Corry's Carla relies on Hopkins for inspiration

‘Coronation Street’s Alison King can’t work unless she has a picture of Anthony Hopkins by her side.

The 37-year-old actress – who plays Carla Connor in the popular ITV1 soap – has a photograph of the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ actor in her dressing room wherever she works.

She told heat magazine: “I have an old black and white picture of him that I put up on my wall everywhere I work, otherwise I feel like I fail as an actor… I’d love to take him for a drink.”

Meanwhile, the brunette beauty’s co-star Chris Gasgoyne – who plays Peter Barlow the show – revealed he would like to have ‘The Golden Compass’ actor Tom Courtenay as a drinking partner.

Discussing who he would take on a trip to the pub, he explained: “I would take Tom Courtenay, the actor. He’s such a big inspiration to me. There aren’t many great actors around these days.”

King was recently a central character in the ITV1 soap’s ‘Siege’ storyline – the most expensive the show has ever produced in its 50-year history - which saw Tony Gordon (Gray O’Brien) escape from jail and imprison her in the factory.