An estate agent briefly swapped property viewings in Wigan for a role on Coronation Street, appearing as an extra in a scene filmed at the Rovers Return.

Jason Foley-Doherty, strategic partnerships director at Rutter Green, featured in the episode aired on Tuesday, marking a brief on-screen appearance in the long-running ITV drama.

Diane Wilde, director at Rutter Green, said the appearance reflected the firm’s local ties and Foley-Doherty’s involvement in the business, adding that the company aims to remain closely connected to the Wigan area.

“At Rutter Green, we pride ourselves on being more than just property experts; we are part of the local fabric. Having Jason represent us on Coronation Street is a testament to his dedication and the unique spirit we bring to the Wigan property market,” Wilde told Wigan Today.

The TV soap previously featured an estate agency storyline in 2021 involving Purplebricks as part of a product placement arrangement.

That storyline centred on the Rovers Return after landlord Johnny (Richard Hawley) returned from prison and discovered his wife Jenny (Sally Ann Matthews) had started a relationship with Ronnie (Vinta Morgan). Following the breakdown of their marriage, Johnny decided to place the pub on the market.

At the time, Purplebricks branding appeared as part of the on-screen property marketing.

Executive producer Iain MacLeod said the use of a real estate board outside the pub was intended to reflect real-world property sales and add authenticity to the storyline.

ITV sales director Mark Trinder said the arrangement with Purplebricks allowed the programme to integrate a commercial partner into a major storyline in collaboration with the production team – a first for the TV show at the time.