At the end of the year, Hayley bought Gail Platt's share of the cafe but went on working at the factory. [5] Hayley's funeral aired on 31 January 2014. 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). Hayley returns later that year and supports Roy when they discover that his father died in May 2013. She usually wore a shirt and cardigan with a skirt, short hair, and for all of her sixteen years in the Street, she wore the same red anorak. Fiz takes Hayley and Roy to The Rovers and Hayley tells them that she gave Christian the money. The Croppers' problems were forgotten temporarily when the couple discovered that someone had been in the cafe overnight and moved things around, on multiple occasions. (50 Years), News that Coronation Street was set to introduce British soap's first transsexual character broke in the papers two weeks before Hayley's on-screen debut in Episode 4341 on 26th January 1998. The Croppers' relationship becomes increasingly strained, including a suicide attempt by Roy, but they pull through. The news quickly spread throughout Coronation Street, stunning the residents. Hayley Patterson was a shy shop supervisor at Firman's Freezers. Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) finds Roy sleepwalking on the Red Rec and returns him to Hayley and Sylvia. 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. When she returns to Weatherfield, she starts work at Underworld. Hayley was therefore sceptical when Becky tried to befriend her when Hayley was doing voluntary work with ex-offenders later in the year, but she decided to give Becky a chance, feeling that everyone could be rehabilitated. For a few weeks, they lived in fear of Alex, Social Services and the police, finding little comfort in the fact that they were doing it to protect Wayne. She goes with Roy to his driving lesson, which was a disaster. 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. As a boy, Roy had found his mother cold and unsympathetic, and as an adult she still instilled fear in him. (The Daily Telegraph, 21st April 1998). Angela apologised to Hayley and asked her to tell everyone the truth. Julie Hesmondhalgh was pleased to be working alongside David Neilson again, believing that he helped her performance: "It's in the costume and the wig and acting with David, who's so brilliant as Roy. 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). Although he took Hayley's revelation about her sex badly, Roy pursued her to Amsterdam, where she was having the final part of her treatment, and they returned to Weatherfield together as a proper couple. 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. In February, Curly and Alma broke the news to Hayley that her father had passed away. On the value of the couple: "I've said this before, but they are, despite how unusual they are as people, they are the most conservative couple on the Street really. and that there are other things I want to try. When she met Roy in 1998, a kinship was developed as they were both lonely, introspective people. While minister Jessica Lundy and Spider Nugent kept the reporters occupied, Emily intercepted the wedding party and told them to turn around. After affirming their mutual attraction, Hayley goes to Amsterdam for private gender reassignment surgery. They successfully applied and were taken on as foster parents. Given the level of fame Hayley has achieved, anonymity in everyday life has been a blessing for the actress. The unlucky-in-love shop assistant, played by Cheryl Fergison, plucks up the courage to tell the mystery man hes become a father just hours after giving birth. In 2009, the Croppers employed Fiz's husband John Stape at the cafe, despite his kidnap of Rosie Webster which had resulted in his imprisonment. Stuart then confronted Roy and Hayley in the cafe and called them freaks. A small Registry Office ceremony was arranged with Roy signing his assets over to Hayley beforehand in case Tracy tried to get hold of the cafe in the divorce. In October, Hayley and Roy joined a cancer support group, where they met a couple, Jane and Jeff Rayner. Prepared to drink the cocktail, Hayley is interrupted by Tyrone who is looking for Ruby's toy. 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. But I think the anorak has got to stay - it's an institution! As a wedding present to Roy, Hayley officially changed her name by deed poll to Hayley Anne Cropper. 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. The Croppers were reconciled when Roy bought Hayley a salsa dress as a present. Heather phones the father to tell him he has a son, and it is revealed to be the much younger Darren Miller (Charlie G. Hawkins). You can push the envelope later. Darren Miller During their last conversation, Hayley thanked Carla for giving her three extra years of life. The issue hung in the air for a few weeks until, frustrated with Roy's stiffness and insensitivity, Hayley went to stay with the Windasses. Because of her sheltered upbringing, Hayley was shy and had trouble making friends. The following year was relatively quiet for the Croppers. [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. But we wanted the character to live and breathe a bit so that people could get to know her without prejudice. After explaining the situation fully to the police, the Croppers were granted bail on the condition that they didn't have any contact with Wayne. [4] In the episode, Hayley takes her own life, after living with terminal pancreatic cancer. Another friend of Hayley's from this period was Ruth Audsley, who hid her attraction to Harold. Roy makes sure that she is comfortable and selects a piece of music that they both like. Roy tries one last time to stop Hayley but she is adamant. But doing the play at the Royal Exchange last year made me realise that there's life in the old dog yet. Hayley goes down to theatre at 13:05 and gives Roy her wedding ring to look after. What is the application of a cascade control system. Roy decides not to tell Hayley his true feelings and they listen to music together after a stressful day. At the hospital, the consultant explains that Hayley has an infection and needs to stay overnight. With Hayley behind him, Roy bought a new unit in Victoria Street, No.16, and the flat above, and moved the cafe there. 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. This causes an argument and Hayley moves in with Fiz and Tyrone. Roy and Hayley Cropper were a much-loved couple on the Street (Picture: ITV) She may have been one of the most loved characters on the cobbles, but it turns out Coronation Street's Hayley. 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. 