Bill Ward, who played Corrie bad boy Charlie Stubbs, is to guest star in four special episodes of The Bill that are set to go out this Christmas.

He’s set to play Rob Towler, a criminal with a romantic connection to Sun Hill’s very own DC Stevie Moss, played by Lucy Speed.

“One of my first parts in television was on The Bill and it’s good to be back playing a completely different character this time around,” Bill told ITV.com.

His and Lucy’s characters have history: back when Moss was working with Manchester’s police undercover as his girlfriend, she fell in love with drug dealing Towler. As an officer Moss had crossed a line – that affair ended when Towler was jailed for assaulting a woman and he never found out she was an undercover officer.

Question is, will Moss pick up where she left off with him when their paths cross again in a chance meeting in Canley? Will she choose Bill or her job as a police officer, because like oil and water, the two don’t mix!

Bill explains a bit more of the plot: “At first you may think that Towler is just a straight-forward bad guy but there is more to him than that and his relationship with Stevie Moss shows his vulnerable side. His history with her goes back a long way and as the relationship is revisited it is a question of whether their conflicting priorities will drive them apart or not – it is a choice between duty or love!”