Fab Photo Friday - a Cropper Moon

To fill in some of the time while the Olympics are on, a little view of Roy and Hayley looking at a Blackpool moon.

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Top 25 Favourite Corrie Females - No. 7

(This post was originally posted by Llifon on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)

7. HAYLEY CROPPER (320 VOTES)

Duration: 1998-2014
Played by: Julie Hesmondhalgh
2012 character poll position (women): 5

Introduced as a supervisor at Firman’s Freezers supermarket who befriended Alma Baldwin, Hayley caused controversy as being the first transsexual character in Corrie history. But over the years, viewers grew to accept Hayley for who she was and she became a firm favourite.

Soon after her arrival, Hayley and her red anorak were paired off with eccentric greasy spoon owner Roy Cropper and although hesitant at first, Roy also accepted who Hayley was and in 1999, as they couldn’t marry, they were blessed. 

Hayley was soon hired as a machinist at the factory, a job she continued to do until her illness. She also did stints as supervisor. Hayley showed a maternal instinct over the years and took in many including Wayne Hayes, Fiz Brown, Chesney Brown and Becky Granger and became an agony aunt to many of the residents. In her last years, she formed an unlikely friendship with her boss Carla Connor. Despite being chalk and cheese, they respected each other.

Roy and Hayley were one of soap’s most secure couples but it wasn’t always plain sailing for them – Hayley went to prison for kidnapping; Roy attempted suicide due to toxic Tracy’s torment when she lied about Roy fathering her daughter Amy when it was in fact Steve McDonald; the revelation that Hayley had fathered a son; and Roy being nearly drowned by Tony Gordon.

In 2013, Hayley received the devastating news that she had terminal pancreatic cancer. With only months to live, she made up a bucket list which included dancing in Blackpool Tower and dipping in the sea; and re-visiting the place where she kissed Roy for the first time. Hayley made the controversial choice of ending her own life by taking an overdose. Roy was devastated when Hayley passed away in her arms.    

Were you a fan of Hayley?




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


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Coronation Street's top 5 most romantic moments

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog February 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)

In honour of St. Valentine's day yesterday, let's have a look at some of Coronation Street's most romantic moments.  These are some of my personal favourites, so please do leave a comment below if yours isn't mentioned as I'd love to know what other people love too.

In no special order, here we go with my top 5 of Coronation Street's most romantic moments.

1. Curly names a star after Raquel

A beautiful, touching scene from Christmas 1994. Curly points to the heavens and tells Raquel he's named a star after her. It's called Mrs Raquel Watts.

2. Roy and Hayley at the airport

After Hayley had her gender reassignment operation, she followed Roy to the airport and wrote, in red lipstick on the window the words he longed to hear: "I'm coming with you."  You can watch the clip, below, with commentary from Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper.


3.  Stan and Hilda's second honeymoon

The Ogdens won third prize in a "Loving Cup Shandies" competition - a second honeymoon night in a five-star hotel with her winning slogan "Be a mistress as well as a wife and your husband'll still be a boyfriend".  The scene above gave rise to one of Corrie's best loved lines.  Stan: "What's that lipstick taste of?" Hilda: "Woman, Stanley. Woman"

4. Deirdre agrees to marry Ken, for the second time

In 2005 Deirdre finally accepted Ken's proposal of marriage - and agreed to marry him (for the 2nd time).  Ken got down on one knee, in the rain, while Deirdre was sitting on Maxine's bench outside of the hair salon.  What a lovely place for a proposal.

5. Vera's ghost returns as Jack Duckworth dies

When Jack Duckworth died in his armchair at No. 9, his little swamp duck Vera returned to take him away with her.

What are some of your favourite romantic moments from our favourite show?




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


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From Hayley to Hollyoaks

Transgender actress Annie Wallace is the inspiration behind Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street.  And she's about to turn up in Hollyoaks as the show's first continuing transgender character later this month.

Many congratulations to Annie on her new role! We can't wait to see her on screen.

