Coronation Street fans were left shocked on Saturday evening (March 30) after spotting a soap legend starring in the latest episode of Casualty.

The BBC medical drama followed student paramedic Indie Jankowski (Naomi Wakszlak) and Jacob Masters (Charles Venn) who rushed to Wyvern Prison to save the life of an inmate who had been stabbed. But upon arriving, they were met with violent disorder from other prisoners as a fight broke out.

When the paramedics eventually reached the prison cell they found an inmate laying on the floor with a single stab wound to the stomach. Indie looked shocked as she starred down at her patient screaming in pain.

The prisoner whispered something to Indie before he tried to touch her hand, but she immediately pulled away knocking the knife that was sticking out of the mans body. Later in the episode, is soon transpired the stab victim was Samuel Jankowski, Indie’s dad, who she had stopped visiting in prison.

Despite Indie’s family secret being exposed, soap fans were left delighted to see former Corrie actor Martin Hancock playing the role of Samuel. The 56-year-old is famed for playing Spider Nugent on the long-running soap on and off for 26 years.

The actor’s last appearance on Coronation Street was two years ago when his character, Spider, left Weatherfield after refusing to quit his undercover police work, despite an ultimatum from his long-term romantic interest, Toyah Battersby, played by Georgia Taylor.

Martin arrived in Weather in 1997 and first waved goodbye to the cobbles in 2000, only to return the following year seeking financial help from his on-screen aunt for a juice bar venture in London. By 2003, Spider had convinced a disenchanted Toyah to join him down south.

The nation took Spider to heart, charmed by his unique take on life, vibrant fashion sense and environmentalism.

Corrie fans wasted no time is sharing their surprise at seeing the soap legend on Casualty, with one person writing on Facebook: “Watching casualty is Martin Hancock who played Spider.”

A second replied: “It does look like him”, while a third confirmed: “I’ve just Googled it. Its definitely the guy who played spider in Coronation Street.”

Another stated: “I don’t think so”, as another confirmed: “Yes it is!”. “Well spotted! I watched last night and didn’t realise it was him”, added another.

Another person added: “Looks nothing like him”, while another confirmed: “Yes it is, he was in the closing credits!.”