on his aunt Emily Nugent’s door looking for a place to live.

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The character was an eco-warrior who managed to prevent the building of a concert bowl on the Red Rec.

The Corrie favourite stood by his principles throughout his time on the series, even quitting jobs to avoid going against his morals.

When it comes to romances on the show, Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) grew fond of Spider and had a crush on him.

The pair saved a turkey from becoming Christmas Dinner, taking the bird to a children’s farm and freeing her – only for Theresa the turkey to make her way back to the street and be killed in a collision with Les Battersby’s car.

They also took part in a whole host of other environmental missions, and Spider eventually went on a spiritual journey in India.

The actor said he left the show, as a regular, in 2000 because he felt his character had run its course.

He briefly returned to the Cobbles in 2001 to ask his aunt for money so that he could set up his own juice bar in London.

And, Spider made his final appearance in the show in 2003 upon discovering that his aunty Emily had been attacked and was nearly killed. At the time, Toyah had also discovered that her then-boyfriend John Arnley had cheated on her with flatmate Maria Sutherland.

He offered his former girlfriend the chance of a fresh start and new life in London, and she agreed. The pair left Weatherfield together and it’s been 19 years since he returned.

Who plays Spider Nugent?

Martin Hancock plays Spider Nugent and has done so since the character’s first Coronation Street appearance in 1997.

It’s been almost two decades since the actor has reprised the role and he’s set to cause a stir.

The news of Martin heading back to the Cobbles was confirmed in April, 2022, and in his first episode he’s set to reunite with his former flame Toyah Battersby.

However, his ex has had a turbulent few years on the soap having been charged with the murder of Imran Habeeb (Charlie de Melo).

‘I’ve always said if I was asked I would come back. I’ve gone and done other things,’ Martin told Metro.co.uk of his decision to return to the ITV show.

He added: ‘You’d be amazed at the places Corrie touches in the world… or not. Towards Christmas last year Georgia put a photo up of us when we were very young, a Toyah and Spider photo of us arm in arm when we were very young it went into a few of the papers and my mother in law who is the Oracle of all things Corrie rang up and said ’Ere duck, you’re in the papers!’

‘I looked at it and I got all sentimental and then my wife said you’ve always said you’d go back and you’re not getting any younger so pull your finger out and have a word with your agent.

‘So I had a word with my agent who had a word with Corrie and there was a bit of to-ing and fro and here I am.’

Asked whether he found it easy to bring Spider back to life, he said: ‘I want to say it was very very difficult and challenging but do you know what? Part of me is Spider, obviously.

‘So I’ve always carried a bit of that militancy with me but not to the same extent as he has. I’m Spider-lite. In that aspect it’s quite easy to step back in but at the same time it’s a bit odd.

‘The funny thing, going through the years when there’s an eco story in the papers or something in the world that’s the kind of thing Spider would be interested in, it does make me revert back to Spider and wonder how he would react. I like to think that Spider is my better self.’

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