Eagle-eyed Corrie fans on the Digital Spy soap forum have also been pointing that out too, and linking to online evidence of her older age - much of which has now been deleted, DS says. However a former online CV for Katie Redford - which is still available to view online as a cached version - listed her date of birth as March 2, 1989.
This would mean that a 25 year old actress will be playing the part of a 14 year old character.
To be honest, I have no real problem with this because that's what acting is all about, surely, being someone you're not? And her management website has her CV online which says she can play the range of ages from 16-20 so playing a 14 year old is only just outside of that range. And if she's lucky enough to pass for 10 years younger than she really is, than good on her.
However, if the truth about her real age has only just come to light because of evidence online that fans have found, then that's not so great.
DS report that Coronation Street has now confirmed that it will be investigating the discrepancy and in a short statement have told Digital Spy: "This matter has been brought to our attention over the weekend and we will be looking into it on Monday."
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28 comments:
I don't get the big deal about her age. If someone thought I looked 10 years younger than I really am I'd be thrilled! To be honest I don't foresee Sarah and Bethany staying in Weatherfield very long anyway so aging probably won't be a problem. It sounds like she's going to be playing a 15 yr old who everyone thinks looks 18 anyway.
it's just so disrespectful to the viewer to stretch an 11 year old span for only a 14 year old CHILD! It's such a transitional age to portray, and I for one, will quit this soap if that happens. It's just insulting.
My only concern is that she is given age-appropriate storylines, regardless of how old the actress is. The blurb for Bethany is already that she is a precocious lass who looks older than her years - with a 20-something actress it's potentially a short step from there to having 20-something lads all over her, although the character is still only 14/15. Dear Corrie, please don't go there.
Actually, if you look at one of her biogs (imdb maybe or another one), she has done loads of stuff: directing, writing etc etc. Far more than a 19 year old could have crammed into her life. I don't have too much problem with the age issue. It was really a mistake by someone not to have been up-front about it in the first place because it looks like they've got something to hide.
The only difficulty will be if the allegedly-25 year old actress is seen romping with 16 year old Craig where the actor is also around 16. But, given the personality of Bethany, I'd have thought she was more likely to go for Callum or Gavin. Anyway, as Rebecca says above, it's unlikely that Sarah and daughter will stay long, particularly if this issue gets in the way of the story line.
She will be playing a 15 year old who looks 18. When in fact she is close to 26 despite the public being told she is 19. In the picture shown she does look like a teenager.
I think the big problem for Corrie will be IF the tabloids start featuring the private life of a 26 year old.
Tina O'Brien is only 31 herself and quite young looking so I can't see them pulling this one off. That being said, Helen Worth is not much younger than Sue Nicholls and they work as mother and daughter...
This is ridiculous. She's an actress. Actors do this all the time and get away with it for years. Luke Perry was 30ish playing a teenager on 90120 for 10 years. Mountain out of a molehill, I say.
To be honest, it concerns me that ITV/Corrie thought they could lie about her age. It will be interesting to see if they admit they lied or claim they didn't know. In which case I suggest they start employing Corrie fans to do their jobs for them.
Who cares? Gabrielle Carteris was 29 playing the part of a 16 year old in the original Beverly Hills 90210 and was there a big to do about it? No, and that's the way to leave it.
Anyone seen GREASE?
I don't have much of a problem with an older actress playing a much younger character. I just wonder WHY the discrepancy. Either ITV thinks there is a problem with it and they lied (still not understanding that everything can be found out thanks to the internet these days) or the actress lied about her age to them to get the role.
I'm more apt to think they went with an older actress so they could have the character run off with men in their 20's and not have to worry about having a 15 year old actress in scenes in which she is kissing or in bed with an older actor.
Hopefully it works. The actress looks young in her photo but it may be different on screen. I have a very difficult time believing Faye Windass is the age she is due to the actress looking (being?) older and find the scenes where she hangs out with Simon Barlow very odd.
Personally I'd have thought someone like Judi Dench might have been good in the role.
While Dame Judy Dench is a marvelous actress.... I do wonder if they went with this actress because she kind of resembles Tina O'brien. My mom just reminded me that when I was 14 I looked 21. - Now I know why she was so stressed out about me ! Lol!
But she doesn't look young in this photo. She looks 25. Yeah that age gap does happen in TV shows and IMO it never works, just makes any story they're involved in unbelievable and frustrating to watch.
Katie Redford IS 25 (I have proof). Does it matter? When she's meant to be around the same age as the character Faye Windass - yes in my opinion. Then of course, either Corrie have lied to viewers or Katie has lied to Corrie - either way, not a great way to start off is it!
This is a member of the Platt family - one of the most established of the Corrie families. TPTB should be looking long term, hoping that the character will be around for years. The actress may get away with passing for a precocious, mature-looking 14 year old now. But the 11/12 year age difference will catch up with her. How credible will it be in four years time, when the actress turns 30 but the character is still supposed to be a teenager? Or how about a 40 yo playing a 20-something character?
She looks 25. She will be in no way believable as a peer to Fay and Craig. Also I bet she has a thick English accent despite most of her life being spent in Italy. Yes I know she is supposed to have gone to an English school but she would still pick up a bit of an accent from the locals. Absolute shite.
Excellent point Nikki.
While it's logical casting for a theatre production to have an adult play a child, for tv it's ridiculous, illogical and quite frankly a disgrace in the deception by either the actor's agent or the casting department.
You can't have a 25 year old play a 14 year old even if she can pass. When she gets in a room side by side with real 14 year olds like Faye and Craig you will be able to tell the difference.
I understand that Bethany is worldly having grown up in Milan but even there kids don't rapidly age.
14 is such a weird age because it's deep into puberty where your body starts to change (especially for a girl) so you can't fake that stuff with an already grown woman playing 14.
I mean by comparison imagine Michelle Keegan (who is 25) playing 14 year old Faye.
And besides 25 is even older than Sophie, Chesney, Maddie, etc. so if they still like the actress have her come on as a mate Sophie might meet in college (you know if she ever went back).
Humpty Dumpty said: given the personality of Bethany, I'd have thought she was more likely to go for Callum or Gavin
And this is where the problems are going to arise, because while Callum or Gavin might look like a good match for a 20-something actress, the character is 14-years-old and cannot be placed in romantic storylines with adults, unless Corrie particularly wants to go down the paedophilia road.
She is an ACTRESS. What does it matter how old she actually is? Clearly she acted well enough at the audition for them to be convinced she could pull off 14, and it's not like they will have been short of younger competition. She won the role, therefore she's the best person for the part. End of.
But somewhere deception has taken place, we were told she is 19 and she isn't. Why & where did the lie come from, that's what is at issue here not whether she can act.
I'm a bit wary of corrie bosses trying to shoehorn a 14 year old character into the token "sassy young female" slot
Lazy casting = Boring.
Why not get a young actress & focus on the problems of a 14 year old instead of recycling old Kylie/Tina/candice/Lauren etc storylines ?
This is truly a farce and an easily avoidable one to begin with.
Why all the bees in bonnets. It was fraud. If you lie on your cv you get found out.
If it's true that they are re-casting for Bethany, then I personally have new respect for the Corrie bosses and hope for the show.
Of course this was a scandal worthy of Watergate.
It's called 'Quality Control'.
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