Coronation Street star Olivia Frances Brown has spoken out about her time playing Jodie Ramsey in the long-running show, describing landing the role as 'life-changing' and making it clear that she and her character are very different.
A Year on the Cobbles
The actress's first appearance in the ITV soap, which is filmed in Salford, as Jodie came back in January during Corrie's epic crossover with Emmerdale, dubbed Corriedale, which featured a horror multi-vehicle pile-up. She was seen tied up in a van, driven by Emmerdale returnee Graham Foster, before she escaped. Corrie cop DC Kit Green gave chase, leading to Jodie being injured and ending up in hospital, where she was revealed as Shona Platt's long-lost sister as the pair came face-to-face after years apart.
Feeling sorry for her after Shona's frosty reception to her arrival, David ended up inviting Jodie to stay at No.8 Coronation Street, but she has made it clear, to viewers at least, that she can't be trusted and has recently been seen stepping up her plan to take over her older sister's life.
Jodie's Scheming Escalates
Having previously attempted to get in between Shona and David, Jodie is now ramping up her plans to seemingly take over her sister's life, as it was recently made clear that Jodie is trying to make Shona and her loved ones think she's suffering from post-natal depression as she struggles with baby Harper. Viewers have also seen her switch her father Doug's psychosis medication when she realised he was onto her, resulting in him being taken back to a secure mental health unit.
Things reached a dramatic climax during Thursday's (October 8) edition of Corrie, which is already available to stream on ITVX and YouTube ahead of airing at 8.30pm on ITV, while pictures were revealed ahead of the episode, showing the dramatic moment when Jodie proves she will stop at nothing to steal her sister's life.
Olivia's Emotional Tribute
It was also on Thursday that Olivia marked a year since she started filming on Corrie. Taking to Instagram, she shared a lengthy post about how she had been challenged by Jodie as a character, and her gratefulness to have been working on the programme for the past 12 months.
Alongside a string of photos of Jodie on the cobbles, she wrote: "A whole year of playing the despicable Jodie Ramsey… safe to say she's ruffled a few feathers on the cobbles and by the looks of things a fair few beyond them too."
"It's a funny old job spending your days trying to find the heart in somebody who seems to have made it her life's mission to test everyone's patience. playing someone so spectacularly unlikeable can be difficult at times. there's a strange vulnerability in pouring yourself into a character that people love to hate."
"But beneath all the scheming, the questionable decisions and the unbelievable lack of self awareness, i do believe there's a smidge of humanity in jodie. you just have to dig for it. very deep admittedly. i'm still digging myself. But what a wonderful and bizzare privilege it is to bring somebody to life who makes people feel so much, even if most of those feelings aren't particularly complimentary."
She continued: "Thank you to everyone who's watched, loved, loathed, laughed or shouted at their tv screens. i hope you've managed to get your blood pressure back down.. lol x it's been a whirlwind of a year and I've learnt that sometimes the greatest compliment you can receive as an actor is a very passionate dislike for somebody you've created."
"A huge thank you to everyone at @coronationstreet for trusting me with this wonderfully complicated woman. it's difficult to put into words just how much my life has changed in the space of a year. i've walked into a world i once only knew through a television screen and found myself surrounded by some of the funniest, kindest and most talented people i've ever had the pleasure of knowing."
"I've learnt so much from everyone and laughed until it genuinely hurt.. not a bad way to earn a living really, and hats off to the writers for dreaming up an apparently inexhaustible supply of ways for jodie to make a complete and utter nuisance of herself. whether jodie's logic makes sense to anyone but herself is another matter entirely, but there's certainly never a dull moment in her company."
The soap star then rounded off the post: "and for the record, jodie and i may share a face but thankfully not a moral compass," and it wasn't long before she was flooded with messages of love and support.
Corrie's own social media team said: "You have played a blinder with this character! Tonight's episode had us hooked!" Mollie Gallagher, who played Weatherfield's Nina Lucas replied: "You're brilliant! Love you Liv." Idris Nazir actor Junade Khan commented: "Absolutely smashed it hun, just seen tonight's episode, well done!"