See also: Meet Annie Wallace - the inspiration for Corrie's Hayley Cropper.

See also: Read our exclusive interview with Annie Wallace



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Meet Annie Wallace - the inspiration for Corrie's Hayley Cropper

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog August 2015, reposted to this blog with permission.)

I can't express how happy I am to be blogging this about our friend Annie - at last. 

Last week in Manchester, a 50-year-old woman from Aberdeen was speaking on a panel at a Manchester Pride's Superbia event – Transcript.

The panel also included Corrie scriptwriters Damon Rochefort and Ben Tagoe, actors Bruno Langley (Todd Grimshaw) and Daniel Brocklebank (Billy the vicar), actress Julie Hesmondhalgh (Hayley Cropper) and Cucumber actress Bethany Black.

But never mind them, back to the Aberdeen woman! She's called Annie Wallace and blogger Tvor and I have been friends with her for over 16 years. Annie was brought in to Coronation Street in 1998 as a research assistant to Julie Hesmondhalgh – who played Hayley for 16 years.

As the inspiration for Coronation Street's Hayley, Annie last night spoke publicly for the first time about being transgender.

Annie reflected that Hayley was 'like a sister to her', and said: “It is still difficult for me to speak about it and at first trans activists were against Hayley. I spent two and a half hours with researchers having all of my hopes and dreams and fears put on cassette tapes. It was transcribed and given to all the writers at the time as their bible. I started looking at draft scripts. I wasn't telling Julie how to play a character, this was just about detail and putting full-stops and crossing ts.”

Julie says Annie was 'absolutely essential' for her portrayal of Hayley, especially with the huge secrecy surrounding the first introduction of a transgender character on the Cobbles.

The Accrington-born actress said: “When I was researching Hayley I couldn't ask anyone in the transgender community because it was so top secret. I was able to do a bit of reading but this was 1997. Annie helped me to believe that I was on the right track, even if I wasn't representing every trans person in the country, I was representing her. What she did with the writers and the researching was absolutely vital. So much of Hayley was based on Annie – they share the same birthday and has so many of Annie's characteristics – like her love of rock music.

"I owe Annie so much.”

Julie and Annie are planning to write a two-woman show together about what Hayley has meant to them, which they hope to run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

And Annie, who is now an actress in her own right, said: "Watch this space!"

Read the full story, and see all the pics at the Manchester Evening News.


Read our exclusive interview from 2014 with Annie Wallace.

Relive Roy and Hayley's romance in A Perfect Duet - the diary of Roy and Hayley Cropper.



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Fab Photo Friday, Roy and Hayley

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2015.)

It's Friday again so it's time for this week's fab Coronation Street photo.

This week we've been featuring blogger Martin's EXCLUSIVE interview with the lovely David Neilson so here's Roy and Hayley in the Tower Ballroom Blackpool.

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Hayley's cancer wins Best Storyline at TV Choice Awards 2014

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog September 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Hayley Cropper's cancer storyline won Best Soap Storyline at the TV Choice Awards 2014. The awards ceremony was held last night in London and this was the only award which Corrie won.  

They lost out on Best Soap Actor, Best Soap Actress, Best Soap Newcomer. And the award for Best Soap went to EastEnders.

Here's Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper, en route to to the ceremony last night.

You can view a full list of all the winners from last night's show at TV Choice.



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Hayley Cropper's coffin goes on a summer tour

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog July 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)


A copy of Hayley Cropper's coffin is going on tour! 

The Co-operative Funeralcare, who handled Hayley’s Corrie funeral, will be taking a replica of the coffin to various country shows.  From July 11 to September 11, it will vist such country shows in Kent, Cranleigh, and New Forest and Hampshire.

Hayley’s eco-friendly cardboard Summer Floral Casket is part of a rang of eco-coffins available for funerals across the UK. The tour is to highlight the growing trend in arranging more personal funerals.

