Former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh has revealed that the iconic on-screen romance between Hayley and Roy Cropper was set to end, after it 'accidentally' became a major part of the long-running show.
Roy, the much-loved cardigan-wearing café owner, made his debut on the cobbles back in July 1995, played by actor David Neilson, while Julie joined the ITV soap, which is filmed in Salford, a few years later in 1998 as Hayley, the first transgender character in a British soap opera.
An Accidental Love Story
Forming a popular relationship with Roy Cropper, the pair officially tied the knot in 2010 in heartwarming scenes when the law was changed to recognise their union. But tragically, Hayley took her own life in Roy's arms in January 2014 by drinking a lethal cocktail after living with terminal pancreatic cancer.
Julie has now said that she has "no regrets" about leaving Corrie, but that it sometimes feels strange to see so many of the same cast and crew names in the credits. She also told how Hayley and Roy's love story "was important" and "got people talking", adding that Roy was originally meant to leave Hayley after she came out as trans.
Speaking About the Storyline
Speaking to Good Housekeeping UK, she said: "Everybody loved the relationship. It became a key storyline almost by accident, which was the best way, because it wasn’t an issue that was shoehorned in.
"I maintain that Hayley and Roy's love story was important. It got people talking. It’s so upsetting that trans rights have now gone backwards."
Julie's Time on Celebrity Traitors
Meanwhile, Julie has said she was "so chuffed" to be asked to be on the current second series of Celebrity Traitors because she is "obsessed" with the series. Her time on the show came to an end early after she was banished from the castle by her fellow faithfuls.
The actress left the show with newly forged friendships, including with comedian Romesh Ranganathan – who she described as being one of the "greatest human beings".
She said: "The extraordinary thing is that you’re all on the same footing. There’s no status at all. You have these accelerated friendships because there’s a lot of time off-camera when you’re travelling in cars together and aren’t allowed to discuss the game. People tell you about their lives; I found out so much about people and I was really touched that they trusted me.
"Romesh is one of the greatest human beings. We were in there right at the start, alongside Ross Kemp. The three of us were a very unlikely little threesome. I adored Ross, too."
The full interview can be read in Good Housekeeping’s December issue, which is on sale from Thursday, October 22.
