So you're watching your favourite soap, and out of the blue, on toddles an A-list actor. What's going on? It's known in the biz as stunt casting and invariably involves celebrities, or soap alumni made good, taking on bit parts or reprising the roles that broke them. Even highfalutin grand dames such as Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor have succumbed to the novelty. The latest incidence sees movie crumpet James Franco popping up on General Hospital as a creepy stalker type.

Andrew talks with TV viewer, Julie Souter and writer, David Sale about some notable examples of this phenomenon.