So we've just seen Beth leave Weatherfield. Why did she leave? Did she just feel that she needed to protect Craig?
That was definitely the main reason, because she didn't want to go, she didn't want to leave, but she'd been obviously caught up with the business with Kit, and she thought she had one over on him. She didn't know about Craig telling Kit some of his secrets and she hadn't bargained with Kit realising that if he got something on Craig, it would cancel out what Beth had on him. She didn't have a clue about that. So she thought she'd got the Joker, and then obviously it backfired on her. As you know, Craig is her life and she wasn't prepared to see his life ruined. So she felt it was the best thing for her to go, but not tell anyone the truth.
It must have been such a hard decision with Kirk proposing after she had also been secretly planning a wedding which is what started it all.
It was so hard and it was sad. I was really sad filming it myself because it was gorgeous, and you see in that scene it was heartbreaking, because it was everything that she wanted. It was awful. She broke his heart, and even when she left he was saying, I'll change, I'll change whatever you want, believing it was his fault. I got a right lump in my throat when we filmed it, because it actually felt really real when she said ‘you know, you haven't done anything wrong. You don't need to change. You're always perfect to me’. That was really hard. It was really sad.
What was it like filming your last scene?
Unusually Beth’s departure was my final scene of filming, often we film out of order but as I filmed it I knew Beth was leaving and it was my final scene on the cobbles. Halfway through when he called the cab to stop, and they got out I actually got really, quite tearful. I cried afterwards because it's been this huge part of my life for such a long time.
When you look back does it feel like 13 years?
I've been on Corrie a long time but you know what? It's flown. It's really difficult to comprehend how many years I've been here, because it hasn't computed at all. But that's what it's like here, because you're in a different world - Weatherfield world, and it's completely different to the real world. You get so engrossed in this world and it is timeless. It feels like you've only been here a year or two years or something. When you think about people doing 25 years or over 50 years you can easily see how that can happen.
Tonight was your last scene, and it was obviously very emotional. What can you remember about your first scene and coming in as Beth?
I loved her. I was really impressed that I was working with Simon Gregson and Kate Kelly. I was a bit nervous. I'd met Simon before, when I'd worked here before but I hadn’t worked closely with him. This was different and I couldn’t take my eyes off Kate Kelly as she was just so brilliant. I was contracted for two episodes and I just thought ‘go for it, what have you got to lose?’
So when did you find out that you were coming back? How long after you had done the first two episodes?
Those episodes came out in August and I'd been given a new contract by November. I was thrilled as with the options in the contract it was potentially a two year contract that eventually became 13 years!
She has a fantastic wardrobe and look how involved were you in that?
I did want her to have an 80s thing going on at the beginning, and it got stronger and stronger over the years. And then the hair style was based on people I knew, I just remember girls from youth theatre they were all like, really cool, and they had all the long hair with their hair up in a pineapple, so I sort of took that from that. By now she is far too past it at her age to be dressing that way. But that was the point I wanted her to dress like a spring chicken. She thought she was a spring chicken, but she was a bit mutton, dressed as lamb, and that's how I wanted her. I purposely made her like that, and made her dress young, because she hasn't grown up. People said oh she is an 80s throwback but that is because I purposely made her an 80s throwback. People got it in the end. Originally the producers wanted her wardrobe to have a 50s feel, but that's me. That would have been Lisa and I wanted Beth to be different from me so that is how she developed.
Can you think of defining moments, stories that you loved, or even moments that you loved?
It's really hard to remember all the different things. I asked to be sent some clips and it was fantastic watching them because I had forgotten about some of them. One of my favourites was when Beth tried to seduce Steve, she had a black negligee on and her hair was all done, and she put on what she thought was a sexy voice, it was really funny. I also loved the time she dressed up as a flower. Kirk was in his Buzzy the bee outfit, and I had a flower with a great big sunflower head. I really enjoyed that. I loved the moments with our dog Peanut because I love animals. Another of my favourite scenes actually, was a Christmas scene, and there was all snow all over the street. Me, Andy and Colson sitting on the bench outside Audrey's eating some chips, they were wearing Christmas hats, I had ear muffs on and we sat there in the cold at night, and it was a nice night scene. We just sat on the bench eating chips, and it was lovely. There was a lot of dressing up playing Beth and the highlight had to be Beth and Kirk’s 80s themed wedding where I got to dress like Madonna. I never wanted to take that dress off.
The Sinead storyline, obviously, was the best and that was the hardest I've worked actually, because it was so emotional, and also because I was so close to Katie McGlynn, it was a bit of a tearjerker. And also, at the same time, I knew someone who was going through chemo, and they'd only found out halfway through the storyline. So what we would film in the day I knew that was what they were going through. So it was really hard, because it was actually happening in real life, as well as on screen. Such an important story to tell.
So tell us about Kirk and Beth and why they worked?
Do you know what? When they first suggested it, I thought, what are you thinking? Andy's like, 12 years younger than me or something so I never would have put them together, and I didn't think it was going to work, but it did. I think it was a surprise to me and Andy, but it just worked. And the characters were just perfect for each other. Kirky was absolutely perfect. And even to my last days here, I still called him Kirky, even though in the script it says Kirk, I always changed it to ‘our Kirk’ or Kirky, because that's just more personal. Andy and I worked brilliantly together. We've never had a cross word in 13 years ever. And it was really sad to say goodbye, I think he was upset too.
And of course her Craig! You have known Colson for most of his life!
Yes I tried to take him under my wing a bit when he was younger but we became friends as he got older and we had a lovely heart to heart before I left. Beth is leaving a lot behind and I am too but Beth is looking to the future and so am I.
Would you be friends with Beth in real life?
She would be like the rough neighbour that lives around the corner that you are always really nice to and you like her but you don't want her to be part of your social circle. She has a good heart but you would worry what your friends would think of her!
Have you taken anything of Beth’s with you?
I took her black leather jacket with the stars on and her denim jacket with all the sequin motifs and I put them up for auction for Sunflowers in Grimsby which is a charity for children with life limiting conditions.
What is next for you?
I am doing panto, Cinderella at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon which I am really looking forward to. Music is a big part of my life so I have been talking to a few musicians as I have missed singing and I have always said I would love to do period dramas, I am just waiting to see where the future takes me.
