Coronation Street star Sair Khan confirms surprise return to filming – just months after welcoming his first child with partner Nathan Chilton

Coronation Street star Sair Khan delighted fans on Tuesday by confirming her surprise return to the ITV soap – just months after the birth of her first child.

The 36-year-old actress from Leeds, who has played the role of Ayla Nazir since 2014, had her baby boy with her partner Nathan Chilton in April.

After announcing the happy news in December last year, she worked throughout most of her pregnancy and eventually left filming just days before the birth of her little one.

Now, in an exciting update, Sair has confirmed that she is preparing for her return to the cobblestones.

The soap star posted a snapshot of a Coronation Street script and a branded mug on her Instagram stories, with the caption “I am Backstreet” and the date “September 2024.”

Sair has been known for her role as Alya Nazir in the legendary soap opera since 2014.

Viewers saw Sair's character grow closer to her boss Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson) before deciding to leave Weatherfield to take a job in Dublin.

Fans will have to wait a little longer to find out what awaits Ayla when she returns.

In May, Sair announced the news of the birth of her little boy, posting a series of heartwarming snaps of the couple holding their little newborn in their arms.

In the detailed caption, she spoke openly about motherhood and her pregnancy, giving her fans a detailed insight into the rollercoaster ride of her labor.

On the carousel, she shared a sweet snapshot of Nathan gently holding the little one on his chest.

“He’s here!” she wrote excitedly.

“Okay, when I said 'spring awakening' in my last post, I didn't mean it would keep me awake. The zombie look for new parents is definitely a theme, right?

“More importantly, our little boy is just wonderful. Very serious and curious about the world. He is super strong and so resilient that he stuck with me on the absolute rollercoaster ride of our 22-hour labor. We didn't quite have the birth I was hoping for, but that's OK (two birthing pools, no water birth).

The soap star posted a snapshot of a Coronation Street script and a branded mug on her Instagram stories with the caption “I am Backstreet” and the date “September 2024”.

In May, Sair shared the news that her baby boy was born, sharing a series of heartwarming snaps of the couple cradling their tiny newborn.

In the lengthy caption, she talked about motherhood and her pregnancy, giving her fans a detailed look at her “rollercoaster ride” during labor.

She went on to describe what the birth was like for her: “How can I describe the birth… it was raw and primal and I'm glad I kept an open mind and had no expectations because I had NO IDEA what a journey I was in for.”

“And since then we've been constantly trying to understand the sucking, the vomiting, the tears, all while struggling with sleep deprivation and the little problem of healing my own body too.

“Big respect to all the new moms and dads who are trying to get through these first days and weeks.”

“Somehow we are back at square one and I am so incredibly grateful for our healthy baby, for Nathan and the incredible support network around us, for their patience, generosity and the late night voice messages that helped me keep going.

“Has anyone else felt like a DJ beat was coming out of their breast pump at 3am, or is this delirium?!” she joked.

Finally, she gave some advice to new mothers: “I will soon be passing on all the little things that I found most useful in the first few days. The sound machine is definitely up there with you, I can't believe we managed without it in the first few days!”

“And everything to calm you down when breastfeeding too! Lanolin balm, silver shields, silicone shields. Now it's back to the cuteness, cuddles and intoxicating smell of the newborn that makes it all worthwhile. Sair x.”

Sair announced her pregnancy in December with a happy announcement on her Instagram page.

Fans will have to wait a little longer to find out what awaits Ayla when she returns to the cobblestones

Sair announced her pregnancy in December with a happy announcement on her Instagram page

She made the happy announcement and shared snaps of her growing belly

The soap star looked radiant in the photos as she cradled her belly while posing next to her boyfriend Nathan.

Alongside the snapshots, she wrote: “Hi… it's been a while since I posted something here that was a real mix of emotions.”

“With everything that is happening in the world, it didn't seem like the right time to share this, but we also know it's OK to hold out hope and pray for peace while acknowledging that we feel blessed and grateful.”

Sair addressed Nathan's health issues in the post, noting that he underwent chondroblastoma surgery – a procedure to remove a tumor – on his pelvis in 2022.

She said: “Last year was a difficult time for both of us with Nathan's pelvic chondroblastoma surgery. It has been a long road to recovery and there are still many obstacles ahead as we have to deal with the spread of the tumour to his lungs.”

“Life can be difficult and there will always be challenges, but there are also important lessons to learn and gifts to appreciate. We are so excited for the arrival of baby Chilton in spring 2024.”

Sair and Nathan made their romance public in 2021, but they have been together since late 2020 after being introduced to each other by a mutual friend.

The soap star looked radiant in the photos as she cradled her belly while posing next to her boyfriend Nathan.

Sair and Nathan made their romance public in 2021, but have been together since late 2020 after being introduced to each other by a mutual friend

Speaking about Nathan's surgery, Sair said she was “so proud” of her partner at the time and wrote: “Nathan has had a long journey to have his pelvic chondroblastoma removed.”

“He documented the story on YouTube to help others going through similar changes in their lives.

“It can be a really isolating experience. I'm so proud of him for being so open and vulnerable in the hope that others don't feel so alone.”

Before her relationship with Nathan, Sair was in a relationship with Emmerdale actor Simon Lennon for two years, from whom she split in 2019.