Also, his presents to her was usually more suited to him, for example an authentic but rustic meal from the Civil War period (2002), a holiday in Burnham Thorpe for the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar (2005), and Scrabble in a foreign language (2003). Over a romantic meal at Roy's cafe, Roy's Rolls, Hayley confessed to him that she had been born a man, and explained to him what had led her to decide to change her body. (Woman's Own, 15th April 1999), Hayley's relationship with Roy was especially well-received by viewers, despite the actors' initial fears about putting two oddball characters together. When Hayley finds him later, Christian is still angry and punches her when she refuses to leave him alone. The couple visit and Hayley is shocked to see how dazed Jane is after taking morphine. Hesmondhalgh: I was very excited to be involved in some action drama because that's not my normal place in the show, I'm usually behind a knicker machine or serving butties. Finding her manner odd, Carla investigated and persuaded Anna Windass to let her into the flat, where they found Roy with a lifeless Hayley, who had passed away moments before. Furious that the police weren't investigating Alex, Hayley refused to accept her bail condition and was remanded in custody. In 2007, she enjoyed playing scenes of Hayley meeting her son Christian Gatley, although his existence went against known Street history which had established Hayley as a virgin. One of the first things she did was to make a bucket list of everything she wanted to do before she died. Driven by his determination to fulfill his promise to Hayley, Roy found (via Emily Bishop) a minister who agreed to perform a ceremony at St. Paul's Church. Hayley's theatrical bent extended to singing, with her singing Abba on stage along Deirdre Rachid, Linda Sykes and Janice Battersby at the Street's Millennium party in 2000. But a lot of people have said because it's been so true to Roy and Hayley, they've found it moving. She also swore those who knew to secrecy, but Roy blurted it out at Audrey Roberts's birthday party at Nick's Bistro after catching her drinking alcohol. Hayley is called back to the Medical Centre the following week and the doctor tells Hayley that she has abnormal liver function and needs an ultrasound scan for further investigation. Commandeering a pump wagon, Fiz and Becky got the bride to the hotel in time, and Hayley and Roy were married legally. Given the level of fame Hayley has achieved, anonymity in everyday life has been a blessing for the actress. In 2004, she joined the Rovers Ravers, and ended up carrying the team as she was the only one with any experience at the sport. David is 69 years old, and will turn 70 in March 2019. 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. Most criticism came from the LGBT community, who slated the portrayal of Hayley as cliched and ill-informed. When Carla returns home, she breaks down after seeing Hayley in such a state. Hayley was run off her feet looking after Hope but was sad when the time came to give her up. Their reunion was cemented when Hayley was taken hostage at the factory by a maniacal Tony Gordon, escaping after her fellow hostage Carla Connor appealed to Tony's better side and persuaded him to let Hayley go. However, they do get to the venue on time and Hayley marries Roy. She was a fast machinist and got a job at Underworld, though when her secret came out and she faced bigotry in the workplace and elsewhere, she found it difficult to cope with. 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 Hayley Cropper died in January 2014 in husband Roys arms. He was collected by his stepfather Alex Swinton and eventually returned to the children's home. Looking for somewhere permanent to live, Hayley was delighted when Roy asked her to move in with him, dutifully offering to sleep on the sofa until they were married. The actor was born in Loughborough on March 13 1949. Roy was shattered by her dishonesty although they soon made up. Carla was absent from Weatherfield throughout these events, as she had fled to California when Tony admitted the truth to her months earlier. When she saw Mike kissing Linda Sykes, Hayley didn't tell Alma to avoid hurting her, but when Alma found out that Mike had a girlfriend, she came clean. She confides in her, telling her that she is frightened of dying. During Ben's adolescence and childhood, he was. From hair masks to cold rinses, people incorporate many different shower rituals into their routines. Hayley returns in November 2008; it is clear that she is not entirely happy, appearing evasive and she tells Roy that she wants to return to her charity work, as she has fallen for Olaf, the project team leader. His bad treatment of her intensified when Roy threw a pint over him in the Rovers Return in retaliation for calling Hayley a freak. Hesmondhalgh: "Since the scene was broadcast when Hayley told Roy I have personally found that people have been very positive. Initially helpful, Mary had railroaded Hayley into accepting her suggestions but Hayley had been too polite to tell her to back off. With Hayley behind him, Roy bought a new unit in Victoria Street, No.16, and the flat above, and moved the cafe there. The couple enjoyed the day immensely, with the highlight being a dance in the Tower Ballroom, Roy having learned ballroom dancing especially for the occasion. Hayley gets fed up with people being sympathetic so she and Roy go on holiday before her operation to remove her tumour. Hayley realises that she has to tell Roy so goes home and tells Roy and Sylvia. Anna lets her in and tries to stop Carla knocking on the flat door, but she does. Mary Taylor (Patti Clare) intervenes in the wedding preparations and, after weeks of muscling in, Hayley and Roy tell her they do not want her to be a part of the wedding, despite Hayley wearing her vintage wedding dress. Patience Cropper is renamed Amy Barlow and the Croppers are her godparents. This was incorporated into scripts, with Curly Watts finding a vicar who would carry out a blessing ceremony which was then treated like a wedding, with Hayley changing her name by deed poll to Hayley Cropper. On 1 June 2010, Robbie Sloan (James Fleet) tricks Hayley to go to the factory, telling her that Carla Connor (Alison King) has had an accident, when in reality, Robbie has tied Carla to a chair and duct taped her mouth shut. They've got to be a bit more imaginative, so it's great - it works out good for us." When Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and her half-sister Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley), argue at the factory, Leanne pushes Eva into Hayley, so Carla throws Leanne out. When Jane passed away a short time later, Hayley struggled to cope and became tough on Roy for not supporting her. In 2013, Hayley battled pancreatic cancer. Fiz subsequently returned to the area after turning sixteen, where she enjoyed a far better relationship with the Croppers. Hayley broached the possibility of having a legally-recognised wedding instead, as they had always intended to do once the law changed, but Roy opposed the idea because of the expense and his discomfort at expressing his feelings publicly. The doctor revealed to the couple that the chemotherapy was proving ineffective due to the cancer being more aggressive than expected, and Hayley's life expectancy was revised to mere weeks. Additionally, Mike discovered her secret when Alma told him why the DSS was insisting that Hayley was called Harold. Hayley's prognosis was devastating for the Croppers and their close friends, with Roy constantly fussing over her and trying to keep her from tiring herself. Over the following days, Hayley became more frail and lost her appetite. Becky's stay with the Croppers reached an impasse when Becky went for a joyride in Hayley's car with her friend Slug, and she was subsequently sacked for starting a fire in the cafe which was actually caused by an electrical fault. 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). She was a kind woman who always put others first, at times such that she could be seen as a pushover, as evidenced by doing her colleagues work for them to meet quotas. However, Hayley's insecurity over how Roy saw her occasionally cropped up, in particular her fear that he didn't find her attractive, but it was never mentioned again after his near-suicide in 2003 when he thought he'd been unfaithful to Hayley with Tracy Barlow. Hayley was the first Street resident to find out their secret, learning the truth when Angela confided in her, after Hayley took her to casualty when Angela hurt her finger on the sewing machine. Another friend of Hayley's from this period was Ruth Audsley, who hid her attraction to Harold. They went on to possibly save their group mates' lives by evacuating the first aid tent when a rocket landed on it and started a fire at the local firework display. The episode attracted 9.7 million viewers the show's highest figure in almost a year. 27-year-old Julie Hesmondhalgh was born in Accrington, Lancashire. The Croppers were reconciled when Roy bought Hayley a salsa dress as a present. Roy initially rejected her, but missed their friendship and three months later, followed her to Amsterdam where she was living on a houseboat, recuperating from her surgery. When she returns to Weatherfield, she starts work at Underworld. The result of this was the tabling, in 2004, of the Gender Recognition Act, granting trans people full legal status in their acquired sex. In May 2010, Hayley and Roy argue when she suggests that they have a lavish wedding, now that the law has changed and their union can now be officially recognised. ", Reaction to the character improved over time, with praise focusing on Hayley's relationship with Roy. Hayley was very non-confrontational, at least when dealing with bigots such as Les Battersby. Hayley made him promise to go on and be her eyes, ears and heart for years to come. He only set Hayley free when Carla pleaded with him, and the incident ended with Tony perishing in a blaze he started himself. However, as other UK soaps such as Brookside and Hollyoaks had recently covered such storylines, the idea did not appeal to the team. In 2012, he failed to take an interest in Hayley's ballroom dancing due to being caught up in his chess games with Mary Taylor. Roy is desperate to keep this from Hayley but breaks down and admits everything. Roy and Hayley felt protective of Wayne and, when he confessed that Alex often lashed out at him and his mum, they decided to act and reported Alex to Peter Hartnell, their contact from Social Services. I keep my chin tucked in and my head down and my hands in front of me or under the table, because she would want to conceal her masculine hands. *Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Fandom will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. In May 2010, Roy suggested to Hayley that they have a civil partnership, to improve their pension benefits. Blackburn: "This is a very sensitive issue and we will be exploring the effects of her decision on husband Roy who has a huge emotional and moral dilemma over her choice to die this way." However, she did not want to sleep apart from Roy anyway, and as she moved into Roy's flat, they cemented their relationship, although Hayley lied to Roy by telling him that, like him, she was a virgin. In September, having recently become closer to thirteen-year-old Sarah Platt and become godmother of her daughter Bethany, Hayley's thoughts turned to children and she suggested to Roy that they adopt. For the duration of. A police search for the couple ensued, with the papers reporting them as kidnappers and painting Alex as a concerned stepfather. 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. Hayley and Roy shared many interests and activities. In October 2012, when Mary won tickets to the United States in a competition, she gave them to Roy and Hayley so that they could visit Sylvia, who was temporarily staying with her companion Milton Fanshaw in Palm Springs, California. As Hayley had yet to update her passport, they took their honeymoon in York. The manner of Hayley's send-off was entirely appropriate for a woman who always looked to the positive; a woman who had lit up people's lives with her boundless enthusiasm and kindness. Disapproving of lies, Roy insists Hayley tell Christian the truth about how they are related and Hayley does but Christian does not react well and storms off. