in Coronation Street, he was generally seen as an anorak and a misfit. However, when Hayley discovered that Roger's death had left Sylvia bereft and living in a care home, she persuaded Roy to take her in. In July 2003, Hayley went to visit her ill Aunty Monica. Hayley had also been a keen bowler since the 1980s, when she competed in the East Lancashire Semi-Pro Guild. The result of this was the tabling, in 2004, of the Gender Recognition Act, granting trans people full legal status in their acquired sex. Hesmondhalgh: I was very excited to be involved in some action drama because that's not my normal place in the show, I'm usually behind a knicker machine or serving butties. This was followed by an upbeat music-filled wake in the Rovers. Hayley is devastated and furious with Roy. She hires a private investigator to track him down and introduces herself as his aunt. As a result of this change in the law, the Croppers had a legal wedding in 2010. In September 2011, Hayley cleared Frank Foster's things from the factory after his rape of Carla and ran the factory in her absence. After a nap, Hayley is determined to go to The Rovers for a Christmas drink, but Roy wants her to take it easy. Roy was especially closed, but as he left to go back the UK, he gave her an engraved gold watch. Hayley is called back to the Medical Centre the following week and the doctor tells Hayley that she has abnormal liver function and needs an ultrasound scan for further investigation. and that there are other things I want to try. Since the passing of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 in UK law, it has been possible for transgender people to change their birth certificates and marry legally. When her father had an accident, Hayley became her dad's home carer and what life she had outside the house was reduced to nothing. In 2003, while Hayley is away, nursing her sick aunt, scheming Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) bets Bev Unwin (Susie Blake) that she can bed the man supposedly least likely to be unfaithful Roy. 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. What can I text my friend to make her smile? Chesney thought the Croppers would be a soft touch and laid it on with stories about how neglected he was at home. 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). Hayley's theatrical bent extended to singing, with her singing Abba on stage along Deirdre Rachid, Linda Sykes and Janice Battersby at the Street's Millennium party in 2000. 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. Roy and Fiz go too. Meeting with Christian on the pretence of showing him where Harold's ashes were scattered, Hayley finally told Christian that she was Harold. Roy and Hayley decided to start an affair and shared their first kiss at the boating lake on the Red Rec. Then awaiting the results of her CT scan, Hayley couldn't concentrate at the factory and explained her situation to Carla. In May 2010, Roy suggested to Hayley that they have a civil partnership, to improve their pension benefits. Feeling Christian would have responded better if she had told him the truth in her own time, Hayley blamed Roy everything and went to stay with Becky, although once she'd calmed down she returned to Roy. They successfully applied and were taken on as foster parents. The following day, Hayley collapses and Fiz calls an ambulance to take Hayley to hospital. Hesmondhalgh also won "Best On-screen partnership" and "Best Storyline" both alongside David Neilson at the ceremony. It was revealed that Hayley had applied for, and received, her new birth certificate, and so, after some disagreements about the cost and motives for marriage, the plans were made for the wedding. Stuart then confronted Roy and Hayley in the cafe and called them freaks. On 22 January 2014, Hesmondhalgh won "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the National Television Awards. When Carla returns home, she breaks down after seeing Hayley in such a state. Hayley was the first Street resident to find out their secret, learning the truth when Angela confided in her, after Hayley took her to casualty when Angela hurt her finger on the sewing machine. Hayley's manner of dress was indicative of a woman older than her years. She was married to Roy Cropper and together they were devoted foster parents to many Street faves including Becky Granger, Fiz. I know you do!" All the pain they had gone through was forgotten as Hayley and Roy began a new life with their daughter, whom they named Patience Cropper. After Maria Connor (Samia Ghadie) accidentally interrupts and raises the alarm, Roy rushes to Underworld but can not help her, while Carla pleads with Tony to let Hayley go Tony eventually relents and throws Hayley out. Whatever happens next I'll always be proudest of lovely Mrs Cropper. Though she asked only for his friendship, Roy took the news badly and asked her to leave him alone. Hesmondhalgh agreed that killing Hayley off was the only believable option: "In a way, she has to die because it would be much more of a betrayal of everything if she just left Roy. The idea of introducing a transgender character came about during a story meeting, when the writing team were discussing the possible introduction of Coronation Street's first homosexual character. When confronting Tracy, the Croppers are stunned when Tracy tells them that she is pregnant with Roy's baby and plans to have a termination if the Croppers do not want to adopt it. His offer came with a proposal of marriage, but Hayley had to decline, reminding him that they couldn't marry under UK law. (First line, to Curly Watts). In 1999, the actress responded to suggestions that it was time to pack away her trusty anorak: "A charity shop sent me a new one the other week. 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). Furious that the police weren't investigating Alex, Hayley refused to accept her bail condition and was remanded in custody. Angela Harris was one of Hayley's colleagues from the factory. Calling out, Anna and Carla go to the bedroom and, to their shock, find a deceased Hayley on the bed, with Roy's arm around her. Hayley confides in Sylvia on the day of her scan but swears her to secrecy. Although the factory staff and Street residents initially taunt her, she eventually gets her job back and most Street residents gradually accept her. In March 2005, Hayley and Roy took in ten-year-old Chesney Brown when Les and Cilla went on an extended holiday in Spain without him. They watch the CCTV footage and it proves that Roy is behind all of the rearranged furniture. 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. When an unimpressed Curly told Hayley to stop being so wet, he reduced her to tears in front of another colleague, Alma Baldwin. This causes an argument and Hayley moves in with Fiz and Tyrone. Roy admired his wife's courage but advised her to change her mind as Wayne would understand them not visiting him under the circumstances. 