Paul Hilton, Funeral Director for The Co-operative Funeralcare, said: ‘Just like Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, many families like to symbolise their loved one’s hobbies or occupation by selecting an alternative to a traditional coffin or casket in order to reflect this. We were involved from a very early stage in the planning of Hayley’s funeral and made a suggestion to personalise the dress of the funeral directors with red ties when the red theme emerged in tribute to Hayley’s famous red coat. It was great to be involved and a fantastic opportunity to show how funerals can be personalised these days.’

Hayley’s real coffin is on display on the official Coronation Street tour.

Greenfield Creations were honoured to supply the coffin for the filming of Hayley Cropper's funeral on Coronation Street.

You can see Hayley's coffin at the following shows:

• Kent Show - 11 - 13 July
• Driffield Show - 16 July
• New Forest and Hampshire Show - 29 - 31 July
• Cranleigh County Show - 2 August
• Bakewell Show - 6 - 7 August
• Westmorland Show - 11 September

A Perfect Duet - the Diary of Roy and Hayley Cropper
With a foreword by Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper for 16 years

Available from FBS Publishers, Amazon UK, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada and Waterstones.com.   



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Julie Hesmondhalgh on a new relationship for Roy

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog May 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper on Coronation Street, says it would break her heart if she sees former on-screen husband Roy Cropper with someone new.

Julie says:  "I'm sure at some point Roy will have to try and see someone again and I'm sure he'll have Hayley's blessing and they'll have much discussion about that, so I'll be very happy to live on in conversations in the street."

On how she'd deal with seeing a new woman in Roy's life, Julie admitted: "As Julie, it will kill me, I'll find it very, very difficult, but I think Hayley would give him her blessing. I think she'd want him to live on, as long as it was someone nice."

David Neilson says this about Roy: "He'll get into a relationship... Whether that's a relationship in the accepted sense I don't know.  I just want to do interesting stories. I don't mind if he builds himself a kalashnikov out of Meccano and takes half the street out, I'll enjoy it."

Corrie producer Stuart Blackburn has already ruled out a new love interest for Roy.  He says: "We are now building a new friendship for Roy, but as long as I'm producer, he will not have a romance with anyone.  If that's the only story we can give Roy, we're a bit crap at our job."  However, he also says that Roy is "pushed into actions he never imagined".

You can relive Roy and Hayley Cropper's love story, all 16 years of it, from Hayley's first appearance on Coronation Street until her very last.  There's a fab little book, with a foreword by Julie Hesmondhalgh - it's A Perfect Duet.

A Perfect Duet - the Diary of Roy and Hayley Cropper
With a foreword by Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper for 16 years

Facebook page for the book.

Available from FBS Publishers, Amazon UK, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada and Waterstones.com. 
Available as an eBook on Kindle, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and iBook.
Bookshops in Australia can order via their wholesalers.


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A Perfect Duet: My Review

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in May 2014.)

I honestly could not wait to get my hands on Glenda Young's new book, A Perfect Duet: A Diary of Roy and Hayley Cropper. Glenda, of course, is the driving force behind the wonderful Coronation Street Blog. 

Glenda is passionate about all things Coronation Street and is a right lovely person too. She has shown me nothing but kindness, enthusiasm and encouragement since I began contributing to this blog as a complete novice back in November 2012. I therefore treated the arrival of my copy of her book with both trepidation and excitement.

This is my first proper book review so please be kind. It's also weird reviewing someone's work who I feel I know well, even though we've never actually met! I really, really wanted A Perfect Duet to be brilliant and I'm pleased to say I enjoyed every page.

It's a real Corrie fans' book. It will appeal to die-hard followers of Corrie and casual viewers alike. There is enough detail on Roy and Hayley's story to keep everyone happy. The best thing about this book for me is that while a lot of it is familiar, there were also little gems from the past sixteen years that I had forgotten. I loved recalling how Roy and Hayley first met; how sympathetic Alma was to them both; their clashes with Mike Baldwin, Les Battersby and the factory girls. It was clear to me that those early years were the best for the Croppers. Such brilliant storytelling and truthful performances.

