Former Coronation Street star Vicky Entwistle has slammed an upcoming storyline in which Toyah Habeeb (Georgia Taylor) reveals that she buried a stillborn child at a local park 20 years ago. Entwistle, 55, played the character Janice Battersby on the show and was joined by her on-screen husband Les (Bruce Jones) and their daughters Leanne (Jane Danson) and Toyah. She left the show in 2011 and has since appeared in other soap operas such as Ackley Bridge and Casualty. The controversial storyline, which involves Toyah confiding in her family about a miscarriage following a sexual assault in 2001, is set to be revisited in the coming weeks. Many fans have expressed their disapproval of the plot twist.
The attack on Toyah took place in 2001 and received significant backlash. At Easter that year, Toyah went out with mechanic Sam Kingston (Scott Wright) but was raped and left for dead in a ginnel behind Coronation Street on her way home. After being discovered by Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas), she revealed the ordeal to her mother and several suspects were considered for the crime. The decision to turn the traumatic narrative into a mystery was heavily criticized by the national press, despite praising Georgia Taylor’s performance.
In the original broadcasts, Toyah was advised to take the morning-after pill, which the new storyline seems to retroactively change. Vicky Entwistle took to Twitter to express her opinion on the upcoming episodes, addressing her co-star Bruce Jones. She sarcastically mentioned their efforts to make the moments realistic but implied that they failed. She also commented on the unexpected nature of the storyline, referring to it as the highlight of ITV’s tea time slot.
Vicky Entwistle later apologized to Jane Danson, who plays Leanne, acknowledging that her tweet was childish and hurtful. She expressed regret for any harm she may have caused.
Vicky Pattison, known for her role in Coronation Street, has once again shared her opinion on the show’s episodes. This time, she criticized the writers involved in the heartbreaking death of Leanne’s son, Oliver Battersby, in 2020. In a now-deleted tweet, Vicky expressed her disappointment, saying, “Imagine if she had better writers behind her!!! That really would have been something!!!” However, her on-screen daughter fired back, defending the scripts and stating, “They were some of the best scripts I have ever had.”
Vicky recently posed a question to her former co-star Bruce Jones, stirring up curiosity among fans. If you want to be the first to know about shocking EastEnders spoilers or find out who’s leaving Coronation Street, follow us for the latest gossip from Emmerdale. Join the Simply chat and turn on notifications to stay updated with the latest spoilers.
After receiving backlash for her comments, Vicky issued a public apology the following day. She acknowledged her words as “childish and hurtful.” John Whiston, head of continuing drama and head of ITV in the North, responded to the criticism from fans. He defended the show, stating that Coronation Street has always been a mix of beloved characters, earthy humor, and important storylines. Whiston mentioned the Liam bullying storyline and the Lauren grooming storyline as examples of the show’s exploration of contemporary issues. He emphasized that the audience appreciates these stories and believes they are handled responsibly.
Despite the criticism, Coronation Street remains the most-watched soap on British TV, according to Whiston. The show’s commitment to addressing important issues while providing engaging content has contributed to its continued success.
