Becky Granger, Love her or hate her?

There's been a lot of chat for and against Becky Granger over on the Corrie.net guestbook. I for one, love Becky but a lot of people don't. Here's a bit of a history of Becky and a character study, up to the current Canadian timeline, end of July 2009.

Becky Granger first appeared on our screens as a down and out former cellmate of Kelly Crabtree. She was rough, rough as a badger's arse. Very likely homeless or living in a hostel or shelter. She latched on to Kelly who didn't want people to know of her criminal past that she'd managed to overcome. She got a job in the factory and moved in with Kelly and Lloyd. She stole and set up Kelly and she tried to steal Lloyd as well but it all fell apart. Kelly had to plead guilty, she lost Lloyd who didn't believe that Becky set her up and Becky left the Street. Her work here was done.

Only it wasn't. She made such an impact that she was brought back, this time she was brought into Roy and Hayley's world. Hayley was volunteering at an adult literacy class and encountered Becky there. She ended up taking Becky in, much to the disapproval of her mates in the factory who didn't trust Becky one little bit, with reason. Becky struggled to be accepted. Roy and Hayley gave her the chance and she blew it a few times. Once, by trying to do a good thing and cook for them, she caused a fire and once, by backsliding with her old drinking buddy and ex-boyfriend Slug, went joyriding in Hayley's car and got stranded in the countryside when Slug drove off without her. The car was recovered and eventually Hayley and Roy forgave her. She's tried very hard not to let them down since.

She's gone from strength to strength, and when Hayley left for Africa for charity work, Becky moved into Roy's flat in the spare room. Not only was she working in the caff but she was now living with Roy and two more different souls there never was! Becky baffled Roy but he grew to understand her even if he didn't always approve of her and her actions. They've fallen out and made up again a couple of times and the pairing is pure magic. Roy is supportive, a father figure that Becky never really had and Becky is fiercely protective of Roy and Hayley. Remember how she beat the crap out of Christian when he hit Hayley, having found out that Hayley is his biological father.

Becky's very quick with her fists and her body. She'll launch herself at anyone in a fierce attack if they've done her wrong. Jason was recently the receiver of this and she's also jumped on one of the Victoria Court builders who was dating her but had a wife at home. Jason had been dating her and in the beginning, he waffled about Sarah but seemed to settle down. But the chance that Sarah might come back home had him thinking he could get back with her and that left Becky in the dumps again. She felt second best and used and rightly so. She went after Jason then went out and got polluted and smashed up some windows on shops and cars and stole someone's wallet. Now, to keep herself out of jail, she has lied and said she's having an affair with Steve! Uhoh!

Every now and then we get a little glimpse into her past and her childhood and it sounds like she was neglected at best. She's had to rely on herself and she pretty much brought herself up, mainly on the streets. She's been in jail and survived. She's starting to drag herself up and make something of herself but she's got a long way to go. She's self destructive and that's going to take a long time to work out. She reminds me a little bit of Karen McDonald except Karen wasn't quite so destructive though she could be, at least emotionally. Becky is more of a loose cannon. They've softened her just enough to fit in. I don't think she's cruel or nasty, not anymore, though she's a bit selfish. She's very loyal to the ones she loves even if she doesn't always show it the way she should. (i.e. violence towards people that hurt her friends) She doesn't seem to have a self control switch though very slowly she's learning. She's gobby and loud, but she can also be funny and thoughtful. She's a hard worker and she's not afraid of anyone except her own demons.

There's so much more to come for us in Canada for Becky. She's going to be at the forefront for awhile and the storyline we're coming into now, with her lying about her affair with Steve is going to have a lot of fallout and lead into even more! But the road isn't going to be smooth and Becky hasn't changed. She's still got that self destruct button and that loose cannon still fires off unexpectedly. It's a bumpy ride but i have and will enjoy it all!