Martin Hancock has said that he is pleased his Coronation Street character Spider Nugent is 'progressing' now that his secret has been revealed.

Since Spider returned to the cobbles earlier this year after 20 years away, viewers have known that he has been hiding something as he has been taking furtive calls from a mystery person.

In Monday night's episode, it emerged that Spider is actually an undercover policeman - Detective Constable Nugent - working for DS Swain (Vicky Myers) as an informant.

"I didn't know [about the twist] initially, when I signed up," he told the Radio Times. "But it wouldn't have made a difference anyway. I think it's interesting, it's not what you expect from Spider, which is great.

"It's just a way of progressing the character, and creating new ideas for the character. He's still a very, very committed activist, but he's doing it now from inside the system."

He added: "I did wonder what the backstory was - I can't give it all away! But there's quite a powerful backstory as to why Spider joins the police.

"It's very powerful, actually, so in my mind it works, even though he's had a few run-ins himself and hasn't exactly been an angel."

Coronation Street continues tonight at 8pm on ITV.