Tuesday 11 February 2014

David Neilson talks about Hayley’s death

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog January 2013, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Coronation Street actor David Neilson, who plays Roy Cropper, has spoken for the first time about the struggle that Roy has with Hayley’s decision to take her own life.


As these pictures show Roy is tormented by knowing the real truth behind Hayley’s death and has to explain to Fiz how he feels about it when she discovers what really happened.

David said: “Roy is conflicted because he is immensely loyal to Hayley he has told a lie in saying that he will support her wholeheartedly because he is not supporting her, he doesn’t agree with it.

“To him It is a very selfish act I think Roy feels that he is absolutely on his own, he is very very confused and conflicted that she has removed herself from their relationship which is such a tight and unique one. So he is not at all understanding of it but he is trying to be supportive of the woman he loves.”


On Friday night viewers saw Hayley tell Roy that she had decided that the time had come to end her life and on Monday, with Roy at her side, Hayley prepares to bring her suffering to an end before the treatment for cancer renders her incapable of doing so.

Determined not to implicate Roy in her suicide Hayley has planned everything and even his last minute pleas for her to change her mind do not soften her resolve.

When Anna Windass and Carla Connor arrive at the flat they find a devastated Roy struggling to come to terms with the death of his soulmate.

Now David has spoken about the turmoil suffered by Roy and about how the mild mannered cafe owner is so tormented by what she did that he feels like he has fallen out of love with her and is questioning everything about their life together.

David said that Roy just can’t understand her determination to take her life when she could still be enjoying things with him.

He said: “When she has died there is tremendous grief which displays itself in all sorts of ways, it is so sudden, to have chosen the moment that way, he kept telling her ‘you could have life tomorrow’.“He feels betrayed and I think he feels almost like he has fallen out of love.”

After Hayley’s death the fact that he didn’t actually help her spares Roy any guilt but he just feels so much anger towards the woman he loved.

David added: “He doesn’t feel guilt, he feels anger, confusion and maybe even doubts about the basis of their relationship, it makes him question everything. It is a horrible thing, the cancer is a horrible thing, but the fact that she takes herself away from him before time, before she would have had to, is horrible too and something he really can’t understand.

“She has planned everything, he feels used in that way, he has had no say in anything. She has organised the funeral, they are all her choices, she even planned how and when she would die and he feels like he has not been considered.”

Speaking about keeping the truth a secret he said:”He doesn’t want to take part in the charade anymore. It is interesting and it feels very real.

“Moving forwards we will continue to see him struggle and even take himself away from Weatherfield, he has a long way to go yet before he can move on with his own life after what she has done.”



Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...