The book covers all the main events in the Croppers' lives together, with regular appearances from the likes of Becky, Sylvia, Curly and Ken. Tantalising snatches of dialogue reminded me of Blanche Hunt in her prime and Steve McDonald's fiery relationship with the much-missed Karen. Both Cropper weddings are covered in detail as is their desperate longing for children - from fostering Fiz and kidnapping Wayne to the battle for baby Patience - it's all there.

WIth a wonderful, appreciative introduction from Julie Hesmondhalgh, this book has been given a pretty good seal of approval. I just wish there had been more of it. Like Roy and Hayley's on-screen story, I just didn't want it to end. I would also have loved it if the reader had been given a peak into what happened after the on-screen action. I would like to see what Glenda's imagination could do with these characters and hope there will be scope for that in her next book.

Above all, Glenda's love of these characters and Coronation Street comes shining through. I know this book meant so much to Glenda and I'm thrilled it has become a reality. She deserves all the success in the world with this, and I'm sure she'll get it. So, if you haven't already got your hands on a copy, get it ordered!!



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New unofficial Coronation Street book to be released

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog March 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There's a new, unofficial Coronation Street book about to be released. 

A Perfect Duet. The Unofficial Diary of Roy and Hayley Cropper tells the story of the Coronation Street characters from Hayley's first appearance to her sad farewell.

Written by Glenda Young, a life long and passionate Coronation Street fan and editor of the Coronation Street Blog.

The publisher has set up a facebook page for the book where you can follow for updates and full details at https://www.facebook.com/APerfectDuet and you can follow the publisher on twitter @fbspublishing



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Hayley Cropper's clothes turned into a Memory Bear

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

Memory Bears by Lilys Love are going to be offering this lovely little bear made from the floral blouse worn by Hayley Cropper during her first appearance on Coronation Street,  her cardigan worn in the heart warming scene in the Blackpool Tower ballroom, and Hayley's 'twin set' jumper worn in her tear jerking final scene in the soap.

The bear's gift tag will be signed by Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper, and it will then be auctioned off to raise much need funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK

What a wonderful thing to do!

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Hayley Cropper - more than just a character in a soap

(This post was originally posted by Martin Leay on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2013.)

Hayley Cropper is one of Coronation Street’s greatest characters and the love story between her and Roy has to be the sweetest in Corrie history. As soon as Julie Hesmondhalgh announced her decision to leave, it was obvious there was only one way that Hayley and Roy could be parted.

Hayley’s exit storyline was scripted and acted beautifully. It was heartbreaking but we will never forget magical moments such as the foxtrot the Croppers took around an empty Empress Ballroom on their last trip together to Blackpool.

Hayley’s very last scenes were moving, and of course, controversial. While pondering the implications of a right to die storyline, I reflected upon Hayley’s legacy as a soap character who had, throughout her lifetime, brought important issues to the attention of television viewers.

Despite Manchester having a thriving gay scene, no lesbian, gay, or bisexual character had made it to Coronation Street until the early part of the 21^st Century. With Hayley Patterson arriving in Weatherfield in 1998, the first LGBT character in Coronation Street was trans.

In the mid to late nineties, popular culture and politics enjoyed a symbiotic relationship in Britain against a backdrop of national optimism. Remember Noel Gallagher sipping champagne at Number 10 and the Prime Minister publicly campaigning to Free The Weatherfield One? It was a heady time but I didn’t spend the decade smoking Spider Nugent’s “herbal cigarettes” – I promise you – it actually happened.

But if ever there was a fictional character to have genuinely influenced national debate, that character was Hayley Cropper. Hayley was the nation’s first transgender soap character. The portrayal wasn’t popular with the trans community at first but Corrie soon appointed a consultant to advise on storylines and Hayley Cropper is now listed by LGBTHistory Month as one of the most important people in LGBT history - pretty impressive for a fictional figure.

