List of Coronation Street characters (1997)

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street in 1997, by order of first appearance.

Janice Battersby

Natalie Barnes

Brad Armstrong

Bradley "Brad" Armstrong–Duckworth is the son of Terry Duckworth (Nigel Pivaro) and Tricia Armstrong (Tracy Brabin). He is born on 14 February 1997 and named after Brad Pitt. Three months after his birth, Brad leaves Weatherfield with his mother.

Chris Collins

Chris Collins is a mechanic played by Matthew Marsden. Chris, a former soldier, makes his first appearance in March 1997 when he arrives at Webster's Autos looking for work, and when Chris demonstrates his abilities, Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) gives him a job.

During his time on the Street and unbeknownst to his boss Kevin, Chris has a passionate affair with Kevin's wife Sally (Sally Dynevor). Sally takes revenge for Kevin's affair with Natalie Horrocks (Denise Welch) by seducing Chris. He ends his relationship with Sally after she and Kevin get back together. Chris then has a fling with barmaid Samantha Failsworth (Tina Hobley). When he decides to leave Weatherfield, Samantha intends on coming with him and packs a bag for herself, but in the end Chris does not call round for her and leaves on his own without telling anyone. Chris's current whereabouts are unknown.

Zoe Tattersall

Zoe Tattersall, played by Joanne Froggatt, made her first screen appearance on 19 May 1997. Both Georgia Taylor and Jane Danson auditioned for the role of Zoe, before being cast as the Battersby sisters.^[1]

Zoe is a troubled teenage tearaway, she has enough of children's care homes and runs away and is living on the streets with her boyfriend, Liam Shepherd. The character first appears in an amusement arcade where Judy Mallett (Gaynor Faye) works. Liam causes trouble and one day Gary (Ian Mercer) throws the teenager out but then he decides to blackmail the Malletts, threatening to go to the police. The real reason for wanting the money is because Zoe is pregnant with his baby. Judy, struggling with her own fertility issues, offers Zoe £2,000 for her baby. Zoe is overwhelmed and though Gary objects, Zoe accepts the offer. The neighbours assume that Gary is the baby's father and Judy allows them to think that, deciding it would help if anyone asked why they had the baby. Zoe soon makes friends with new neighbour Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and confesses the real story, including the payment.

The baby arrives and Judy is anxious to get rid of Zoe, who is showing signs of bonding with little Katy Joyce. Gary fraudulently signs the birth certificate as the father and Judy settles in to new motherhood with Zoe resentfully looking on in the background. After the health visitor’s first visit, Zoe is persuaded to leave but the Malletts tell people that Zoe stole some money and ran away but Leanne tells Nick Tilsley (Adam Rickitt) the truth. Leanne finds Zoe and persuades her to come back and clear her name.

Meanwhile, Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold), working in the corner shop, develops feelings for Zoe. Finally, after the christening, Gary and Judy are so worried about Zoe that they plan to leave Weatherfield but Zoe snatches her baby with Ashley’s help, renaming her Shannon. Zoe and Shannon move in with Ashley, Leanne and Nick and live together until Shannon is rushed to hospital with meningitis and dies. Zoe is devastated and has a breakdown, lashing out at her friends and neighbours, which results in her being sectioned for a while. During this time, Ashley realizes that though he loves Zoe, he cannot give her what she needs. He can’t bring himself to finish with her, however, and when she is released from hospital, she comes back to live with him.

Zoe meets a couple while out clubbing, Ben and Ruth. Ruth becomes her new best friend very quickly, making Ashley suspicious. They get Zoe a job at their "Foundation" and convince her to sell new age crystals on the street and door to door, while telling her about their beliefs and working on her grief for her baby. She is soon convinced that theirs is the road to salvation and becomes deeply involved in the Cult of Nirab. Despite his efforts, Ashley realizes that Zoe has to make her own decisions. She needs a new start, wants to have a baby for the Foundation and leaves with Ben and Ruth in December 1998 and is never seen again. Years later Ashley refers to Zoe in conversation with wife, Claire Peacock, mentioning that she now lives in America.

Jon Lindsay

Jon Lindsay, played by Owen Aaronovitch, made his first screen appearance on 28 May 1997.^[2] Aaronovitch received the role after an audition. He later left the show to move to Spain with his wife.^[2] Paul Baldwin of The People praised the character, saying "Jon Lindsay is one of the scriptwriters' most intriguing characters for years."^[2] He also described Jon as a "love rat", "smooth-talking", a "slimeball" and a "creepy conman".^[2]

Jon meets Deirdre Rachid (Anne Kirkbride) at a singles night. He tells her he is a divorcee and an airline pilot. They spend more time together and start dating. While Ken Barlow (William Roache) is at Manchester Airport, he sees Jon working in a tie shop. Jon tells Deirdre that he had been forced to retire from his pilots job and was ashamed to admit that he now worked in a shop. Deirdre believes him, but Ken remains suspicious. Jon expresses his desire to live with Deirdre after he mentions his ex-wife has sold their house. They soon move in together. It emerges that Jon has stolen the identity of his friend Captain Ian Jenkins (Stephen Chapman) and still lives with his wife and children. He tells Deirdre that he needs to spend more time away due to a promotion. Jon and Deirdre get engaged, but she finds out about his wife and confronts him at his home. He denies knowing her. Jon applies for a credit card and a mortgage using a false identity, which he later signs into Deirdre's name. When the police question him, Jon lets Deirdre take the blame. He receives a suspended sentence, while Deirdre is charged and later sentenced to eighteen months in prison for fraud. When Mary Docherty (Victoria Alcock), a woman Jon had also duped, reads about Deirdre's trial, she comes forward and reveals that Jon is also a bigamist, having married her. Deirdre is released from jail, while Jon is arrested.

