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Coronation Street: Britain's Got Talent star Jack Carroll joins cast

ITV Jack Carroll, announced as joining the Coronation Street cast as Bobby. Jack, a white man in his 20s, has short brown hair and wears tortoiseshell rimmed glasses. He has blue eyes and a short stubble and smiles at the camera. He is pictured in front of a brick wall wearing a blue and white striped top.ITV
Jack Carroll made a name for himself with his comedy routines on Britain's Got Talent

A comedian who shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent aged 14 is set to join the cast of Coronation Street.

Jack Carroll, now 24, will make his debut on the famous cobbles just after Christmas as Bobby - Carla Connor's nephew.

ITV says Bobby will "run rings round Auntie Carla", played by Alison King.

Jack says he is "delighted and honoured" to be joining the Manchester-based soap, which he describes as "a cultural institution".

It's not the first acting role for Bradford-born Jack, who has cerebral palsy.

Earlier this year he produced and starred in Mobility - a BBC Three short about three disabled teenagers catching the same school bus every day.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat at the time, he said he hoped the show would spark a change in representation of disability on TV.

ITV L-R Alison King as Carla Connor walks alongside Jack Carroll as Bobby on the Coronation Street set. Carla is a white woman in her 40s with long brown hair, she wears a long green coat over black trousers with black boots. Bobby, a white man in his 20s with short brown hair and dark rimmed glasses, wears a maroon jacket over a blue and white striped top with dark jeans and blue trainers. He uses a walker as the pair are pictured on a rain-soaked street in front of the set's kebab shop with a red car parked outside.ITV
Jack stars as Bobby alongside Alison King's character, Carla Connor

Although Jack's been acting more in recent years, it's his comedy he's best known for.

Since impressing the judges on BGT in 2013, Jack's done a national tour, gigged at the London Palladium and Apollo and worked with Jason Manford.

He says he hopes to bring his comedy to Coronation Street, which is one of the UK's most popular soaps.

Bobby, the son of Carla's murderer brother Rob Donovan, will arrive on the street looking for a place to stay after falling out with his mum.

ITV describes Jack's character as "a livewire chip off the old block, with the gift of the gab and an eye for the ladies".

"I hope Bobby brings viewers a lot of laughs in the vein of some of the street's classic comedy characters," Jack says.

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