Shobna Gulati ‘thrilled’ with barmaid’s role in Rovers Return

London: Shobna Gulati is set to be the new barmaid for The Rovers Return in ‘Coronation Street’.

The 45-year-old Indian origin’s character Sunita will start her new job in January, taking over from Katherine Kelly’s Becky McDonald. The British actress is “thrilled” to be the latest in the long line of Corrie barmaids, which included Michelle Keegan, Bev Callard, Julie Goodyear and Sarah Lancashire. “It may only be a job in a pub, but as far as Corrie goes, getting the barmaid’s position is massive,” the Mirror quoted a source as saying. “It’s the focal point of the Street and anyone who works there always gets a lot of screen time and tends to be in juicy storylines. “All you have to do is look back at the people who have been given the role before and you realise how big a role it is. “People like Bev, Julie and Sarah went on to be the soap’s big hitters. “Shobna is thrilled. It will be a huge boost to her profile,” the source added. Oldham-born Gulati first joined Corrie in 2001, with her character arriving after escaping an arranged ­marriage. ANI