Leanne is being pulled in all directions by Nick, Steve and Peter. But that won’t last, says Corrie’s Jane Danson, who explains how she feels about Ben Price (Nick) leaving
As if having little baby Oliver to look after isn’t enough, Leanne Battersby also has big babies Peter Barlow, her ex, Nick Tilsley, her partner, and Steve McDonald, Oliver’s father, to keep sweet…
“All three want something from Leanne and none of them see the situation from her point of view,” Jane Danson told Soaplife. “There’s never been a moment where she’s been able to say, ‘I am fed up with this - what about me and Oliver?’”
Why is Peter (Chris Gascoyne) leaning on Leanne so heavily? “He needs her help to prove he didn’t push Ken [William Roache] down the stairs and also to disprove the Chloe assault charge.”
So she believes he’s innocent? “She does, actually. She knows that Peter wouldn’t really hit a woman. With regards to Ken, she thinks it would be very out of character for Peter to have pushed him. He had nothing to gain from it. If Ken’s fall was accidental, she can’t believe Peter would have left his dad to die. Peter’s not a bad bloke, just very flawed.”
Why does she go round to see Chloe (Jo-Anne Knowles)? “Mainly because of Simon - she doesn’t want Peter sent down for something he didn’t do which would mean him being absent from his son Simon’s life again. Toyah [Georgia Taylor] turns up at the same time and they kind of gang up and try to make Chloe confess that she is lying. It’s a bit like the battling Battersby girls of the old days.”
There is also Oliver’s naming ceremony to contend with... “Leanne’s torn about Steve [Simon Gregson] being there because Nick clearly isn’t happy about it. Then Liz [Beverley Callard] is unhappy about not knowing anything about it. The whole point is for everyone to come together and celebrate, but of course it doesn’t turn out that way. Everyone is at loggerheads and Leanne’s stuck in the middle of it all. No wonder she’s distracted and later on locks herself out of the flat with the baby still inside!”
How do you feel about Ben Price (who plays Nick) leaving the Street? “I’m devastated, absolutely gutted. I completely understand his reasons for wanting to go, but he will be a huge loss to the show and selfishly, on my part, to my working day. I will miss him so much.”
Coronation Street, ITV
