Coronation Street’s Jane Danson on Leanne’s courtroom drama and what’s next after her traumatic year

“One minute she says she can’t tell the truth because of the consequences, then she thinks she has to be honest otherwise this will never end,” says Jane Danson, speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about her cobbles character’s confliction. “Even I was getting confused reading the scripts as we shoot out of order, so I had to get my head around the way she’s feeling! It will depend on the day. She’s terrified but doesn’t want to be constantly looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.”

Viewers will discover Leanne’s decision in an hour-long episode on Wednesday 23rd June as the dramatic drugs saga draws to a close, following several months of kidnapping, shooting and dingy crack dens. Big high-arcing plots usually rotate around soap’s large casts to give everyone in the ensemble a time to shine, but Danson barely had a moment to catch her breath from her last demanding storyline. Being plunged straight into gangster territory was quite a gear change from the crushing grief of watching your child die of the incurable mitochondrial disease.

“Yes it’s been quite the year for Leanne, and me!” she laughs. “You have busy patches then it’s often quiet but we went straight into this off the back of the Oliver story, there was no gap at all. That was quite difficult in terms of showing the journey of her grief. Viewers sometimes get impatient and don’t assess things as they would in real life, we were in danger of just seeing Leanne stuck in her pyjamas and being lost in devastation.

“This story jolted her out of that but still acknowledged what she’d been through, which I’m very keen on ensuring we do from now on. Because her teenage son Simon was groomed by dealers Leanne was driven to protect him as she couldn’t bear to lose another child – there was nothing she could to do save Oliver.

“So we found a way for her to survive and be active. There’s a great line where she says about the court case: ‘I’ve already been through the worst possible experience in my life losing Oliver, what could be worse?’ We couldn’t tell that massive story then forget about it, that didn’t feel right, but it’s motivated her through this next chapter and forms a big part of what she decides to do in court.”

Still very fresh in the mind, Oliver’s death was one of the most moving stories Corrie has ever told and put the always-excellent Danson centre stage, winning her well-earned plaudits for her portrayal of a mother desperately fighting against an inevitable, tragic outcome.

“I’m immensely proud of that story and have never known a reaction like it,” she shares. “It was a huge responsibility for those who’d gone through it in real life. And under the COVID restrictions where we couldn’t be physically close in the emotional scenes, the whole team pulled together and it still managed to be strong and powerful. Being brutally honest, I didn’t want to undermine what we’d achieved by going straight into the drugs storyline. But it’s moved things on as it’s connected to the impact of losing Oliver, and we’ve stayed true to character.”

As you would expect having played the role for over half of her life, Danson is fiercely protective of Leanne, though admits it can be tough defending one of soap’s mouthiest and most volatile characters.

“Fans can be very in the moment and if you do something they don’t agree with they’re on your back! At some points with Oliver’s illness she was accused of being selfish – some people really understood her plight but the other camp saw her as a mardy pain the bum! I had to stop myself biting back and explaining her actions.

“It’s hard to play someone you sometimes dislike. She’s not a bad person, she’s just flawed and can make bad decisions. Her heart is in the right place. I love her – if I hated her it would be difficult as she’s a big part of my life, but I have always enjoyed that feisty side and her strength.”

Leanne was introduced back in 1997 as part of the iconic Battersby clan, famously dubbed ‘the neighbours from hell’ when they descended onto the street and quickly caused chaos with their outrageous, aggressive antics.

It was Danson’s big break, though she had been working professionally since the age of 11 when she made her screen debut in Alan Bleasdale’s explosive political drama GBH in 1991 opposite Robert Lindsay. “I still get pennies from the repeats, which is hilarious!” she laughs. “I didn’t realise how enormous it was until I was older. In a way that’s good as it made me less self-conscious. I was just so chuffed I was going to be on the telly! I’d been to a drama workshop but GBH set me on the road of wanting to act for a living. I remember getting the butterflies and adrenaline I still get walking into the studio, that’s never gone away.”

More TV followed, including a part in period drama The Grand, created specifically for her by Russell T Davies, that ultimately led to Corrie when she was 18. As she approaches her 25^th anniversary on the cobbles in 2022, Danson admits she loves looking back on the old days.

“I’ve been lost down the rabbit hole of Classic Corrie repeats on ITV3 which is just hilarious,” she smiles. “I’ve got a different appreciation of it second time around. We’re up to 1998 and Leanne has just got together with Nick, and what’s interesting is that continuity of his mum Gail absolutely hating her! Nick is her golden boy and can do no wrong. Helen Worth and I always laugh as Gail and Leanne’s relationship is reminiscent of Gail’s with her first mother-in-law Ivy, Nick’s gran. Leanne has become Gail!”

Of the many legends she’s worked with over the years (Ken Barlow was once her on-screen father-in-law during Leanne’s ill-fated marriage to Peter, which surely cements her place in Corrie history), there’s one in particular Danson name-checks as her Weatherfield inspiration. Interestingly it’s someone who, like her, joined the cast at a young age and grew up alongside a generation of viewers to become one of the show’s most beloved faces.

“Sally Dynevor (who plays Sally Metcalfe) is somebody I’ve always admired in terms of achieving a work/life balance and consistently delivering professionally,” she beams. “Before I had my own family (Danson has two sons with actor Robert Beck, currently appearing in Hollyoaks) I’d look at her and think: ‘Wow, three kids, always busy, always a joy to be around and a wonderful actress.’ She’s dealt with big things in her personal life and on screen, I just think she’s amazing.”

The events of this week will irrevocably change Leanne’s life, for better or worse, as she finally takes the stand. After such a draining year what does Danson hope for her alter ego’s future? “To be honest, and I don’t want to be disrespectful, the way the drugs story ends feels a little abrupt,” she acknowledges. “I think there could be more to it but you’ve got to be careful – how much doom and gloom can one person suffer in a such a short amount of time? Personally I’d like to see her get to a happy place.

“I do hope Leanne stays with Nick, though. Ben Price and I are constantly championing them being together, I’ve worked with him for the best part of 10 years and we have a great relationship. We love exploring their dynamic and are always second-guessing how it will pan out. Though whatever happens, Gail will always dislike Leanne!”

Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide.