Toyah Battersby has always wanted a child, yet countless IVF cycles, a failed attempt at surrogacy with Peter, and then surrogacy with baby Susie, put a halt to all of that. Still, yearning for a baby, the stability and support Toyah has received from Imran has given the counsellor an urge to look into fostering again. However, her plans seemed inappropriate and insensitive due to Oliver’s terminal illness.
This Christmas though, Toyah and Imran receive good news and have a young foster baby in their charge. Will everything go according to plan?
Back in November, we sat down with actress Georgia Taylor to talk about Imran and Toyah’s festive fostering!
Q- Its been a long road through the fostering process for Imran and Toyah. What does it mean to her when a foster child gets placed with them?
A - It means everything to her and is something she has wanted for most of her adult life. When I came back into the show 4years ago, Kate Oates and I worked on the backstory, and that Toyah had been trying for a child with her husband Toby and had had seven rounds of IVF, that was her aim in her life. It didn’t work, so this is a different avenue for her to explore. Toyah is putting her energy into a child that needs it!
Q - How does Toyah feel when they get that call?
A - A little bit shellshocked because its an emergency fostering placement that means that there is short notice. I believe a call comes through on Christmas Eve and the child arrives on Christmas Eve night. The Christmas day is then them getting to grips with this little boy. It’s a little bit stressed at first as babies are so there is a lot of crying at first, a bit of a whirlwind, and the flat’s upside down with nappies and milk sterilisers everywhere etc. A hectic Christmas for them but a lovely surprise!
Q - Toyah has been very aware of Leanne’s loss of Oliver, in the whole fostering process. Does she worry about how this will affect Leanne?
A - Yes. The timing is awful, but Toyah believes that Leanne has gone to France, so thinking that Leanne is physically distant, it is a bit easier to enjoy the baby. However, that is not to say that Leanne isn’t in her thoughts and tries to contact and text her.
Q - Do you think Toyah is aware of how much Leanne is struggling?
A - No, because I think she would be more productive and pragmatic in trying to reach her. You would think as her background is in counselling, she will be aware that grief is a long term process and aware that losing a child is a grief process that never ends.
Q- Do Toyah and Imran enjoy the time with Baby Mason and do you think she will become attached quite quickly?
A - Yes, I think that’s a given. What happens is, on Christmas day, although it is stressful they enjoy having the baby. Later on, on Christmas night they get a call to ask if they can look after the baby a little bit longer. The emergency fostering process is only 24 hours so the longer they have the baby, Toyah is going to get more attached, it is a little bit dangerous in that respect!
Q - Is Toyah mentally prepared for when the baby is ready to be returned to its parent?
A -Well, what happens is Imran takes the call whilst Toyah is in the bedroom with the baby and loving it. So Imran has to break the news to her. She’s crushed and tries to be practical. But it’s obvious she finds it difficult!
Q - How supportive is Imran throughout this?
A - Hugely, yes he’s really on board with this and wanting to be a foster parent himself. We will see, and its a little bit further down the line, when he makes a decision on her behalf about moving forward in the fostering process. Toyah is furious though, Imran just wanted to protect her and give her breathing space, but she reacts badly to it. There is a bit of friction, but it is good to show the reality of it!
Q - Do you think the relationship is strong enough to sustain that?
A - Yes, they resolve it and come through it, possibly stronger!
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What else did we learn in our Corrie Christmas Zoom press day? Do keep your eyes peeled on the corrie blog as I chatted with actress Julia Goulding about Shona’s Christmas plans for the Platt’s!
Thanks again to the Corrie blog for making my day!
As a fan of Alan Bennett and The History Boys film, it was an honour to join Georgia Taylor for a chat.
I am a long time fan of Toyah, and Georgia Taylor also played a brilliant part in that brit film. I was slightly bewitched, bothered, and bewildered, to be honest!
I am @rybazoxo your Corrie Connoisseur
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