Coronation Street's Megan Walsh has stirred up plenty of trouble on the cobbles, but the actress behind the scheming character, Beth Nixon, has a life away from the ITV soap that includes a dramatic new hairdo and a journey to fame that nearly didn't happen.
Beth Nixon's Hair Transformation
Since filming her final scenes with Megan's exit set to air soon, Beth has undergone a huge hair transformation. She posted on Instagram that she chopped her long tresses into a bob and swapped her platinum blonde style for a striking auburn shade. Her Corrie co-stars quickly complimented the new look: Harriet Bibby, who plays Summer Spellman, wrote "Omg!" while Olivia Frances Brown, who plays Jodie Ramsey, posted "oh hiiiiii" with a stunned emoji. Sydney Martin, who plays Betsy Swain, also responded: "INSANE! ! ! !"
Beth's Background Before Coronation Street
Beth, 25, originates from York and studied drama at the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester. Balancing her professional commitments with her dreams of becoming an actress, she worked as a skin clinic manager when she auditioned for Corrie. Upon learning she had landed the role of villainous Megan, Beth—who had previously worked as a waitress "for years"—was overcome with emotion. "I was at work when my agent called me. I was upstairs as my colleague watched the desk and, when he told me I'd got it, everybody in the clinic could hear me screaming my head off and then I cried, because it's been four years since I graduated and this is my first TV role," she revealed to York College. She added: "It's been a hard time and I was really close to quitting, having a normal job and pursuing a different career, so this just came at exactly the right time and when I needed it."
Beth's Actor Ex-Boyfriend and Early Roles
Coronation Street is Beth's television debut. Before landing on the cobbles, she had completed "a few plays and radio voiceovers" and appeared in a McDonald's advert shot in Switzerland alongside her actor ex-boyfriend. "I was flown out there for four days, shot the advert and thought it was just the coolest thing in the world – getting paid to eat McDonald's all day in Switzerland!" she told York College. "The job was with my ex-boyfriend and we were sat in a car park and the advert was about me finding those few chips that you always get left in the bottom of the bag. I've also done a few plays and radio voiceovers, but nothing major really until this."
Beth's Two Corrie Auditions
It emerges that Beth nearly secured a place on Coronation Street before bagging the role of Megan, having come incredibly close to playing a completely different character. "This is my first TV job, but not the first time I have auditioned for Corrie," Beth previously disclosed. She continued: "I auditioned for the part of Lauren Bolton and then for a girl who was giving Lauren a hard time at the mother and baby unit. My agent called me and explained this role and asked if I wanted to audition." Ultimately, actress Cait Fitton bagged the role of Lauren, making her debut in 2022 and becoming a mainstay on the soap ever since.
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV and ITVX.
