ITV have confirmed that Joan Collins will reprise her role as hotel boss Crystal Hennessy-Vass in the next series of Benidorm.

The Dynasty star played the CEO of the Solana Group in the last episode of the previous series, broadcast in February. ITV says: "Crystal Hennessy-Vass arrived at the Solana resort last series and immediately made her mark as top dog with the hotel's staff."

Other guest stars confirmed for the new series are TV presenter and actress Nadia Sawalha and John Challis, best known for playing Boycie in Only Fools And Horses.

Following the success of the last series, with average ratings of 6.8 million viewers, the show is currently in production for a new seventh series, which will air in early 2015.

As previously reported, the new series will also see the return of three major characters. Johnny Vegas will reprise his role of The Oracle, Elsie Kelly will play his mother Noreen again, and Crissy Rock returns as hotel worker Janey York.

However, it's been reported that Siobhan Finneran, Steve Pemberton, Sheila Reid and Oliver Stokes - the actors who play Janice, Mick, Madge and Michael - will be written out during the new run. Derren Litten, who is writing all the episodes in the new series, posted on Twitter earlier in the year: "Yes, it's true, The Garveys will be leaving during series VII. But as we all know, in Benidorm, it's always adios and never goodbye."

The new episodes of Benidorm will be broadcast in early 2015.

Below is a clip of Collins introducing herself as Hennessy-Vass: