Coronation Street fans finally realise why Sam Blakeman star looks so familiar

Coronation Street fans have been left stunned after uncovering actor Jude Riordan's striking resemblance to actress Ella Bruccoleri. Numerous dedicated soap viewers have highlighted the resemblance between Riordan, who plays troubled character Sam Blakeman, and Bruccoleri, who portrayed Mary Bennet in the acclaimed period drama The Other Bennet Sister.

Sam Blakeman has endured considerable hardship on the cobbles. The youngster was heartbroken in 2021 when his mother Natasha, played by Rachel Leskovac, was shot dead by criminal Harvey Gaskell in a tragic case of mistaken identity. Sam, who currently lives with his father Nick Tilsley and his partner Toyah Battersby, faced additional distress when he discovered an inappropriate relationship between Will Driscoll and sports coach Beth Nixon.

The evil coach began intimidating Sam to remain silent. His difficulties reached a breaking point when he locked himself inside the cafe and threw a chair at Roy Cropper. Sam was subsequently sectioned and currently remains in a mental health facility as part of his ongoing recovery.

The Other Bennet Sister followed Mary, the frequently overlooked middle sister in Pride and Prejudice, as she navigated the rigid social conventions of Regency England where marriage represented both aspiration and necessity.

One Corrie fan posted on Reddit: "I've been watching this on Britbox and I must say that Mary could be Sam's older sister." Another concurred: "Omg before I even clicked the post and saw the body text I was like Yeah she looks like Sam. Like I just knew what the post would be about."

A third viewer remarked: "Yeah when I saw her in Call the Midwife I had to check if they were siblings. I still struggle to accept that they are unrelated." Someone else noted: "OMG yes I have thought this too Amazing haha" while another declared: "They could literally be twins."

This comes after Jude Riordan paid tribute to his co-star Beth Nixon ahead of her final scenes as villainous teacher Megan. Posting an emotional photograph of the pair on Instagram, Jude wrote: "FRIENDS REALLY I really enjoyed working with Beth. Megan really tormented Sam and pushed him right over the edge but shows what a great baddie she is." The young star also expressed his appreciation following an Inside Soap nomination.