After 48 years on TV, popular British soap Coronation Street looks set to get its first lesbian character. A source told the News Of The World: "Executives want to create a soap which is representative of society in 2008, and they are acutely aware they need more gay characters. The insider added: "It does seem ridiculous a lesbian character has never been explored on Corrie but that's all about to change." Tony Warren, the creator of Coronation Street in 1960, is openly gay. In the 2000s there have been four gay male characters so far, including long-serving bartender Sean Tully, played by Queer as Folk's Antony Cotton. The new character will be introduced in coming months on UK screens, but won't be seen on New Zealand's TVOne until next year, since we are a year behind showing new Coronation Street episodes.