BYE-BYE BETHANY

Corrie’s Bethany faces an agonising dilemma as she bids farewell to the cobbles, says Lucy Fallon

Bethany leaves Coronation Street this week – but will she say goodbye to Daniel as well? After accepting a role on a magazine in London, the budding journalist is torn over whether to take her grieving boyfriend, especially after a drunken proposal.

Actress Lucy Fallon, who’s played Bethany since 2015, says, ‘It’s hard. She knows the right thing to do is leave Daniel as he needs time to get over the death of his wife Sinead.

‘But she wants to be with him and believes he wants to be with her, and she hopes she can make him feel better. The question is whether she’ll follow her head or her heart.’

The week’s events only add to her emotional turmoil. Being a bridesmaid at her mum Sarah’s wedding to Adam makes her want to take Daniel to London. Meanwhile, Sinead’s aunt Beth is angry with them for moving on with their lives too quickly, and Bethany’s pal Craig warns her that being with Daniel will end in tears.

‘Everyone’s telling Bethany that she shouldn’t take him,’ says Lucy. ‘Craig tells her she should get on with her life and leave Daniel to grieve.’

And alarm bells ring when Daniel breaks down during his best man’s speech for Adam. Lucy says, ‘Bethany starts to think she should go alone because he’s still in love with Sinead.’

In a last-ditch attempt to prove his love, a drunk Daniel proposes – using Sinead’s wedding ring! ‘It finally clicks in Bethany’s mind that all this isn’t the right thing to do,’ says Lucy, who has had an emotional time filming her final scenes. ‘I was crying all day. It was sweet at the end as the producers came and I got a big bouquet of flowers, some lovely gifts and a big signed card from everybody.’

Lucy was 19 when she landed

the role, which was her first proper acting job. ‘I soon realised acting on Corrie was definitely what I wanted to do,’ she says.

As Bethany faced one tragedy after another, Lucy, who’s 24 and from Blackpool in Lancashire, picked up acclaim and awards. ‘It’s been the craziest five years and I’ve been trusted to do so much stuff that I’ll always be thankful for.’

But she says the time felt right to spread her wings. ‘I haven’t done any other acting work and there are lots

of things I want to do. If I’d stayed I would have been annoyed with myself for not trying new things. Everyone’s been really good about it.’

The writers also agreed to keep the door open for a potential return. ‘While it’s not a case of me agreeing to leave for a year and then coming back, it’s not to say I wouldn’t ever return,’ she says. ‘I’ve loved it here! And as Ben Price, who plays Bethany’s uncle Nick, said to me, “The Platts aren’t going anywhere!”’ ■