Coronation Street‘s new producer Kate Brooks has shared details of a dramatic return storyline for Rob Donovan.

Marc Baylis has reprised his role as Carla Connor’s villainous brother, who returns to our screens in early January.

It was recently revealed that Carla will be rushed to hospital in the New Year. The factory boss is diagnosed

with sepsis and doctors warn that the life-threatening condition has damaged her kidney.

In the aftermath, Carla is told that the situation is serious and she’ll need another transplant.

As Carla’s family rally round, her nephew Bobby Crawford takes decisive action by visiting his father Rob in prison. Wasting no time, Bobby asks Rob if he’ll consider donating a kidney to Carla.

Speaking to Digital Spy and other press about challenges ahead for Carla’s relationship with Lisa Swain, Brooks replied: “There is a big one… a big Rob Donovan return! There are other familiar faces coming back in 2025 which I will not disclose, but a few people will be returning to the Street to cause their own forms of chaos.

“First up is Rob. We last left Rob languishing in prison. He made mistakes. He comes back to the show and we think he might be a reformed character who has seen the error of his ways, but whether that’s the case or not, I don’t know!

“That causes a lot of trouble for Carla and Lisa. Just when Carla and Lisa think it’s safe to sit down and watch Netflix, Rob Donovan comes along and scuppers all of that.

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“So it’s a big story for them and a big story for Rob. There are lots of twists and turns. It’s a big story for Betsy as well, who is fabulous and will be right at the centre of that.

“I love Rob and Carla. I love tapping into their history together, and we really explore that through this story. It’s going to be eventful for Carla and Lisa.”

Rob is best remembered for the dark storyline in 2014 when he killed much-loved Rovers barmaid Tina McIntyre, who was played by Michelle Keegan.

Asked whether Rob is back on a permanent basis, Brooks laughed: “It’s not just a couple of episodes – it’s a good chunk. He killed Tina, but we can get over that. Michelle’s fine on Netflix!

“It’s really exciting, and what I like about this story in particular is that Carla and Lisa are finally together and united. Everyone knows about them and they’re moving on with their lives, and then this drops on them.

“They’re like: ‘How did that happen? Are we not meant to be relaxing and enjoying being with each other?’ So it’s a real test for their relationship in the early stages, but a good test.”

Rob was last seen on the show in 2017.