Hayley was even the subject of an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, tabled in 1998 by Lynne Jones. The motion congratulated “the scriptwriters, actors and producers of Coronation Street for their sensitive and realistic portrayal of Hayley” and called on the Government to “guarantee transsexual people full civil rights, including the right to correct birth certificates and enter into marriage, so that Hayley and Roy will, like any other couple, be entitled to make a state-recognised, lifelong commitment to one another if they so wish.”

In 1998, when Roy and Hayley returned to Weatherfield from Amsterdam (the transition from Harold to Hayley now complete), it was not possible for them to marry under UK law. When they did have a ceremony a year later, it was not officially recognised.

In fact, at the time, Hayley was prevented from changing her birth certificate, her passport or even her tax credentials to be registered as Hayley Cropper. These practical difficulties were all fed into storylines; Hayley was stopped by immigration officials when returning from Amsterdam with a “man’s passport” and Underworld boss Mike Baldwin eventually found out why Hayley’s payslips were made out to Harold Patterson.

Word soon got round and Hayley and Roy had to contend with the bigots (Les Battersby) and the bullies (Tracy Barlow). But for every Les Battersby, there were many more Weatherfield residents who accepted Hayley for who she was – a kind and decent neighbour, colleague and friend. It didn’t matter to those who knew Hayley what gender she was when she was born.

Viewers felt the same and Hayley soon became a fans’ favourite. People supported the right of Roy and Hayley to be legally pronounced man and wife. Some even wrote to their MPs about it. If it weren’t for Hayley Cropper, many wouldn’t have been aware of the issues faced by transgender people on a daily basis before the Gender Recognition Act came into force in 2004.

As a result of this Act, transgender people like Hayley could, for the first time, gain legal recognition in their acquired gender. Hayley could finally have her union to Roy recognised in law when they married again in 2010.

It is not too far-fetched to argue that Hayley Cropper contributed to the change in law. Soon after Roy and Hayley’s first wedding, the Government established a Parliamentary Working Group to look at how trans people could be granted legal rights. It was this process that led to the Gender Recognition Act. Coronation Street brought trans issues into the mainstream and public support for Hayley helped get legal rights for transgender people debated in Parliament and onto the statute book.

On the day before her funeral was broadcast, Hayley was mentioned in Parliament again. Hugh Bayley MP said: “This week, when Hayley Cropper’s funeral takes place on “Coronation Street”, would it not be a good time for the Government to announce that they are taking further steps to reinforce and implement their transgender plan of action”.

The storyline in which Hayley Cropper left the Cobbles behind is another issue for another time, but given that The Sun commissioned a poll on assisted suicide in the week before her death, Hayley may continue to shape the national debate for some time to come. 

Hayley Cropper will be missed but not forgotten and this is why she will always be more than just a character in a soap.

By Martin Leay

Twitter: @mpleay

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Secrets of Hayley's floral Corrie coffin

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

Greenfield Creations were honoured to supply the coffin for the filming of Hayley Cropper's funeral on Coronation Street. 

Greenfield had to submit three designs to and then wait months before knowing which programme it was for and why…and then keep a lid on it, so to speak. Though pleased to be approached, they weren't surprised the Coronation Street design team chose this type of coffin.

It's a reflection of the increasing amounts of customer awareness, involvement and demand for alternative funerals and burials. People really can choose a coffin to reflect exactly what they wish for, be it for themselves or a loved one.

As Greenfield point out, 'People are as different in death as they are in life and a personalised coffin can pay such a fitting tribute to the one who has passed.' Just as Hayley's did!

Greenfield Creations have been manufacturing cardboard coffins since 1990. 

Find out more about them here.



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Audio interview: Corrie producer defends Hayley's suicide storyline

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

Coronation Street Producer Stuart Blackburn was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this week.  He was talking about Hayley's right-to-die storyline and defends it, saying it does not advocate "copycat suicides".

He talks about Coronation Street's resposibility to portray this storyline correctly and respectfully and how Corrie has worked with The Samaritans on this storyline too.

Stuart is the second man to start talking in the interview, so keep listening...  

You can listen to the interview by clicking on the link below.

