She was appearing in Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Exchange Theatre when she was spotted by a member of the casting team and subsequently asked to audition for Coronation Street. Another friend of Hayley's from this period was Ruth Audsley, who hid her attraction to Harold. They later joined the Weatherfield Operatic Society together, with Hayley encouraging a terrified Roy to try for The Sound of Music with her. After the "wedding" was screened, the Labour Government announced that a Parliamentary Working Group was being created to assess how the UK could grant trans people the legal rights for which they had fought for decades. That's all they told me. Julie Hesmondhalgh left Coronation Street temporarily in 2001 to give birth to her daughter, Martha Mo. In the wake of the Wayne incident, Peter Hartnell told the Croppers that their fostering suspension would be lifted, but the couple never fostered again. Later that year, they supported her when she had her miscarriages, and it was on Hayley's advice that the McDonalds turned to adoption. [11] Hesmondhalgh revealed that she wanted to pursue new projects, saying "I've had the most wonderful and happy time in the life changing 15/16 years I've been in Corrie, and I owe so much to the show and the special team that make it happen. Hayley enjoyed talking to Christian about Harold, but while she plucked up the courage to tell him the truth, her lies became more elaborate, much to Roy's disapproval, whose one piece of advice on the matter was that she couldn't build a meaningful relationship on a lie. Hayley was the first transgender character in a British soap opera The actor was born in Loughborough on March 13 1949. When Hayley Cropper swallows poison on Coronation Street on Monday night, taking her own life to escape inoperable pancreatic cancer, with her beloved husband, Roy, in pieces at her bedside, it will be the end of a character who, thanks to Hesmondhalgh's performance, has captivated and challenged British TV viewers for Granada received three letters of complaint, all which were about Hayley being played by a cis-gendered woman and not a transwoman. Devastated but philosophical, Hayley begins to make a bucket list of everything that she wants to do before she dies, one of which is teaching Roy how to drive. After a few more dates, Hayley decided to reveal her secret to him. The Croppers couldn't have children, but they fostered Fiz Brown in 2001, and took in several waifs and strays, most notably Becky Granger. Who drove the Ford Escort in fast and furious? Briefly, upon her return, there was a difficult situation where she had developed a crush on one of her co-workers in Africa (further reading below). In March 2000, Hayley attracted the attentions of Stuart Leigh, a builder working on the Medical Centre development. [5] Hayley's funeral aired on 31 January 2014. Once there, Hayley sees Carla bound and gagged but Robbie pulls out a gun on her before she can escape, and ties her to a chair too. But I was really conscious that I didn't want it to be making fun of her, and as it happened it was beautifully written and David [Neilson] and I played it, and continue to play it, as a delicate love story. (Fifty Years) On their relationship, David Neilson: "Everything just clicked and the two characters just seem to sparkle together," (Inside Soap). David is 69 years old, and will turn 70 in March 2019. In 2006, he ignored Hayley in favour of his friend Clifford Ford, who loved trains almost as much as Roy did. Later that week, Roy and Hayley go to a hospital appointment following her scan and learn that the cancer is a lot more aggressive than anticipated, meaning Hayley only has weeks left to live. Her friend and colleague Alma Baldwin (Amanda Barrie) introduced her to Roy Cropper (David Neilson) and they became friends until Hayley told him that she was transgender and used to be called Harold. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Coronation Street's Julie Hesmondhalgh: Hayley's death is not a 'right to die' storyline", "When Julie Met Hayley: Interview with Julie Hesmondhalgh", When Julie Met Hayley: The Original Interview with Julie Hesmondhalgh with Beaumont Magazine Columnist Samantha Johnson, "Entertainment | TV stars prepare for battle", "Real-life Hayley Cropper speaks publicly for the first time", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hayley_Cropper&oldid=1138353201, This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 06:01. Just before she left, Hayley got into an argument with Tracy Barlow, standing her ground when Tracy made fun of her sexuality, although it revealed an insecurity in her that Roy didn't find her physically attractive. An Early Day Motion was also tabled in Parliament by Lynne Jones, MP, praising the story team and researchers, and Julie Hesmondhalgh for her portrayal.[17]. The character first appeared in the episode first broadcast on 26 January 1998. However, before they could do so, Ruth shopped them and they were taken into police custody, and Wayne was returned to his parents. On their return, the Croppers discovered that Sylvia had departed the Street to live with her sister. It being a big step for them, Hayley and Roy were very attentive and enthusiastic, much to Jackie's chagrin, but overall it was a pleasant experience for them. As a boy, Roy had found his mother cold and unsympathetic, and as an adult she still instilled fear in him. She wrote to Roy letting him know where she was, and was shocked when, a short time later, he visited her out of the blue. The woman that inspired Coronation Street's Hayley Cropper has spoken publicly about being transgender for the first time. Hesmondhalgh: I think in the beginning the original idea may have been pitched as a sort of joke you know, give Roy a girlfriend and she turns out to be a man. Well, I was gobsmacked, of course, but I thought it was a fantastic idea. Transgender campaigners were initially upset that a cisgender woman had been chosen for the part but later praised Hesmondhalgh's dedication and