SOAP recasts are not uncommon with many faces having changed across the world of serial drama’s.
From seven different Ben Mitchell’s in EastEnders to a completely refreshed version of Michelle Fowler, all of the major soaps have switched out their actors from time-to-time.
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Coronation Street are the latest soap to confirm they have brought on a brand new face to play one of its characters.
The role of Harry Platt was revealed to have been reassigned to actor Carter-J Murphy earlier this week.
The child star will play Sarah’s son going forward replacing current actors, twins Freddie and Isaac Rhodes.
Speaking to press about the change-up, actor Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt, said: “They’ve just recast the lad who plays Harry.
“Carter is very, very confident.”
The new star will be appearing on-screen for the first time this week.
But just who else has seen a change in face in the world of soap over the years?
Tracy Barlow
Whilst actress Kate Ford has become synonymous with the iconic charachter thanks to her portrayal of her for over 20 years – she is actually the fourth person to have played the part.
Way back when Tracy was first born in Weatherfield in 1977 she was played by Christabel Finch.
Christabel appeared on the show for the first time at just 15 days old and continued to portray Tracy until the age of six.
EastEnders’ Michelle Fowler sleeps with lover just hours after he seduced her niece Bex
After Christabel’s final scene, the character of Tracy was actually not seen on-screen for over two years as bosses took their time in recasting the part.
Whilst she was never written out, she simply did not feature in any plots with mum Deirdre often telling pals she was upstairs “playing tapes”.
Holly Chamarette then joined the cast as Tracy and appeared between 1985 and 1988 before bosses opted to bring in a new actress once again.
Dawn Acton then found herself playing Tracy where she stayed for just over a decade.
She eventually departed the soap and when ITV bosses opted to bring Tracy back in 2002 it was the iconic Kate that was given the part.
Kate quit the show in 2007 but returned to play Tracy just over three years later where she has remained in the role to this day.
However, throughout 2024, the actress has opted to appear for just a few weeks at a time in a recurring basis as a result of Tracy having moved to Spain with her boyfriend, Tommy.
Sarah Sugden
A total of five actresses have held the role of Emmerdale’s Sarah Sugden at one point or another.
The daughter of Debbie and Andy, Sarah was initially portrayed by two baby actresses upon her arrival into the soap.
Lily-May Bartley and Lucy Warren both took turns to be Sarah upon her soap debut in 2005 but it was eventually decided that just Lucy would remain going forward.
Just a year later in 2006, Lucy was removed from the role and it was instead recast to Amber Child-Cavill who played Sarah for a year.
2007 saw yet another child star brought in with Sophia Amber Moore landing the part.
Sophia then stayed in the soap for just shy of 10 years before bosses decided to re-cast the part to an older actress due to the nature of storylines going forward.
Amid a temporary on-screen absence for Sarah, Katie Hill made her debut in 2017 and has continued to play her ever since.
Ben Mitchell
The character of Ben Mitchell has long-become a joke in the soap world thanks to the staggering number of actors too have taken on the part – with a total of six.
Whilst recasts often occur during the childhood and teenage years, Ben has seen a different face all throughout his life in Walford.
Every single time the character has departed and been re-introduced, a brand new actor has been picked to play the part.
Upon his screen debut, he was played by Matthew Silver for three years until 1999.
Morgan Whittle then took on the job between 1999 and 2001 before the character was written out for the first time when he was sent to South Africa to be with his mum, Kathy.
Ben eventually returned five years later after the death, which has since been proved false, of his mum but this time it was Charlie Jones who held the role.
He stayed with the show until 2010 when Joshua Pascoe was recast as Ben amid new, gritty stories.
Ben was eventually axed in 2012 and was sent to jail for killing Cheryl Fergison’s Heather Trott with Joshua leaving the role.
When bosses opted to bring Ben back just under two years later in 2014, it was Harry Reid who found himself in the role.
This time around, Ben lasted for four years when the decision was taken to rest the character once more.
However, BBC bosses quickly did a U-turn and brought Ben back once again just a year later in 2019 but this time it was actor Max Bowden in the role.
Max held the role for five years but was eventually axed by soap chiefs amid his off-screen behaviour.
If Ben is brought back again, only time will tell if the re-cast tradition is upheld.
Peggy Mitchell
Whilst Peggy is one of soap’s most famous character ever – it wasn’t always Dame Barbara Windsor who played her.
Before Peggy was made a Walford regular, it was actually actress Jo Warne than played her on and off between 1991 and 1994.
Babs joined in 1994 and turned Peggy into the Queen Vic firecracker that soap fans know and love.
Peggy was last seen in 2016 when she died on the show.
In real-life, Barbara passed away a few years later after a battle with dementia.
Aaron Dingle
Whilst Aaron is now arguably one of Emmerdale’s most well-known characters and actor Danny Miller one of soap’s most-awarded performers, life for Aaron actually began with an entirely different Danny.
When the character first debuted in 2005, he was played by actor Danny Webb.
It was only in 2008 when Danny Miller was brought in that the character of Aaron was brought to the forefront.
Michelle Fowler
A member of EastEnders’ first family, Michelle was absent from screens for 21 years in between her two stints on the programme.
Originally played by Susan Tully from the show’s beginning in 1985, the star remained in the role for 10 years before quitting in 1995.
It wasn’t until 2016 that Michelle was seen once again – this time controversially being played by Jenna Russell.
The casting caused a stir among EastEnders fans with many arguing that the new Michelle could not have been further from the old Chelle.
Upon her return, her storylines focused on her illegal relationship with one of her pupils from her school in America, Preston Cooper, who fled the States to continue his illicit romance with Michelle in Walford.
However, they soon found themselves locked in a seedy love triangle when Preston also began secretly romancing Michelle’s niece, Bex.
Nick Tilsley
Nick in Coronation Street has been played by two notable stars during his tenure.
His first stint saw him played by Adam Rickitt.
Having already been a child model, Adam found fame on Corrie in the late 90s before eventually launching a career as a popstar.
Adam last appeared as Nick in 2004 and when the character was brought back in 2009, it was Ben Price who was handed the role.
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