Coronation Street has confirmed the arrival of three male characters to the cobbles over the course of the next month.

The news comes hot on the heels of the arrivals of Farrel Hegarty and Joe Layton as married couple Lou and Mick, marking a contrast to the spate of big-name departures in recent months.

The first is Jason Callender, who is replacing Nathan Graham in the role of youngest Bailey sibling James - last seen in Weatherfield two-and-a-half years ago.

Having been living in LA with partner Danny, James pops back up on the Street this Monday (March 17) to visit his family and check in on his big sister Dee-Dee (Channique Sterling-Brown), who is pregnant but planning to give her baby up for adoption.

"[I'm] super excited to be sliding into the Bailey family," said Callender, previously seen in Outlander and Silent Witness.

"James is determined, whatever he puts his mind to he absolutely goes for it. He's a little brother so expect little brother pranks but more than anything he loves his family and he really wants to be a dad."

A week later - in the episode airing on Tuesday, March 25 - James Cartwright will make his debut as Theo Silverton, a handsome scaffolder working near the Street.

Theo gets off to a bad start with Julie (Katy Cavanagh) and George (Tony Maudsley), while for Todd (Gareth Pierce) there's an instant attraction - but is Theo interested?

Talking about his character, Cartwright said: "I think Theo is a good guy, he comes in with the best of intentions, as most people do, but he may upset some people with his behaviour."

He added: "I had a line the other day where I said 'I think I left my trousers in the bedroom', so make of that what you will!"

The final character to arrive is a previously-mentioned but hitherto-unseen member of the Webster family - Carl, the younger half-brother of Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and Debbie (Sue Devaney).

Played by Jonathan Howard, Carl is first seen on April 11 getting into a heated row with Abi (Sally Carman) about a free car sparking space - each initially unaware that Abi is Kevin's wife and Carl is Kevin's brother.

"Carl is Kevin and Debbie Webster's little brother - they have different mums so he's a bit younger than they are," said Howard. "He comes into Weatherfield to ostensibly be with his brother because he's found out he's got cancer but then we'll discover Carl's got some money issues back in Germany, where he's been living."

He added: "I don't think Carl is going to be too bad but I don't think he's going to be good either. I think his heart is in the right place but he might be holding on to some resentment towards his brother because he's left him to be on his own his whole life."

Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7am on ITVX and at 8pm on ITV1.