Cilla Battersby-Brown surprises fans with her appearance in new series

The new BBC detective series features two Coronation Street favourites amongst its ensemble. The Hairdresser Mysteries, penned by Jim Cartwright, has unveiled an initial glimpse at the nostalgic 1970s-set crime drama and revealed its star-studded line-up.

A synopsis for the forthcoming six-part programme revealed, “The Hairdresser Mysteries is an original, homegrown drama and a nostalgic nod to the 70’s which sees a high-end hairdresser, Lily Petal (Sally Phillips), opt out of the competitive city scene to buy a small village hairdresser’s at the top of a cobbled street.

“Everyone tells their hairdresser everything, and soon she becomes the hub of her new village’s secrets and revelations. Using her own brand of uncannily developed hairdressing intuition, empathy, and understanding, Lily begins to solve the mysteries of the village.”

Coronation Street icon Wendi Peters will portray Gloria Crudd in the programme, another village newcomer seeking a clean slate with her ice cream parlour, only to discover her past rapidly catching up with her, reports the Mirror.

Wendi is best known for her portrayal of Cilla Battersby-Brown in Coronation Street between 2003 and 2007, and for her return to the cobbles in 2014.

In an early preview of the new programme, Wendi appears unrecognisable from Cilla, as her character, Gloria, sports a pastel pink, copper-toned, curly beehive hairstyle adorned with jewellery.

However, Wendi isn’t the only Coronation Street star in the new series as she is joined by fellow Weatherfield favourite Charlotte Jordan, who is playing Clary Coombs – Lily’s bright and analytical assistant and the Watson to her Shear-lock Holmes. Charlotte is best known for playing Daisy Midgeley on the cobbles from 2020 to 2025, where her character was involved in several huge storylines, including the hard-hitting acid attack plot.

Rounding out the Coronation Street duo is Bridget Jones’ Diary legend Sally Phillips, who takes on the lead role of hairdresser Lily Petal – a woman who swaps the cutthroat city lifestyle to purchase a quaint village hair salon perched at the top of a cobbled street.

Ben Castle-Gibb took the role of PC Adam Watson – an enthusiastic young village bobby who finds himself completely smitten with salon assistant Clary.

Ackley Bridge favourite Sunetra Sarker steps into the shoes of Wincey Evans – the village’s resident gossip with a well-earned reputation for tittle-tattle – while Clive Rowe portrays Lonnie, the larger-than-life manager of the local charity shop. Holby City’s Guy Henry rounds off the ensemble as Race Runard, the village’s quirky antiques dealer with a particular fondness for prized teacup and saucer collections.