DEV IS CRICKET IDOL IN DISGUISE FOR CORRIE ROLE

Actor Jimmi on how you create a soap star to keep fans hooked for decades'

- BY MARC BAKER

JIMMI Harkishin has been hitting sixes with his antics on Coronation Street for 26 years, and former cricketer Imran Khan is a big reason why.

The actor, 60, reveals how he modelled corner shop entrepreneur Dev Alahan on the former Lion of Lahore, who became Pakistan's prime minister and is currently in jail for corruption. Now there is a plotline.

Jimmi, 60, said: "When Dev first joined the show I got this breakdown which said, 'Dev was born in Birmingham, went to Birmingham University.

"I then got the script and a week before I am due to film I get all method on myself. I did the accent but thought, 'I can't do it like that. I can't do it like I am from Birmingham. I can't do it. It is not cool. Anyone from Birmingham, I apologise but I could not do it.

"I started panicking and asked if I could have a word with the producer Jane Macnaught, who gave me the job. I just thought I could not do all this ducking and diving stuff.

"There was this sportsman and all the women thought he was dead hot and he was Imran Khan, the Lion of Lahore.

"He was the captain of the Pakistan cricket team and he had this mane of black hair and used to whack the balls out of the park.

"He used to talk with a Bombay chic accent. So I went to see Jane and I started talking like that and she said, 'What are you doing?' This is true.

"And I said, 'Birmingham? Imran Khan, Lion of Lahore... fantastic. He is drop dead gorgeous.' The producer said, 'If I wanted to hire Imran Khan, I would have cast him'.

"Then she said to me, 'Go home and do what you want with the character'. And now, 25 years later, I am still at it."