Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber is to appear in three episodes of Hollyoaks.

The theatre producer will play himself in the Channel 4 soap in late January and has said that he is thrilled at the opportunity.

He revealed: "I have blurred fiction with fact all my life, but never before on national TV. Bless Hollyoaks for asking me."

He makes his appearance when Summer Shaw decides to stalk him in a bid for West End stardom. She eventually manages to audition for her idol but the performance does not go according to plan.

Actress Summer Strallen, who plays Summer, said: "It’s been a brilliant storyline and to have the opportunity to work with Andrew Lloyd Webber was fantastic.

"Hollyoaks viewers will have to tune in to find out if Summer does enough to impress Andrew Lloyd Webber or if she’ll live happily ever after in the village with OB!"

Hollyoaks star Carley Stenson wants Dame Helen Mirren to appear on the show and on the annual 'babes' calendar.

The actress, who plays Steph Dean in the soap, has admitted she would love her idol to appear alongside her in a cameo, saying: "I'd love to do something really meaty, something very dramatic that I can get my teeth into, like Prime Suspect.

"Helen Mirren is brilliant. It would be great to get an actress like that to make a guest appearance on the show.

"She's a babe. She could do the Hollyoaks calendar."

Stenson, who is the longest-running female cast member in Hollyoaks, is about to appear in reality show Celebrity Scissorhands, where she will learn how to cut hair alongside other celebrities including Willow actor Warwick Davies.

Carley admitted she is excited about her new project, saying: "I loved watching Willow when I was younger so it will be great to meet him. I also used to fancy Val Kilmer who was in it, so I'll have to get in there with Warwick."