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. [6] Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh first came to the attention of the casting director while dressed in drag in a production of 'Much Ado About Nothing'. However, as other UK soaps such as Brookside and Hollyoaks had recently covered such storylines, the idea did not appeal to the team. She left Weatherfield immediately, with Liam Connor agreeing to keep her job open at the factory. After Roy, Carla provided the most support to Hayley in her final months, and in fact often acted as a counterbalance to Roy by encouraging Hayley to stay active and trying to boost her spirits, which was much appreciated by her ailing friend. 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. The result of this was the tabling, in 2004, of the Gender Recognition Act, granting trans people full legal status in their acquired sex. 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. For Hayley's sake, he gave his approval, but he let his true feelings slip on occasion. Looking for somewhere permanent to live, Hayley was delighted when Roy asked her to move in with him, dutifully offering to sleep on the sofa until they were married. Although it was decided that Hayley would be a pre-op transsexual when viewers first meet her, Park was determined that Hayley would be portrayed with dignity: "We are approaching it sensitively. Devastated but philosophical, Hayley begins to make a bucket list of everything that she wants to do before she dies, one of which is teaching Roy how to drive. 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. Having missed each other, they toured the sights of Amsterdam together, while surreptitiously trying to find out where they stood in each other's affections. After the baby is born, Tracy admits to Peter that Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) is the father (they had a one-night stand shortly before she spent the night with Roy). Given the level of fame Hayley has achieved, anonymity in everyday life has been a blessing for the actress. So I went away to this great bookshop in Manchester and said I need every book you've got on transgender. (Fifty Years of Coronation Street, Headline Publishing Group, 2010) At 27, Hesmondhalgh was four years younger than her character. Hayley Cropper died in January 2014 in husband Roys arms. 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. Later that year, they supported her when she had her miscarriages, and it was on Hayley's advice that the McDonalds turned to adoption. 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. In 1999, Alma was Matron of Honour at their wedding. 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. She'd never do it. Maisie, however, tells her that she hopes she gets better soon and that she would love to come again. Roy found the situation difficult to accept, but agreed to stand by Hayley provided she was honest from now on. I'm happy as I am. [15] The official LGBT History Month website includes Hayley as one of the important famous LGBT people in their history, even though she is a fictional character.[16]. Hayley was, for many viewers, the first transgender woman whose story they had seen unfold on TV. Hayley and Roy shared many interests and activities. Initially helpful, Mary had railroaded Hayley into accepting her suggestions but Hayley had been too polite to tell her to back off. Enjoying making a difference to people's lives, Hayley decided to do voluntary work at the church, although restrictions were placed on her due to her being a transsexual and she was only allowed to work with ex-offenders. Roy goes with Hayley but Christian sends her a text, saying that he cannot go through with it. Hayley Anne Cropper (ne Patterson) was the late wife of Roy Cropper. 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. Interrupting Angela typing the words you're next on the factory computer, Hayley was asked by Angela to go to Sheffield and post a letter containing the threat. She admired their honesty and loyalty, seeing it as something to aspire to, and her desire to be worthy of their trust was a big motivator in her turning her life around. "Hayley Cropper was one of the most important characters in the world, as far as I'm concerned." Sometimes you have to go in with that attitude. A few days later, Roy and Hayley attend Jane's funeral and meet her young sons, Zac and Henry. To prepare her body for surgery, Hayley was given hormones and she began identifying herself as a woman. (Sunday Mirror, 8th March 1998) "The point about transsexuals is that they want to blend in. She briefly left him and went to stay with Alma, before deciding to forgive him. Hayley Patterson was a shy shop supervisor at Firman's Freezers. 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. But we wanted the character to live and breathe a bit so that people could get to know her without prejudice. Hayley caught up with Roy at the airport and returned to Weatherfield with him. [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. Hayley tells Roy that he must not touch the glass containing the lethal cocktail. Roy upset Hayley with his honest but blunt responses to the questions, in which he admitted that he didn't see her as a normal woman, because he knew intellectually that she was a born a man. Her friend and colleague Alma Baldwin (Amanda Barrie) introduced her to Roy Cropper (David Neilson) and they became friends until Hayley told him that she was transgender and used to be called Harold. She was married to Roy Cropper (David Neilson).Hayley Cropper. Roy confronts Hayley when he sees money has withdrawn from their joint bank account and she tells Roy everything. On the reaction from the LGBT community: "There's no way either me or Granada see this as a funny subject. When she met Roy in 1998, a kinship was developed as they were both lonely, introspective people. After . Carla was absent from Weatherfield throughout these events, as she had fled to California when Tony admitted the truth to her months earlier. In April, Hayley received her father's inheritance and went to Amsterdam for her final operation. Hayley Cropper (also Hayley Patterson) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh. To her surprise, Christian returned and introduced Hayley to Sam and Maisie, at the same time asking her for 5,000 to clear his debts. 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. Hesmondhalgh only knew she was auditioning to play a "fun" character, so arrived "all Bet Lynch, in my leopard skin and red lippy". Proving their doubters wrong, they got married in 1999, and again in 2010, by which time changes in UK law meant that their union could be acknowledged legally as a result of the Gender Recognition Act 2004. Hayley's exit storyline saw her diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and, in a story twist, decide to end her life on her own terms. Eleven days after her death on 20th January 2014, Hayley Cropper received a humanist funeral with a colourful theme; mourners were under orders to dress brightly and Hayley was cremated in a coffin adorned with differently coloured flower patterns. Alma took the news better, and urged Roy to make amends. While minister Jessica Lundy and Spider Nugent kept the reporters occupied, Emily intercepted the wedding party and told them to turn around. Hayley and Roy enjoy their last Christmas together. Hayley was determined to prove herself capable and challenged Gwen Loveday about her shoddy work. 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