Jez Quigley

Gerald Francis "Jez" Quigley was played by Lee Boardman. He made his first appearance in 1997, returning to the show in 1999 and was killed-off in September 2000.

Jez was a gangster, a drug dealer and murderer. He killed Tony Horrocks (Lee Warburton) and Des Barnes (Philip Middlemiss), and supplies cocaine to Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), who quickly becomes an addict. Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) unsuccessfully turns to Jez for a job, and later testifies against Jez at his trial for Tony's and Des's murder. Despite Steve's testimony, Jez is found not guilty. Jez has Steve trapped in an underground car park and beaten by a gang of thugs, causing him serious injuries. Steve's father Jim (Charles Lawson) takes revenge by attacking Jez in his own home. Jez later dies in hospital of his injuries, after collapsing on top of Steve whilst making a second attempt to kill him, as he lay in a hospital bed.

Les Battersby

Leanne Barlow

Leanne Battersby, played by Jane Danson, made her first appearance on 4 July 1997. Danson left the series in 2000 and returned in 2004. Danson later took maternity leave in 2006 and returned in early 2007. Danson took another maternity break in 2009 and returned on the same year. Leanne's storylines include numerous affairs, prostitution, drug-abuse, insurance fraud, discovering her biological mother was Stella Price (Michelle Collins), a miscarriage, an abortion, and a custody battle for her step-son, Simon. Leanne has had numerous relationships within the show. She married Nick Tilsley in 1998, but they divorced a year later. She later married Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) in the show's live 50th anniversary episode, but later split from him, after his affair with Carla Connor (Alison King) was exposed. After a volatile reconciliation, she and Nick married for the second time in January 2013. In late January 2014, Nick decided it was best for them to be apart, as he was suffering with long-term brain damage. After a one-night stand, Leanne becomes pregnant with Steve McDonald's (Simon Gregson) baby.

Toyah Battersby

Toyah Battersby, played by Georgia Taylor, made her first screen appearance on 1997. The character and her family were created and introduced by executive producer Brian Park in a bid to increase falling ratings.^[3] Taylor was cast as the youngest member of the family, Toyah, and the role marked her acting debut.^[1] The actress described her character as being "gobby and cocky" and said that she often makes her parents' lives a misery.^[1] Charlie Catchpole from the Daily Mirror's commented that Toyah went "from lumpy, sulky schoolgirl to confident, radiant young woman" during her time in the show.^[4]

Shannon Tattersall

Shannon Jade Tattersall (previously Katie Joyce Mallett) was the daughter of wayward teenager Zoe Tattersall (Joanne Froggatt). Zoe fell pregnant fresh out of a care home by her ex-boyfriend Liam Shepherd. Zoe does not want to be a mother this young so when Judy Mallett (Gaynor Faye) - who is unable to have children - offers her £2,000 for her baby, she takes the offer. She gives birth to her baby in August 1997, and Judy and husband Gary (Ian Mercer) are keen to get Zoe out of the picture when she shows signs of bonding with little Katie Joyce. Both Judy and Zoe agree that Gary must say he's the father, so they do not raise suspiscion with the residents.

Zoe admits to new friend Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) about selling her baby, and the mouthy teen confronts the Malletts, who accuse Zoe of running away with the money. The young mother is left devastated when after baby Katie's christening, they consider moving away from the street to keep the baby away from Zoe. Meanwhile, Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) develops feelings for Zoe and helps her snatch her baby back, renaming her Shannon Jade. Zoe and Shannon move in with Ashley, Leanne and Nick Tilsley (Adam Rickitt) when Zoe has nowhere else to live.

In April 1998, little Shannon is being babysat by Leanne and Nick when she begins breathing funny and Leanne rushes to fetch the Malletts. Zoe is left devastated when her baby daughter tragically dies of meningitis aged just eight months. After Shannon's death, Zoe hits out at the people closest to her, eventually leading to her being sectioned. She was later thought to have moved to America.

Lorraine Brownlow

Lorraine Brownlow is the niece of Natalie Barnes (Denise Welch), played by actress Holly Newman between 1997 and 1999. Upon returning to Weatherfield in July 1998, Natalie hires Lorraine as a barmaid in The Rovers Return. In March 1999, after an argument with Natalie in which she calls her a "hard-faced cow", Natalie slaps Lorraine and sacks her from her job at The Rovers and she leaves.

Spider Nugent

Geoffrey David "Spider" Nugent, played by Martin Hancock, made his first screen appearance on 15 December 1997 and departed on 5 February 2003. Spider is Emily Bishop's (Eileen Derbyshire) nephew. The character was based on a real-life protester called Swampy.^[5] Spider was interested in the environment and green issues. He had a long-term relationship with Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor). Christine Smith from the Daily Mirror called Spider a "lovable eco-terrier".^[5]

In December 2015, it's revealed that Spider was in Peru doing charity work for the environment. Emily decides to join him, leaving on New Year's Day 2016. She was seen off by Ken Barlow, Rita Tanner, and Norris Cole.

References