Coronation Street newcomer Beth Nixon has revealed her path to Weatherfield was not straightforward, having come tantalisingly close to playing a different major character before landing her controversial role as predator Megan.
The Path to the Cobbles: A Series of Auditions
Beth Nixon, who joined the ITV soap late last year, made her debut as Megan, the athletics coach of teenager Will Driscoll, played by Lucas Hodgson-Wale. The character moved from Hull to Weatherfield alongside Will's family, including his father Ben (Aaron McCusker), grandmother Maggie (Pauline McLynn), and Ben's girlfriend, the returning Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley).
However, the storyline took a dark turn when it was revealed Megan had been grooming the 16-year-old for months prior to the relocation. Her secret relationship with Will has remained hidden from his unsuspecting family.
From Lauren to Megan: The Roles That Got Away
In a recent interview, Nixon disclosed that the role of Megan was not her first attempt to join the cast of the long-running serial drama. The actress explained that the Coronation Street casting team had seen her perform at the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester, putting her "on their radar."
She had auditioned for the soap twice before, each time for a villainous part. One of these was for the role of Lauren, a character ultimately given to actress Cait Fitton, who debuted in 2022 and remains on the show.
Reflecting on the call for the Megan role, Nixon recalled her agent sending her a casting brief earlier this year for a paedophile character. She noted the unique challenge, stating, "they're obviously not a redeemable character, so they can push it pretty far."
Landing the Life-Changing Role
The audition process involved a self-tape, followed by a chemistry test with actors in contention to play Will. Nixon then performed a scene on the actual Coronation Street set at The Bistro, which clearly impressed producers.
The life-changing news came while Nixon was working as a skin clinic manager. She received the call from her agent at work in January 2026. "Everybody in the clinic could hear me screaming my head off and then I cried," she shared, highlighting the emotional moment.
She admitted the breakthrough came at a critical time, having graduated four years prior without securing a TV role. "It's been a hard time and I was really close to quitting, having a normal job and pursuing a different career," Nixon confessed, emphasising how the opportunity arrived when she needed it most.
On screen, Megan has since embedded herself in the community, securing a job at Weatherfield High School and embarking on a romance with fellow teacher Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), a development that fuels Will's anger and jealousy. Her actions have sparked significant disgust among viewers, marking a successful, if unsettling, debut for the actress.
