SHERRIE Hewson will always be known as Corrie’s Maureen Holdsworth – but is making history in her latest role.

I can reveal the actress, 73, is to be soap’s oldest serial killer.

Martha Blake will “tear through characters like a knife through butter” in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks. She is the matriarch of the Blake family, which has already had one murderer.

A source revealed: “Hollyoaks is at its best when there’s a major villain on the loose and Martha is going to top them all. She’s just as twisted as her murderous great-granddaughter Nico.

“She may be worse. No one’s safe with Martha around.”

Nico killed her grandfather Patrick in 2016.

Martha’s killing spree is due to begin in time for the big September relaunch of the soap. With 20 cast members being axed in the coming months, she will have pl- enty of potential victims.

The source said: “Obviously Sherrie is over the moon to play such an out-there character. She can’t wait to get her hands dirty with the blood of characters.”

Sherrie’s most famous role as Corrie’s dizzy Maureen ran from 1993 to 2006 in total. She arrived at Bettabuys and later married store boss Reg.

Meanwhile, Hollyoaks has had an old-age murderer before in Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle), who was 72 during his 2020 killings. Last year Corrie viewers saw Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) kill thre

Hollyoaks executive producer Hannah Cheers said of the Blakes: “With a family dynasty so rich in history, it should come as no surprise there are still many secrets to be uncovered.”