Alina Pop (Ruxandra Porojnicu) is heading back to Coronation Street, ready to cause trouble for Fiz Stape (Jennie McAlpine) and Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall).

She was last seen in Weatherfield when the cast were filming with Coronavirus restrictions in place back in 2021. A lot has happened and changed since then, so let’s talk about Alina Pop, why she’s back, and what she got up to previously on the cobbles.

Who is Alina Pop?

If we cast our minds back to 2019, Seb Franklin (Harry Visinoni) found Alina had been trafficked into the UK to work at a nail salon, with her ‘boss’ confiscating her passport to prevent her returning home.

After setting up home in Coronation Street, it wasn’t long before she drove a wedge between Tyrone and his long-term partner Fiz.

Their nine year relationship came to an end, and they both moved into the salon flat together. Tyrone’s pyromaniac daughter Hope (Isabella Flanagan) wasn’t best pleased by their union, and lit a fire in the flat which caused Alina to miscarry a baby.

Why is Alina returning to Coronation Street?

Fiz recently learnt Alina was in Manchester due to being called as a witness in a human trafficking trial. As much as she tries to avoid reminders of her past, Alina will bump into Fiz while in Frescho’s carpark soon, and it’s possible she isn’t alone.

Prior to Alina’s return to Romania in 2021, she was seen in the airport lounge holding her stomach, suggesting she was pregnant with Ty’s baby.

Thanks to recent pictures, we know Ruxandra has been spotted filming with a pram, fuelling the fan theory Alina has given birth to her and Tyrone’s child.

Of her return, Ruxandra said: ‘It feels wonderful. I love working with all the cast and crew, it’s definitely a big family who welcomed me back with their arms wide open!’

Teasing the drama ahead, Ruxandra continued: ‘When she sees Fiz, it’s definitely unexpected, if she was able to avoid that she would’ve done it at all costs! She basically tries to get away from Fiz and Tyrone.’

‘I think she will always care for [Tyrone] in one way or another, but deep down, she knew that Fiz is the love of Tyrone’s life and they are meant to be together,’ she says.

‘Even though it hurts Alina a little bit, that he never chose her, she is willing to let the past go.’

But how will Fiz and Tyrone react when they come face to face with her?