sensitivity. The dress is a success and Roy and Hayley attend Carla and Peter's wedding. As Hayley had yet to update her passport, they took their honeymoon in York. They've got to be a bit more imaginative, so it's great - it works out good for us." Hayley begins to write letters for Tyrone and Fiz's children, but stops when she realises Hope and Ruby will not remember her, as they are too young. Roy and Fiz go too. [1] She was married to Roy Cropper (David Neilson). Hayley joined Firman's Freezers after years of looking after her father, and in the midst of a sex change. Roy plays "The Lark Ascending" by Vaughan Williams, and sits on the bed with Hayley. Photo Credit: Matrix Pictures Before you think Roy and Daniel are inseparable, Daniel, in real-life, is married to Jane Neilson who is not involved with Coronation Street. Roy and his late wife Hayley fostered Wayne back in 2001 in a bid to get him away from his abusive stepfather, but he was eventually returned home leaving the couple devastated. A week after the birth, Hayley was serving as a bridesmaid to Karen McDonald at her and Steve's second wedding. What is the real name of Hayley. Mike fires her as a result. But doing the play at the Royal Exchange last year made me realise that there's life in the old dog yet. Later that week, Roy proposes to Hayley and she accepts. In February 1999, Hayley became suspicious of Roy's movements when he put on his best clothes to go for a walk. Hayley knew that her past would always be a part of her; immediately on her arrival in the UK, she was stopped by Immigration as she still held a man's passport. But we wanted the character to live and breathe a bit so that people could get to know her without prejudice. A few months later, Fiz returned to the area, older and wiser, and apologised to the Croppers for being rotten to them. Hayley then had the operation to remove her tumour, giving Roy her wedding ring to look after while she was in the operating theatre. Roy and Hayley take Fiz's daughter, Hope, and Tyrone Dobbs' (Alan Halsall) baby girl Ruby to the park, Christian arrives and asks Anna where Hayley is. When catching up with Tilly, another volunteer, she learns Olaf is not the man she thought he was and decides to stay with Roy. (Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 7th March 1998), After her initial two-month stint was deemed a success, Julie Hesmondhalgh was given a new contract and Hayley returned as a permanent character with Episode 4429 on 29th June 1998, beginning with a memorable set of episodes filmed on location in Amsterdam, where Hayley reunited with Roy having completed her transformation into a woman. Over the following days, Hayley became more frail and lost her appetite. Following the screening of the "wedding" in 1999, the Labour Government announced that a Parliamentary Working Group was being created to assess how the United Kingdom could grant trans people the legal rights for which they had fought for decades. The character first appeared in the episode first broadcast on 26 January 1998. He had a very analytical, literal mind, and abhorred lying. Feeling sorry for Hayley, Alma offered her the hand of friendship, although she was slightly disturbed when Hayley, having no other friends, latched on to her and started following her around. [11] The actress recorded her final scenes on 18 November 2013, being screened on 20 January 2014, and the producers came up with a dramatic exit storyline for her character. A year later, they let homeless Craig Harris move into the flat after finding him living in squalor in the empty bakery next door. Corrie fans were devastated when Hayley was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2013, following a CT scan. [15] The official LGBT History Month website includes Hayley as one of the important famous LGBT people in their history, even though she is a fictional character.[16]. Hayley is delighted to learn that Roy has booked a day off so they can go to Blackpool. Roy is devastated when the consultant tells Roy and Hayley that her cancer is terminal. In 2003, while Hayley is away, nursing her sick aunt, scheming Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) bets Bev Unwin (Susie Blake) that she can bed the man supposedly least likely to be unfaithful Roy. Hayley does well and is invited to Audrey Roberts' (Sue Nicholls) birthday party at the Bistro. [13] Wallace is now an actress in her own right, and appears as the character Sally St. Claire in the Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. In 2013, Carla was one of the first people to find out about Hayley's cancer treatment. Occasionally, Hayley experimented with a more youthful, feminine look, before deciding that it didn't suit her. (First line, to Curly Watts). The following day, Hayley tells Roy to let a few people know that she only has weeks left but does not want visitors. We didn't want people to be fearful of her and dislike her for the wrong reasons. During their last conversation, Hayley thanked Carla for giving her three extra years of life. She'd never do it. Due to her longstanding feud with Tracy, Becky was shunned by the residents, with only Roy and her sister Kylie Platt believing her. Most just want Roy and Hayley to get together." The actor has played the legendary character on the ITV soap for a number of years and has become a big part of culture but he has appeared to hint that he has made his last appearance on the programme. This drew the attention of Tracy Barlow, who let the cat out of the bag that Hayley was a transsexual. When I got the scripts for those episodes I read them like a novel, all five episodes back to back I found it absolutely thrilling. (Fifty Years). Tracy drugs Roy at Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) and Shelley Unwin's (Sally Lindsay) wedding reception and claims to have slept with him. Anne Malone froze to death when she was accidentally locked in a freezer at Freshcos while gaining revenge on Curly Watts for rejecting her. 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