Julie Hesmondhalgh's Stellar Career Since Leaving Coronation Street
Julie Hesmondhalgh has enjoyed a remarkable and diverse acting career since her emotional departure from Coronation Street as the beloved character Hayley Cropper back in 2014. The actress, now 55, has demonstrated her considerable talent across numerous high-profile television productions for both ITV and the BBC, establishing herself as one of Britain's most respected performers.
Coronation Street's Touching Tribute to Hayley Cropper
In a recent episode of the long-running ITV soap, viewers were treated to a poignant tribute to Hayley Cropper during Tuesday night's broadcast. The storyline saw Roy Cropper, played by David Neilson, confide in Lisa Swain that it marked the anniversary of Hayley's passing, with plans to visit the boating lake where her ashes were scattered.
The emotional café scene also featured Roy encouraging Carla Connor to reconcile with Lisa, believing this would have been Hayley's wish. In a touching moment of reciprocation, Carla reminded Roy that Hayley would want him to find happiness too, as he continues to write letters to potential romantic interest Alice.
Long-time Coronation Street fans will fondly remember Hayley Cropper as Roy's treasured partner, with the couple first committing to each other through deed poll in 1999 before legally marrying in 2010. Tragically, Hayley died on 20th January 2014 after choosing to end her life following a devastating pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The pair remain one of the ITV soap's most cherished couples, having supported numerous characters including Fiz Dobbs and Becky McDonald during their time on the cobbles.
Hesmondhalgh's Impressive Television Portfolio
Since bidding farewell to Weatherfield, Julie Hesmondhalgh has showcased her acting prowess in an impressive array of television dramas:
- In 2016, she appeared in the critically acclaimed police drama Happy Valley as Amanda Wadsworth, sharing screen time with Sarah Lancashire, James Norton and Siobhan Finneran
- The following year saw her feature in ITV's crime drama Broadchurch, playing Trish Winterman alongside David Tennant, Olivia Colman and Jodie Whittaker
- In 2018, she took on the role of Judy Maddox in Doctor Who, followed by Heather in The A Word in 2020
- She portrayed Nancy in The Pact in 2021 before featuring as Suzanne Sercombe in the critically-acclaimed Mr Bates vs The Post Office just last year
Personal Life and Husband's Writing Career
Away from her thriving acting career, Julie Hesmondhalgh is married to fellow actor and writer Ian Kershaw, with the couple having tied the knot in 2005. Interestingly, Ian has his own significant connections to Coronation Street, having played five different characters on the soap over the years before joining the writing team in 2018.
Since becoming part of the writing staff, Kershaw has contributed to 89 episodes including the recent hard-hitting Theo Silverton and Todd Grimshaw specials. Beyond Coronation Street, he has also penned scripts for several other popular television programmes including Beyond Paradise, Death in Paradise, Cold Feet and EastEnders.
Coronation Street continues to air on weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV and ITV X, maintaining its position as one of Britain's most watched and beloved television programmes.
