It's been just over 24 years since Coronation Street fans were first introduced to Dev Alahan. He arrived on the cobbles in 1999, played by Jimmi Harkishin, when he bought his uncle Ravi Desai's seven shops, including the one on the famous street.
He's been Weatherfield's leading businessman owning Prima Doner, For Your Fries Only and the corner shop, managing the latter since 1999.
He's also raised twins Aadi and Asha as a single father following the tragic death of his ex-wife, Sunita, in 2013. But away from work and family life, Dev is one of the street's most eligible bachelors, Dev had his pick of the women - not forgetting a turbulent romance with Deidre Barlow, after a romance with her daughter Tracy. READ MORE: Coronation Street star Tony Maudsley cheekily brands co-star a 'witch' after using block threat over festive move READ MORE: Read more of our Coronation Street stories here As for Jimmi's life away from his alter-ego on the small screen, the soap star has two children with ex-partner Susan Beaton, who he had been with since 1991, but it is understood they are no longer together.
The actor was actually born in Paris with the name Rajan Harkishindas to an Indian father and Italian mother. When he joined Corrie, bosses changed the idea they had of where Dev had made his way to Weatherfield from.