Experienced soap star Paul Opacic has joined the cast of Coronation Street in a new villainous role.

The 55-year-old played shady businessman Steve Marchant, husband of Kim Tate, in Emmerdale for three years in the late '90s and also appeared on Hollyoaks as Carl Costello between 2010 and 2013.

Opacic has now been cast in Corrie as businessman Stefan, the father of bad boy Corey (Maximus Evans), who goes up against Dev (Jimmi Harkishin) as part of an upcoming storyline that sees Corey and Dev's teen daughter Asha (Tanisha Gorey) move into a flat together.

"Paul's a great signing for Corrie. He's soap royalty," a source told The Sun. "Stefan is going to cause chaos on the cobbles this year and give Dev major headaches.

"If viewers think Corey is bad, wait to see what kind of monster created him."

Opacic's first scenes are expected to air later this month.