Sue Cleaver, the actress who portrayed Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street for 25 years, has two half-sisters who have also made their mark in the entertainment industry. Emma Harbour appeared on Coronation Street in two different roles, while Kate Harbour is a well-known voice actress for the children's show Bob the Builder.
Sue Cleaver's Departure from Coronation Street
Eileen Grimshaw first appeared on the cobbles in 2000 and became a beloved character known for her work as a Street Cars switch operator. Her storylines included relationships with Dennis Stringer, Ed Jackson, Pat Stanaway, Jerry Morton, Jesse Chadwick, Paul Kershaw, Adrian Mortimer, and Michael Rodwell, as well as a marriage to the villainous Pat Phelan. Her long-running feud with neighbor Gail Platt was a fan favorite, often leading to confrontations at the Rovers Return or on the street. Eileen left Weatherfield last year to start a new life in Thailand with her son Jason, played by Ryan Thomas.
Famous Sisters in the Industry
Emma Harbour played Toyah Battersby's rape counselor in 2001 and later appeared as a doctor at Weatherfield General in 2017 and 2020. She also portrayed a prosecution barrister in Emmerdale during Mark Bails' trial. Kate Harbour is best known for voicing Wendy in Bob the Builder, among other characters.
Sue Cleaver's Adoption and Discovery of Half-Sisters
Adopted at 10 days old, Sue discovered her birth mother in her early twenties and subsequently learned about her half-sisters. On I'm a Celebrity, she shared: 'I'm adopted. I had a lot of attachment disorders that started in my teens. Trying on personalities like coats. I wasn't my authentic self.' She recounted meeting actor Michael N. Harbour at drama school, who remarked on her resemblance to his wife, leading to the discovery of her half-sisters. Sue added: 'It's uncanny and I've got two half sisters who are all in the business - Kate is huge in animation and Emma was an actress. It's lovely because my mum and my birth mother, we've all met, been out for dinner, we've all kept in touch. So, we've all had lovely relationships ever since - so it's a nice ending. I'm very lucky.'
Fan Reaction
Fans were surprised by the family connection, with one X user writing: 'I learned a few years ago that Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw in Coronation Street)'s half-sister is Kate Harbour, who voiced Wendy in Bob the Builder.'
Coronation Street airs weekday nights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
