Coronation Street star Mollie Gallagher has spoken publicly for the first time about her exit from the iconic soap, revealing that her departure as Nina Lucas was a deeply emotional experience. The actress, who has played the beloved Goth character since 2019, admitted that the news of her leaving was delivered just three days before rehearsals for her final scenes began.
An Emotional Goodbye to the Cobbles
Appearing on This Morning with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd, Gallagher described the abrupt timing of her exit as both sad and strangely helpful. 'I don't like change. I struggle with change. It was really sad. Three days before I started rehearsal. In a way, it was helpful because it was so quick. That kind of helps because you have to kind of put things into compartments,' she said.
Gallagher expressed hope that this is not the end for Nina Lucas, telling viewers, 'I believe it's not the end of Nina's story. I love Corrie so much. I really hope it's not the end. I don't feel like it is.'
A Shocking Attack and Unforgettable Storylines
Nina Lucas first arrived on the cobbles as the long-lost niece of Weatherfield stalwart Roy Cropper, played by David Neilson. Her unique identity as a happy-go-lucky Victorian Goth quickly made her a fan favourite, but it also led to one of the soap's most harrowing storylines. In 2021, Nina and her boyfriend Seb Franklin, played by Harry Visinoni, were viciously ambushed and assaulted by Corey Brent and his gang simply because of Nina's alternative style. The attack resulted in Seb's death, a storyline that earned widespread acclaim for its handling of hate crime.
With Gallagher's departure, fans' hopes for a romantic reunion between Nina and her former flame Asha Alahan, played by Tanisha Gorey, have been dashed. The pairing, affectionately known as 'Nasha' by fans, will not be revisited before Nina's exit.
From the Cobbles to the Stage: Silence of the Lambs
Gallagher is swapping the drama of Weatherfield for the chilling world of Thomas Harris's classic horror. She has been cast as FBI agent Clarice Starling in a new stage production of Silence of the Lambs, a role famously portrayed by Jodie Foster in the 1991 Oscar-winning film.
Joining her in the production is EastEnders star John Partridge, who will play the iconic cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Oliver Farnworth, known for playing Emmerdale's John Sugden, will take on the role of Jack Crawford, Clarice's mentor. The play is directed by Nikolai Foster and adapted for the stage by writer Gina Gionfriddo. It will tour the UK starting in August.
Taking on an Iconic Role
Gallagher acknowledged the challenge of stepping into such a famous role. 'It's been absolutely amazing. I love theatre. I think something so iconic as Silence of the Lambs, people have these expectations about what they are going to be seeing. Obviously with the film, you get Jodie and Anthony Hopkins, and the amazing director and the close-ups. We have the live audience onstage. It's telling the story a lot more throughout the body and through the voice. It's different and it's exciting,' she said.
The actress also spoke about making the role her own. 'She's an icon. Obviously you have to make it your own. You will get some theatre goers will expect to see Jodie Foster but unfortunately, you have me! It's about what I can relate to with Clarice and using that, and telling the story about what I have been through. Especially as women, and with Clarice is this underdog in this world dominated by men. Our writer is absolutely brilliant and the writing does it all for us.'
Mastering a New Accent
Gallagher also revealed the challenges of trading her native Mancunian accent for a Southern American drawl. 'I love Southern American accents. I am glad we are going down that route. Something that really helped me is watching Jodie. She has this way of speaking as using the side of her mouth a little bit. Imagine you are constantly chewing something! It's quite broad. It's about finding the process of making it a little bit softer. Also I am Mancunian and I speak from my head voice, and I need to bring it all much lower. She's training FBI, she's not using her head voice, she wants to be taken seriously,' she explained.
Working with John Partridge
The actress praised her co-star John Partridge, describing him as the perfect Hannibal. 'I've never met John Partridge before. He's lovely. He is the perfect Hannibal. He's lovely. He's terrifying at the same time. That's what you want. He is in a cage. We can't actually hear each other. Johnny's using a mic at the moment, which is helpful. How close can Clarice and Lecter get? We're still working that out through the process of rehearsals. Our director is brilliant. You just trust everything he does, really,' she said.
Silence of the Lambs will tour the UK from August, offering audiences a fresh take on a classic thriller.
