Fans Just Found Out These Two Coronation Street Icons Were Dating for FIVE Years

Coronation Street fans have been left shocked by the revelation that two of the most familiar faces on the cobbles were once an item – despite appearing on the show almost a decade apart.

Phil Middlemiss, now 62, first appeared on Coronation Street back in 1995 as loverat Des Barnes.

He played the role in a successful stint that lasted until 1998, when his character was killed off.

But until now, few Corrie fans realised that he dated Alison King – AKA Carla Connor – between 1995 and 2000.

The pair’s relationship was recently the topic of discussion on Reddit, where a user unearthed an article from 1998 where Phil said they were ‘madly in love’.

At the time, Alison, now 52, was not famous and worked as a ‘surf shop girl’.

Phil Middlemiss, now 62, first appeared on Coronation Street back in 1995 as loverat Des Barnes – pictured here with his on-screen wife Natalie Horrocks (Denise Welch)

But until now, few Corrie fans realised that he dated Alison King – AKA Carla Connor – between 1995 and 2000

The pair’s relationship was recently the topic of discussion on Reddit , where a user unearthed an article from 1998 where Phil said they were ‘madly in love’ – the couple are pictured here at the Corrie Christmas party in 1997

Reacting to the revelation, shocked fans wrote: ‘No way!!’

‘How random.’;

‘I still can’t get my head around this!’;

‘Small world!’

The actor told the Daily Record at the time: ‘I’ve never been happier. She is a wonderful girl. I love her to death.’

But despite their strong connection, the pair’s romance eventually came to an end in 2000.

Phil said: ‘I was in love with Allie. She’s the only person I’ve ever really loved. But she was working in London and I was in Manchester.

‘In another life, if I had been a bus driver and she had worked at the local baker’s shop, we would have got married and had kids by now.’

But despite their strong connection, the pair’s romance eventually came to an end in 2000 as Phil worked in Manchester and Alison was based in London at the time

Phil said: ‘In another life, if I had been a bus driver and she had worked at the local baker’s shop, we would have got married and had kids’

Phil career has been filled with ups and downs since his time on Corrie came to an end and the 2008 financial crisis saw him file for bankruptcy in 2012 after a film he had invested in failed to take off.

He told the Manchester Evening News: ‘It was partly-funded by myself but I didn’t have the money to fund the rest of the film.

‘Filming came to a grinding halt. It was nearly three-quarters of the way along the line. It has been a difficult time. Three-and-a-half years is a long time to fund myself without any income.

‘I have had to get money from family and friends.’

His acting accolades since Coronation Street include Where The Heart Is and Doctors.

Alison went on to become a familiar face on the cobbles in 2006, when she stepped into the shoes of factory boss Carla.

Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.