An on-screen Coronation Street couple have revealed they are secretly married in real life – and fans of the soap didn’t know.

Steve Meo, who played businessman Rufus Donahue, arrived on the cobbles in February to help Carla Connor (Alison King) with Underworld. 

But just one month later he became serial killer Stephen Reid’s third victim after he threatened to expose the villain’s secret drugs plot. 

Rufus’ wife, Lou is set to arrive on the street this week, as the report of Rufus’ death is released and she becomes suspicious. 

Lou will be played by none other than Steve’s real life wife, Eleanor Howell, with the couple announcing the news to Twitter this week. 

On screen: Steve Meo, who played businessman Rufus Donahue, arrived on the cobbles in February but was murdered the following month

She’s arrived: Rufus’ wife, Lou is set to arrive on the street this week and will be played by none other than Steve’s real life wife, Eleanor Howell

Eleanor shared: ‘Well, don’t mind if I do… Delighted to say I’m joining the lovely bunch at Corrie! 

‘Following in @stevemeo’s footsteps, Catch me as my real life hubby’s on screen widow! On screen from this Monday… here’s hoping I catch that @todd_boyce.’

Re-sharing the post, Steve wrote: ‘Hugely proud to announce my super talented wife will be appearing in #Corrie from next week on, as my On-screen grieving widow!! #proudhusband. 

Murderer Stephen (Todd Boyce) was causing havoc on the cobbles as he attempted  to gain control of Weatherfield’s underwear factory, Underworld.

The Canadian businessman killed three people since arriving on the scene.

He saw off Jenny Connor’s (Sally Ann Matthews) fiancé Leo Thompkins (Joe Frost) in a flashback episode last year, and both his father Teddy Thompkins (Grant Burgin) and a former client Rufus Donahue (Steve Meo) this year.

The ruthless criminal had also been attempting to kill off Underworld boss Carla Connor (Alison King) by continuously drugging her and tried to murder his fiancée Elaine Jones (Paula Wilcox).

Stephen (Todd Boyce) gets hot under the collar this week as the inquest into Rufus’ death is due to be released. 

Exciting: The couple announced the news to Twitter this week, Eleanor shared: ‘Following in @stevemeo’s footsteps, Catch me as my real life hubby’s on screen widow!’

Re-sharing the post, Steve wrote: ‘Hugely proud to announce my super talented wife will be appearing in #Corrie from next week on, as my On-screen grieving widow!!’

His widow Lou is on the scene as she reveals she suspects foul play and has contacted the Gazette, forcing Stephen to mask his panic. Alone in the factory office, Stephen scours the press for reports about Rufus’s death.

The results of the report are in and Lou confides in Stephen and Carla (Alison King) that the Coroner found that Rufus (Steven Meo) died by misadventure. As far as Lou is concerned Rufus’s drug fuelled death still doesn’t stack up, but Stephen attempts to assure her it was obviously a tragic accident.

Later in the week his guilt takes hold and he visits Rufus’ memorial. He then unexpectedly meets his victim’s son Jools, who enquires as to how he knew his dad.

When Jools makes an emotional speech about his Dad, Stephen hurries off to the gents, watched by Carla and Lou. He returns and is horrified to see his tie pin in Rufus’s bag that was found by the side of the pool.

Stephen is shocked when Lou reveals she is going to show the tie pin to the police as it didn’t belong to Rufus. Is it all unravelling for the killer?

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.