Chat show legend Michael Parkinson revealed yesterday that it has been his lifetime's ambition to star on Coronation Street.

The presenter, who moved to ITV in April, said during a This Morning show interview that appearing on the soap was his ''greatest ambition''.

He told presenters Philip Schofield and Lorraine Kelly that he would love to play Sunita's love interest in the programme.

''Sunita is the one for me and I don't think that Dev treats her right at all," he said.

The character Sunita, played by Shobna Gulati, is currently engaged to Dev but Parkinson clearly feels he would be a much better suitor.

The 69-year-old has even worked out a way he could get on to the show.

He said: ''What I want to do is contrive a situation where I'm driving past Sunita's door.

"My car breaks down and I knock on the door and she answers it and I say can I borrow a spanner from you? Or something sexy like that!''

A Coronation Street spokesperson said: ''We are really, really flattered that Michael Parkinson has expressed such an interest in the show.

''It would be unlikely he would play Sunita's love interest, but we will be talking to the producer about a possible cameo role in the show if the storyline allows it.''