Listen to ‘Coronation Street ‘not advocating’ character's suicide’ on Audioboo

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A Weatherfield week to remember

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

I don't suppose there is a great deal new to add to the overall comments about last week's drama. Fulsome praise was heaped on both Julie Hesmondhalgh and David Neilson. Rightly so. Their performances were stunning to say the least. David in particular portrayed Roy's conflicting emotions beautifully. Despair, horror, resignation, sadness and anger - all were on show. It all felt very raw at times.

The  blog reactions to Friday's episodes ring true.

My initial thought was 'why are all these women mythering Roy?' Anna, Carla and Fiz bumped around like wayward dodgems with their endless cups of tea, casseroles and pained expressions. Saying that, the latter could not be ascribed to Fiz who appeared in each scene with a face like an Easter Island statue. I know grief can affect people in many ways but a starched expression is a new one on me. Yes, the scenes were a bit on the clumsy side but this only reflects real life. Everyone wanted to help but the continuous milling around tends to be of little comfort to the bereaved. Roy's reaction to it all was probably the right one - take your casserole dishes, your blunt advice and your woeful faces and bog off!

Up against the heavy drama we had the never-ending (and if there is a God, please let it end once and for all) miserable marriage of the Tilsleys. Cue Nick with his screwed up face and Leanne clomping around the dreary Bistro set. Enough already! It can't go on. Time for Leanne to shine and time for Jane Danson (a joy of an actress) to be given something a little lighter. Also time for Nick and his beard to be released into the wild. Or on to the Red Rec. The scenes involving Nick and Kal on Friday were poor. Something about them did not feel right.

The writing is definitely on the wall for the Tanner marriage. As hard as it is to admit, Dennis seems to be a much better fit with Gloria than he does with his wife. Rita has been made to look crabby and a bit doddery of late which is not how we wanted to see her in her latter years. She's never been one of my favourite characters but to reinvent her as some spiteful old woman seems a little cruel. For viewers it will be interesting to see how Rita copes with life as a single woman in her eighties. Separation and divorce in old age does happen in life but seldom in TV drama.

Probably the joy of the week came courtesy of Ches and Sinead. Now that mahogany-faced Kayteh is off the scene and hanging around the bus stop all day, Ches can finally settle to a decent relationship with someone norm al. Well, normal save for the fixation with soap-making. Maybe Sinead can melt Kayteh down in time? Anyway with the addition of Kirk and Beth to the household, there should be fun times ahead. Here's hoping that Ches loses that 'teenage OAP' face that he's been sporting for months.

Also on the 'hurrah' list this week has to be new girl Steph. Thankfully we are not being bombarded with a new character (painful lessons learnt thanks to Michelle, Stella . . .) but she is, like Sinead, a breath of fresh air. Well, as fresh as the air gets near to Rosamund Street.

Hayley may have gone but there are reasons to be cheerful.




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What will be Corrie's next big storyline?

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in January 2013.)

I'm sure we're all dreading next Monday evening. Coronation Street is about to lose one of its most normal, thoroughly decent, thoughtful characters of recent years. The moral centre of Weatherfield is about to be seriously depleted. We all know Hayley is leaving us once and for all and we've known it for some time. It just doesn't get any easier.

Certainly the next few days at least will be dominated, quite rightly, with praise for Roy and Hayley's storyline and the actors involved. However, what of Corrie once this long running, heartrending story is over? I know the effects of Hayley's death on Roy will continue on screen for some time to come and that will be painful and yet impossible not to watch. 

But what of Corrie as a whole, what will be the next big attention grabber?

The Platt family have dominated screen time for well over a year now and although David and Kylie are back together (remarkably quickly given the depths to which they both sank), Nick and Leanne are still in a pit of despair. Jane Danson is always superb but I for one have reached my limit when it comes to her stomping moodily through the Bistro. Stella is also doing her interfering mother bit again, she'll obviously never learn. And as for Gloria and her acidic little remarks, one can only hope someone's fist eventually lodges itself in her irritating clack.

