Well this a bizarre one. We can get our heads around Blue's Duncan James showing up in Hollyoaks, but Dallas' Linda Gray? She's pretty much a TV icon, surely she has better things to be doing. No offence, Hollyoaks.

Gray, who played the unforgettable Sue Ellen on Dallas, will join the soap in the role of Tabitha Maxwell-Brown - Marnie Nightingale's mum. Tabitha heads over to Chester following the death of her husband and is set to inject a bit of glamour into the village.

Linda said of her new role; "I’m thrilled to be going from one iconic series to another and can’t wait to work with the fantastic cast. Hollyoaks viewers are going to love it when Tabby whips up a storm just like Sue Ellen did."

While Hollyoaks executive producer Bryan Kirkwood said: "When we came to discuss who could possibly play Marnie’s mother the list was very small. Lysette Anthony has fast become a fabulous soap bitch so having Linda Gray play her mother Tabitha is the perfect fit. We can’t wait to have an international TV icon arrive in Chester and become part of the Hollyoaks family."

Linda Gray will make her first appearance as Tabby this autumn.