In a jaw-dropping revelation, Coronation Street icon Julie Hesmondhalgh divulged that the beloved character Hayley Cropper was introduced as a joke. The character was first introduced on-screen way back in 1998. Then, in a very popular storyline, Hayley married Roy Cropper in 2010.

However, the marriage wasn’t her only groundbreaking storyline, Hayley Cropper actually ended up becoming a soap legend after being part of many prominent stories over her last decade on CS. In 2013, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A storyline that many people could relate to. Unfortunately, Hayley’s treatment failed, and she knew that her end was near.

She then chose to stay true to her tenacious personality and refused to succumb to the monstrous disease. Thus, in 2014, she ended her life on her terms and breathed her last in her beloved Roy’s arms. It was a real tearjerker, we must add! Hence, it was really shocking to know that a character that ended with making viewers weep, was actually introduced as a joke to elicit giggles.

During a recent chat with a soap panel at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Julie revealed that her character was only meant to be a joke. She revealed that the casting director took her aside and told her that “She was going to be trans … [but] I didn’t know until later was that it was actually just going to be a joke storyline on Coronation Street.”

Furthermore, she revealed that Roy Cropper had become quite a popular but strange character by then. In his ongoing storyline, he was to go on a series of odd dates, and she was supposed to be the first of them. “The punchline of this story was that she would take him for dinner and say ‘I’m trans,’” she explained. Following this Roy was to declare that the date was a disaster.

Also Read: CS Star Celebrates 8 Years of Marriage With Heartfelt Anniversary Post.

Julie asserted “I’m very proud of my tiny little part in the story of trans history and trans rights.” She also stated that back then it would have been difficult for a real trans actor to play the part because the media was awful back then. However, it today’s time and age it wouldn’t be a problem.

Well, honestly, Hayley ended up being so iconic on the soap that we are happy to know that the character wasn’t written off after the “disastrous date”, and actually had such a beautiful arc on the soap. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more such Coronation Street inside stories and other updates.

Meanwhile, do you remember this storyline? Tell us in the comments.