The Windass crew are also rather worryingly gathering once again in their mismatched new build living room, primed for another drawn out storyline. Viewers across the land will wither faster than the cash leaves Owen's bank account. We all know how this tedium will end. Katy was particularly spiteful and annoying to Anna the other evening. I'm not quite sure what she knows about anything really, but it didn't stop her sticking her oar in. Spiteful and thick - a menacing combination if ever there was one. 

Amidst this new Windass tale, the viewers are left to ponder whatever happened to the Faye/Grace/Simon bullying story. It was commendable in what it set out to do, however Grace seems to have vanished and Faye is back to sitting poutily on Anna's horrible couch as if nothing had happened. Some follow up on this would have been good, however sadly it all seems to have petered out...

Which, strangely enough, brings me to Peter Barlow. He's been skulking about in the background since Tina left, rather like a well-groomed, tattooed skunk. It's been lovely to have a break from Tina - I wonder what she's up to in that London. Anyway, she's bound to career herself back into Peter's arms before too long. Cue much wretching in our household. I hope Rita gives her short shrift when she does return - the least Tina could have done was say goodbye before she fled into the night. 

Another thing I don't understand is how upset Liz was when Tina departed. Never mind Tina, Liz should be round at number 1, sharing more scenes with "Come to Deirdre".

So I think the next big attention grabber will be the fallout from Tina and Peter's affair. The only good thing about this as far as I can see is the prospect of more screen time for the fantastic Alison King. She has played a blinder throughout Hayley's farewell and Carla is now a much more rounded character. 

I'm preparing myself for more of Michelle, Dev dancing round Stella like a school boy and toxic Todd leering over Marcus like the snake in the Jungle Book. I might take myself off to Youtube to be in the company of Annie, Elsie and Hilda while all that plays out. I do hope we find out exactly why Todd has turned into such nasty, unbearable creep and that the subsequent revelation softens him a great deal. At the moment I've had more than enough already.

So what do you think will dominate Coronation Street over the next few months? 




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Julie Hesmondhalgh on life after Hayley Cropper

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

There's a good interview with Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays Hayley Cropper on Coronation Street.  Julie talks about the response to Hayley's demise on Corrie, what it means to her, and also about what she's going to be doing once she leaves the show.

Julie will be on stage at the Royal Exchange on the opening night of her next play, the drama Blindsided.
It tells the story of a young woman whose life is devastated after falling in love with a man in Stockport in the 1970s.

After that, Julie will return to Black Roses for a tour and a run at London's Southbank Centre later in the spring.

Read the full interview here.

There is also a really good article from the Guarding with an interview with Julie H. as well:

There's an absolutely fantastic interview in today's Guardian with Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays the soon-to-be-departed Hayley Cropper.

Julie talks about Hayley's right to die storyline and how she got the job as pre-op transsexual Hayley back in 1998.

Julie says: "I remember going to the audition in a leopardskin coat because I thought she was going to be another Bet Lynch. When I got to the office, everybody was laughing. The idea was that Roy was going on a series of disastrous dates and I would be the third, a pre-op transsexual. But I didn't laugh. I thought: 'This isn't a joke, Hayley won't be a funny character.'"

She got the part and went off to Manchester's leftwing Front Line Books for remedial reading on transgender issues. But, when Hayley finally hit our screens, transgender pressure groups complained. "They said: 'How could a young upstart who isn't transgender play the part seriously?'"

Hesmondhalgh's sympathetic portrayal of Hayley silenced those objections because she revolutionised attitudes to transgender people – and not just among Corrie's viewers. The upstart became the hero: significantly, she is now a patron of two transgender pressure groups, Trans Media Watch and Press for Change. 

Read our exclusive blog interview with the Press for Change consultant who helped Coronation Street develop the role of Hayley Cropper.

Julie denies Hayley's death will promote or normalise suicide. "The idea that it will promote copycat suicides pisses me off more than anything. Hundreds of murders are shown every day on TV and nobody's saying that normalises murder. But this story – that has been seeded for months and everybody knows is going to happen – is supposed to make people in Hayley's condition commit suicide? Rubbish! Nobody's going to be tuning in on Monday night to copy her. It's insulting to those who are in Hayley's predicament to say otherwise."