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Carla drove her to the hospital, where she found out she had pancreatic cancer. As a boy, Roy had found his mother cold and unsympathetic, and as an adult she still instilled fear in him. In some ways this was a disadvantage; her easygoing nature made her a poor stand-in factory manager after Paul Connor's death, with Carla having to take over to get things back on track. After her operation, Hayley remained in Amsterdam and rented a houseboat, intending to stay for a while. While waiting for him to call back, she focuses on throwing a birthday party for Roy in The Rovers. New to the Street, Fiz found Roy and Hayley old-fashioned and caused trouble by reporting Roy for hitting her when they tried to crack down on her skiving off school. They then tried recording Alex confessing to being abusive, but he spotted the tape recorder and smashed it. Producer Brian Park: [We] didn't want to be seen as chasing their tails so much. 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. In 2006, he ignored Hayley in favour of his friend Clifford Ford, who loved trains almost as much as Roy did. Was Hayley from Corrie a man in real life? At the hospital, the consultant explains that Hayley has an infection and needs to stay overnight. 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). In April, they fostered Fiz Brown, a headstrong and somewhat rebellious young woman. By 1995 he was living by himself at the Crimea Street flats . In many respects, the Croppers were very different and this was reflected in their other interests. While minister Jessica Lundy and Spider Nugent kept the reporters occupied, Emily intercepted the wedding party and told them to turn around. As a surprise for Roy, Hayley arranged for the wedding bus to stop at the train station and for Roy to drive a steam engine to the venue, with the bridal party in the rear carriage. Hayley and Roy then foster a young boy, Wayne Hayes (Gary Damer), but go on the run with him, wanting to protect him from his abusive stepfather. Granada received three letters of complaint, all which were about Hayley being played by a cis-gendered woman and not a transwoman. Born as a male named Harold Patterson in 1966, Hayley started treatment to physically become female when she was in her twenties. The joke was that Roy Cropper (David Neilson) was going to go on a series . This causes an argument and Hayley moves in with Fiz and Tyrone. After the funeral, Hayley's Uncle Bert passed on to Hayley some letters addressed to her which Monica had held onto. In 1999, Alma was Matron of Honour at their wedding. Community content is available under. Jane shocked the couple by making jokes about her pancreatic cancer, but while Roy found her attitude inappropriate, Hayley was inspired and befriended the couple. While Wayne was staying with them, Roy and Hayley pretended to the neighbours that they were fostering him. However, Hayley refused to be defined by her illness and remained as active as usual. She decides to tell Fiz about Christian, confusing Roy but he comes round to the idea of Hayley contacting Christian, so she leaves a message on his mobile. The character Roy Cropper is played by 72-year old English actor Daniel Neilson who has been invested in the role since 1995. In September 2011, Hayley cleared Frank Foster's things from the factory after his rape of Carla and ran the factory in her absence. 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 Hesmondhalghs performance, has captivated and challenged British TV viewers for . Then awaiting the results of her CT scan, Hayley couldn't concentrate at the factory and explained her situation to Carla. When she got her results, Hayley was informed by the new GP, Dr. Akhtar, that she had abnormal liver functions and was checked into hospital for an ultrasound scan, which revealed a blockage in her bile duct. Darren Miller Initially, it was intended that Hayley would only appear for two months, it was thought that this would help increase ratings as well as show a new side to Roy Cropper (David Neilson). [7] Making her debut appearance on the show in January 1998, she played the first transgender character in a British soap opera. Because of her sheltered upbringing, Hayley was shy and had trouble making friends. Both were successful in their auditions. David Neilson has appeared to confirm he wont return as Roy Cropper on Coronation Street. Becky grew very attached to Royston and Hayles. Heather gives birth in hospital, she is surprised to be told she has had a boy. A week after the birth, Hayley was serving as a bridesmaid to Karen McDonald at her and Steve's second wedding. In 2009, David Neilson, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Katherine Kelly starred in direct-to-DVD spin-off Coronation Street: Romanian Holiday, shot on location in Romania. Hayley made her own dress, while the train was made by the other girls and presented to her at her hen party at No.5, with Janice Battersby selling Les's records to pay for it. Hayley is delighted when asked by Carla to make her wedding dress. After the baby is born, Tracy admits to Peter that Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) is the father (they had a one-night stand shortly before she spent the night with Roy). The news quickly spread throughout Coronation Street, stunning the residents. Killer Tony Gordon (Gray O'Brien) arrives, takes the gag off Carla's mouth and threatens them, revealing that Hayley is there as revenge against Roy, who convinced Tony to confess his crimes to the police, and says he will kill her and Carla. However, she made an exception for Tracy Barlow, giving her a slap when Tracy made cracks about her sexuality during a heated argument. What happened to Anne Malone in Coronation Street? She shares a very ordinary family life in Derbyshire with her husband, screenwriter and actor Ian Kershaw (they met on the soap, when he played a reporter on the Weatherfield Gazette) and their two daughters, aged 13 and 10. When Julie announced she was leaving Coronation Street in 2013,. 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