Michelle Keegan in 2020 ITV has addressed recent reports surrounding a new drama set to air on the broadcaster and actor Michelle Keegan. Over the weekend, The Sun shared an article alleging that the former Coronation Street star had “pulled out of a major new ITV drama just months before filming was due to start”. The tabloid claimed that Michelle was due to take the lead in an upcoming drama about a barrister from a working-class background, suggesting she’d “committed to the drama a few months ago”. It was also claimed that she chose not to pursue the role to focus on family life, after welcoming a daughter, Palma, with her husband Mark Wright last year. However, in a statement to Digital Spy, an ITV representative claimed: “Early conversations occurred, but Michelle was never contracted so it’s incorrect to say she pulled out.” The Sun also claimed that former Doctor Who and Toxic Town actor Jodie Whittaker will play the lead in the new drama instead. Michelle first rose to fame for her work as Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street, a role she played for six years between 2008 and 2014, when the character was killed off. Shortly after leaving the cobbles, she was cast as a lead in the BBC ensemble drama Ordinary Lies, before winning acclaim for her work in Our Girl, Tina & Bobby and the comedy Brassic. More recently, Michelle has been introduced to a more international audience thanks to her work in the Netflix thriller Fool Me Once. Michelle Keegan and Richard Armitage in Fool Me Once She is also set to appear in another Harlan Coben adaptation for the streaming giant, which is due to hit our screens early next year. The new series, titled The Woods, will see Michelle acting alongside Tom Bateman, as well as The Inbetweeners’ James Buckley, Mandeep Dhillon, comedian Tom Allen and former soap star Tracy-Ann Oberman. MORE TV NEWS: Here's The Full List Of Winners From The 2026 National Television Awards Tom Hardy's MobLand Future Confirmed After Rumoured Behind-The-Scenes Tension Slow Horses Actor Gary Oldman Reacts To Co-Star Jack Lowden James Bond Rumours