Mel Hutchwright

Mel Hutchwright (real name Lionel Hipkiss) is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by Ian McKellen. He makes his first on-screen appearance on 1 May 2005 and is last seen on 22 May 2005.

Creation and casting

In March 2005, it was announced that British veteran actor, Ian McKellen, had joined Coronation Street for ten episodes as a "dodgy novelist". Producer Tony Wood said: "We are delighted that an actor of Ian McKellen's calibre has agreed to appear in the show, it is a testament to the direction we have been taking the show in the last 12 months. Ian will be perfect as Mel Hutchwright and the cast and crew are looking forward to working with him on what promises to be a very funny storyline."

McKellen described in a humorous account posted on his website his experience of working on the set of the show: "Often I felt a Pirandellian urge to laugh at it all. For instance, has Mel Hutchwright never watched television that he has to be introduced to characters who've been such a part of the nation's life for nearly half a century? It’s like working with a castful of twins. There's fluttery Emily who is a dead ringer for her creator Eileen Derbyshire. Ken Barlow looks just like the amiable Bill Roache. Have Rita and Barbara Knox ever been seen together? Of course they have, all the time! Then I began fantasies of Mel turning up in the Emmerdale bar once he's moved on from the Rover's . . . or even the bar of the Queen Vic."