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. It wasn't until 2009 that Hayley took on a greater significance in her life; when Carla's husband Tony Gordon made a deathbed confession to arranging the murder of Liam Connor to Roy, only to recover, Roy became obsessed with exposing him. Leading a terrified Roy into the bedroom, Hayley lay on the bed, while Roy played The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams, a mutual favourite of theirs, before laying down beside her. After a nap, Hayley is determined to go to The Rovers for a Christmas drink, but Roy wants her to take it easy. ' (50 Years of Coronation Street: The (very) Unofficial Story, JR Books, 2010). After . Hayley realises that she has to tell Roy so goes home and tells Roy and Sylvia. I know the transsexual community have experienced terrible prejudice because of fear and ignorance, but this storyline has actually got people talking about a subject they might otherwise not have known about. [7] Making her debut appearance on the show in January 1998, she played the first transgender character in a British soap opera. Before auditioning, the actress was given sketchy details about the character, with one glaring omission: All I knew at first was there's a part going in Coronation Street, she's called Hayley, she's going to work in the factory and she's fun. When she met Roy in 1998, a kinship was developed as they were both lonely, introspective people. When Hayley decided to end her own life when diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer, Roy refused to support her, seeing it as selfish on her part to take herself away from him, cherishing every possible second he could spend with her. For her portrayal of Hayley, Hesmondhalgh was nominated in the category of "Most Popular Actress" at the 1999 National Television Awards. Hayley later breaks down in Roy's arms, saying that she does not want to die and does not want to leave him. Most just want Roy and Hayley to get together." They have a wonderful time but their joy is cut short when they are told that Jane has been rushed to a hospice. 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. In May 2010, Roy suggested to Hayley that they have a civil partnership, to improve their pension benefits. Hayley is thrilled but Christian demands Hayley give him money in return as he is in a lot of debt. "[7][8] The character of Hayley Cropper is around four years older than Hesmondhalgh. She left Weatherfield immediately, with Liam Connor agreeing to keep her job open at the factory. 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. Carla was absent from Weatherfield throughout these events, as she had fled to California when Tony admitted the truth to her months earlier. While there, Christian returns to the street and winds Fiz up about Hayley so she tells him that Hayley has cancer in an angry outburst. Although disappointed in Christian's tactics, Hayley gave him the money and remarked to a disapproving Roy that she had no regrets. Tired of appeasing Tracy, the Croppers became more aggressive in their dealings with her by telling Ken and Deirdre about her pregnancy, but Tracy hit back by getting an extra 10,000 out of them in exchange for her marrying Roy and then shaming them in public by telling the neighbours about their financial arrangement. Hayley Cropper (also Harold Patterson and Hayley Patterson) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh. In April 2011, Roy's mother Sylvia Goodwin turned up at the cafe demanding an explanation for Roy's no-show at her husband Roger's funeral, in the process meeting Hayley for the first time. Roy arrives back at the caf and is confronted by Gloria Price (Sue Johnston) with "customer feedback". Christian was weirded out by her revelation and punched Hayley when she ran after him, leaving her bleeding on the ground. Unbeknown to the Croppers, Tracy made a bet with Bev Unwin that she could bed Roy, in order to prove that she could have any man she wanted. A baby girl was born on 9th February 2004, with Tracy stalling the Croppers for a few days before handing the baby over. From hair masks to cold rinses, people incorporate many different shower rituals into their routines. Christian decides to wait and they talk but Hayley decides to take Roy and Christian to The Rovers, where Christian reveals that he is married and has two children, Sam and Maisie. Hayley's manner of dress was indicative of a woman older than her years. Hayley insists that they attend a cancer support group, where they meet Jane Rayner (Heather Bleasdale) and her husband Jeff (Jim Millea). Hayley thought the day ruined but to her great surprise, Roy hastily re-organised the day's events, moving the ceremony to the cafe. [12] The appearance of a transgender woman in a mainstream soap opera attracted initial opposition from some members of the public, as expressed in calls to the Granada duty office, and letters written to magazines and newspapers. Deciding not to return to the factory, Hayley continued with her volunteer work and helping Roy at the cafe. On 22 January 2014, Hesmondhalgh won "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the National Television Awards. 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. The doctor tells Hayley that there is a blockage in her bile duct and Hayley tells Sylvia that she may have cancer and breaks down in her arms. The joke was that Roy Cropper (David Neilson) was going to go on a series . Chesney thought the Croppers would be a soft touch and laid it on with stories about how neglected he was at home. Who drove the Ford Escort in fast and furious? In April, they fostered Fiz Brown, a headstrong and somewhat rebellious young woman. And of course we had to plaster on tons of make-up." Hayley's volunteer work lasted longer than expected; she didn't return to the UK until November 2008. On getting home, Hayley is stunned to see Christian and tells him that she is too tired but will see him another time. *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. There is no answer, so Anna eventually unlocks the door with her spare key and they enter the flat together. Following the death of her aunt Monica in September 2007, Hayley discovers that she has a son, Christian Gatley (Andrew Turner). In 2006, he ignored Hayley in favour of his friend Clifford Ford, who loved trains almost as much as Roy did. They decide to go camping in a bid to mend their issues. One instance where this was a problem was when the Croppers were interviewed to assess their suitability as foster parents in December 2000. For Hayley's return to the programme some months later, a communication was established between the production team, including Julie Hesmondhalgh, and a trans advisor, Annie Wallace, associated with Press for Change, the transgender campaign and information group. While waiting for him to call back, she focuses on throwing a birthday party for Roy in The Rovers. Christian Gatley was the son of transsexual Hayley Cropper and first seen in September 2007 when a Private Investigator found Christian for Hayley, giving her all the information needed about her son, she was also shown a photograph of Christian outside Sound Garden, the record shop where he worked. Two months after her arrival, Sylvia's attentions turned to grandchildren. 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