From the moment she first appeared on the street as with her screen sister Toyah, shoplifting from Firman's Freezers supermarket, Leanne Battersby has been one of the show’s favourite characters.
The surly, stroppy, gum-chewing teenager has grown up but she still has a knack for finding herself at the centre of the drama, from the heartbreaking story of her son Oliver's terminal illness to the disturbing manipulation of Leanne by The Institute.
Tell us about your childhood.
I had a very normal working-class upbringing in Bury, with hard-working parents and a brother and sister. I was the one out of the family who decided to pursue a slightly different job but I had no idea it would turn into the career I’ve had. Growing up, I loved to sing and it was my primary school teacher who told me I should channel and nurture it, so when my mum saw an ad in the local paper about Oldham Theatre Workshop I enrolled there at 10 years old and stayed for seven years. Once I joined, the singing took a back seat as my passion for acting took over.
Your first television role came at the age of 12 in Alan Bleasdale's political drama GBH. How did the role come about and what memories do you have?
I watched that again recently and its subject matter still stands up. I was actually 11 when I filmed it and 12 when it came out. At that age I didn’t understand what it was about, or the enormity of its message about the corruption of power. But looking back, it was fantastic to be working with such incredible talent as Robert Lindsay, Julie Walters and Michael Palin and to be part of a groundbreaking show.
After GBH I did a few children’s shows before I got Children’s Ward. That was when I started to learn the craft. I was fortunate to be on Granada's radar and had already done quite a bit of work with them. Having those years at Oldham Theatre Workshop helped as they were very big on developing a strong work ethic: always turn up on time, know your lines, never be late, etc. Children’s Ward was created by Kay Mellor and Paul Abbott and they never shied away from hard-hitting storylines such as rape and teenage pregnancies, so as an actor it allowed you to develop your skills. I can’t believe it was 30 years ago – in fact, I remember getting my GCSE results in the corridor on a break from filming. It was such a special time.
How did you get the role of Leanne Battersby?
I never actually auditioned for Leanne. I auditioned for the role of Zoe Tattersall but didn’t get it and I was so disappointed. Joanne Froggat got the role and was brilliant. I didn’t know Corrie was secretly planning a new family and one day out of the blue I received a phone call to say I’d got a part in Coronation Street as Leanne Battersby. It was so secret the casting department said I had got a role but I wasn't told anything about the rest of the family (dad Les, mum Janice and sister Toyah). We were all sworn to secrecy. And then the Battersbys exploded onto our screens.
Take us back to your first day on the set
It was 1997 and I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was 18 and arrived with Ali Sinclair and Janice Troup from Corrie's press office. We went onto set and did a big press call to talk about the family. It was the first time an entire family had arrived on the street and in such style – like the Beverly Hillbillies. Also, it was the whole girl power-Spice Girls period so it was a first to have two blatantly naughty girls in a family as they hadn’t shown that before. Yes, they had Steve and Andy McDonald who were a bit naughty but Leanne and Toyah were on another level.
I was lucky that I came into the show with three other actors playing my family so we had each other and we were trying to play it cool. Everyone was so welcoming and kind to us, so there was no reason to feel nervous. But if we did feel unsure about anything we had each other to bounce off, which helped. It was brilliant that I had Georgia Taylor (Toyah) who was a similar age. We supported each other as we grew up on and off screen.
There were only terrestrial channels at that time and we had 19 to 20 million viewers tuning in, so it was huge. It’s a love-hate reaction. They hated us to begin with. Teletext did a poll on us and about 97 per cent of people said to get rid of this horrific family. So the producers and press office knew they were doing something right as the Battersbys were causing such a stir. I had never encountered that volume of press before and thankfully we had the press office here to look after us and guide us through it all.
What do you love about Leanne and what do you dislike?
I love that she is direct and feisty and calls a spade a spade. But I hate that she just doesn’t think before she speaks and then she gets herself in trouble. She’s so stroppy. That’s the Battersby in her.
What have been the standout storylines for you?
The most significant storyline for me was Oliver’s story, which was done largely around Covid time, which presented its challenges as we couldn’t work with the child so had to use a cushion or fake baby. The script was beautiful; what I love about Corrie is the writers make you realise not everything is black and white. The script explored Leanne’s dilemma in not wanting Oliver to suffer but also not wanting his life support machine to be turned off when she felt there was still hope. As an actor, it was a great opportunity to delve into my emotions and show a different side to Leanne.
Have your sons Harry and Sam got the acting bug or are they set on different career paths?The elder, Harry, has just gone to uni to study media so perhaps he might work behind the scenes. Sam, has got something creative about him but at the moment he’s too interested in seeing his friends and being a teenager. I’m excited for Harry as it will be such a fantastic experience but I’m also dreading it as it’s a new chapter in my life as well as his and I will miss him. Then I remember I was working in London for six months when I was 17.
Don’t worry. It will all be fine. I look back on photographs of myself on TV and think about how everyone scrutinised my looks but forgot I was portraying a character and hadn’t chosen to dye my hair that colour. At the time it was very overwhelming; I wish I could have enjoyed the moment more.