The Samaritans gave guidance to Coronation Street on the Hayley storyline. "Our role was to help them to cover this as safely as possible, not to approve their decision to run the story at all," says Rachel Kirby-Rider, director of fundraising and communications.

A major concern for the Samaritans was that Coronation Street did not give details of how Hayley obtained the drugs to kill herself, or what they were. "There is extensive research that demonstrates that inappropriate portrayal, or reporting, of suicide can lead to imitative or 'copycat' behaviour among vulnerable people," adds Kirby-Rider.

Julie is now preparing to appear in two plays at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre. She says; "I got a text from David (Neilson) today saying he's just going back to work, and part of me envies him because I loved working on Coronation Street. I'm so proud of what we achieved."

Read the full interview here.


See also: Exclusive! Celebrity Corrie Blogger - Julie Hesmondhalgh
See also: Hayley Ann Cropper - This is Your Life



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Commemorative beer created for Hayley Cropper - Red Anorak Ale

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog January 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Hayley's departure from Coronation Street next week has been commemorated with a brand new ale.

Silverdale-based Best of British Beer produced the Red Anorak Ale to mark the death of Coronation Street’s Hayley Cropper.

The Red Anorak Ale was produced in time for Julie’s offical leaving party last year.

Director Gill Sherwin said: “We’ve been greatly helped by working with some very talented beer producers, and we’ve ventured into creating some collaboration beers with a number of them, including the Lymestone Brewery from Stone.”


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Hayley's final farewell to Coronation Street

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog January 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)

One of the most talked about storylines in Coronation Street history came to a moving conclusion this week in Canada when Hayley Cropper decided it is time to end her life.

With devoted husband 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, Fiz Stape and Carla Connor arrive at the flat they find a devastated Roy struggling to come to terms with the death of his soulmate.

Ever since Hayley told Roy of her plans to take her death into her own hands the nation has been divided by her decision and the storyline has also reignited the Right to Die debate.

And in coming weeks the two sides of the debate will be shown on the soap as Roy struggles to deal with the fact that Hayley took her own life against his wishes. Fiz will also voice her dismay at the decision when she discovers the truth.

Coronation Street Producer Stuart Blackburn explained the decision to explore this difficult and controversial issue.

Coronation Street Producer Stuart Blackburn said: “Hayley has been through such a lot in her life and is very concerned about losing control as the disease progresses.

“The palliative care Hayley receives is superb but she is scared and fears that pain relief could cause confusion and a loss of clarity. She feels taking control is the right thing for her to do.
She is concerned that she might regress back to being her former male self, Harold. She has already had one such nightmare. So she came to the decision that she wanted to die in peace, to die with her clarity of thought still intact and most of all to die as Hayley - the identity she has spent her whole life fighting to be.

“Once she knew that she has a very short time left to live she set about getting her life in order so that she could take control of her final moments before the illness renders her incapable of doing so.

“This is a very sensitive issue and we will be exploring the effects of her decision on husband Roy who has a huge emotional and moral dilemma over her choice to die this way.

“Not everyone will feel Hayley’s decision is the right one and we fully respect this, for that reason we will be exploring both sides of the debate on screen.”

Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh said that she could understand Hayley’s decision: “I’m a member of the British Humanist Association so I have quite strong views in favour of it, obviously with all the constraints that have to be carefully laid out to make sure it’s not abused. I think everybody who is in favour of that bill will be at pains to say that as it is so easily exploited and misused in the wrong hands. When you see the cases that have gone through, it’s hard not to be in favour of it. When you see people whose minds are extremely keen and alert but whose bodies have gone, it’s heart breaking. I wouldn’t want to live in that pain and anguish, or see my family and friends go through it. I’ve always really understood Hayley’s decision.”


See also: A very special screening, Hayley's farewell



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