Pictures in today’s Sun newspaper have shown actor Chris Gascoyne, who plays alcoholic Peter Barlow in the hit ITV soap, Coronation Street, picking up scripts as he returns to work following a six month break earlier this year.

And fans of the loveable, yet by no means trustworthy bookie are in for a treat, as he appears to be coming back with a complete image change!

The pictures, featured in today’s publication, show the actor sporting a grey beard and deep tan, looking ever-so-slightly like George Clooney!

Chris was last seen on our Corrie screens last July, when Peter and his girlfriend Carla Connor (Alison King) left to go travelling, after handing over custody of his son Simon to his ex-wife Leanne (Jane Danson), after his attempt to snatch the boy went a bit wrong!

Leanne managed to stop them in the nick of time and take the boy back, but Peter and Carla decided to leave anyway and work through their relationship issues.

In reality after a jam-packed few years of hectic filming schedules and hard-hitting storylines, Chris opted to take time off in order to spend it with his wife and three kids.

However, whilst we have confirmation that Peter is well and truly on his way back to Weatherfield, there is still no sign of Carla, so could this mean that he is returning single again?