The star’s name started trending on Twitter this week
And his arrival on the cobbles as retired mechanic Freddie sent Twitter into meltdown.
Within minutes of his first appearance, the children’s TV legend began trending on the social networking site, leading many fans to believe that he had passed away.
However, the 69-year-old is in fact alive and well, and was simply taking over Twitter because delighted Corrie viewers were welcoming him to the show.
Derek retired mechanic Freddie
A sigh of relief swept through the website when fans realized what had happened.
Jane Harris posted: “Thankfully, Derek Griffiths is alive. (But trending, because he’s on Corrie).”
Daniel Nothing then commented: “That’s like the third or fourth time my heart has actually stopped beating because I saw that Derek Griffiths was trending on here.”
Following his debut tonight, it seems Derek’s casting is already proving a popular decision among fans.
“Blast from the past. Derek Griffiths on Corrie! He was my childhood hero. ‘It’s through the round window!,” wrote one.
Another commented: “OMG Derek Griffiths on @itvcorrie. There’s a face from my childhood. Great to see him again.”
Derek was the face of BBC children’s series Play School and Play Away in the 70s and 80s and was also the voice of SuperTed and performed the theme music to Bod.
![Kylie Platt [PAULA LANE] and Freddie [DEREK GRIFFITHS] in Coronation Street](http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article7530926.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Coronation-Street.jpg "Freddie is set to form an unlikely friendship with Kylie Platt following the death of his wife")
He went on to appear in numerous West End shows, including Miss Saigon, and has recently finished filming a role in Silent Witness
Now a fixture in Corrie, his character Freddie is set to form an unlikely friendship with Kylie Platt following the death of his wife.
