Coronation Street fans were left stunned after uncovering a real-life family connection between two iconic figures from the soap's past. Richard Fleeshman, who played Craig Harris, is the son of Sue Jenkins, who portrayed Gloria Todd on the ITV series in the 1980s. The revelation emerged after Rosie Fleeshman, Richard's sister, made a guest appearance on the cobbles last month, adding another layer to the show's intertwined family history.
Richard Fleeshman's Role on Coronation Street
Richard first appeared on Coronation Street in 2002 as Craig Harris, part of the Harris family who arrived in Weatherfield under a witness protection scheme. The family included his father Tommy Harris (Thomas Craig), mother Angela Harris (Kathryn Hunt), and sister Katy (Lucy-Jo Hudson). Craig quickly became involved in explosive storylines, including a romance with Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan) and a plan to flee to Berlin with her.
In 2005, the Harris family was torn apart when Katy murdered Tommy in a fit of rage, and Angela took the blame. Consumed by guilt, Katy later took her own life. Craig left the show in 2006, departing the cobbles alone.
Sue Jenkins' Coronation Street Stint
Sue Jenkins joined Coronation Street in 1985 as Gloria Todd, a familiar face at the Rovers Return pub. She worked opposite Julie Goodyear, who famously played landlady Bet Lynch. Beyond Corrie, Sue played Jackie Corkhill on Brookside from 1992 to 2001 and made a brief appearance on Emmerdale in 2008 as Bonnie Drinkwater.
In 2024, Richard appeared on Loose Women and praised his mother's work on Brookside. "She was amazing in that show," he said. "I was allowed to watch certain episodes growing up. Some of them were a little bit past my bedtime. It was an amazing show and such a great following."
Fan Reactions to the Family Tie
The disclosure of Sue and Richard's roles on Corrie left fans astonished. On X, formerly known as Twitter, one viewer posted about Sue's time on Corrie. Another fan responded: "That's Richard Fleeshman's mum!" A third person commented: "Wow, all this time watching and I never knew that, I can see her son in that photo now." Yet another added: "Her real-life son played Craig Harris, son of Psycho Tommy!"
Richard's Career After Corrie
Since leaving Coronation Street, Richard has built a successful career in television and theatre. He has appeared in shows including Call the Midwife and Death in Paradise, where he played Taylor Fielding in 2024. He also starred in the sci-fi series The Ark. Richard credits his parents, including his father David Fleeshman who featured in Boys from the Blackstuff, as the driving force behind his career. "I grew up with both of them being around the industry fully, so it was just everything I knew," he said.
Coronation Street airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX.
