EILEEN’S HUGE GAMBLE

Sue Cleaver on why her Corrie character is about to marry arch-villain Phelan

Coronation Street actress Sue Cleaver must be watching a different show to the rest of us, because her character Eileen Grimshaw is about to marry the soap’s arch-villain Pat Phelan – and she appears to think it’s a good thing!

Phelan conned a host of Weatherfield residents – including Eileen and her son Jason – out of thousands of pounds in a property development scam before his fellow conman Vinny did a runner with the money, all the while lying to Eileen about what he knew. Yet despite the finger of suspicion lingering over Phelan, Eileen is blissfully oblivious and can’t wait to get married this week.

‘Why wouldn’t Eileen go through with the wedding?’ says Sue. ‘In her eyes, Phelan’s done nothing wrong; his friend did the dirty on him and left him with this carnage, so Eileen isn’t going to desert him as well. She still believes he’s good husband material. He’s looked after her more than anyone ever has; he’s the ideal partner.’

Sue says she even thinks Phelan could be a source of happiness in the long- term for Eileen, who’s had numerous failed relationships and never married. ‘There’s always been a reason why her previous relationships haven’t worked out; Phelan is the stayer,’ she says. ‘I think he must have real feelings for Eileen, because

he’s looked after her and is marrying her despite the fact all the money’s gone. He’s a psycho, but if he did nothing else wrong maybe they could have their happy ending.’

Corrie viewers disagree. ‘ They don’t like it,’ reveals Sue. ‘They ask me what Eileen’s doing with Phelan when he’s such a bad man, which is great!’ Eileen’s son Todd also has serious misgivings about the wedding but can’t tell her as he was in on Phelan’s scam. ‘Todd’s always been protective of his mum, so Eileen puts any doubts he does show down to the fact he’s never liked anybody she’s been out with,’ says Sue.

Given unlucky-in-love Eileen’s track record, will she even get through the ceremony? ‘Eileen has always said she’d never be seen walking down the aisle, so it’s big for her,’ says Sue. ‘Everything always goes wrong for her in relationships so she

starts to worry when she’s waiting for Phelan at the registry office.’

Eileen’s romantic problems have featured prominently during the 17 years the mother-of-one has played the character. ‘I never imagined I’d be at Corrie this long,’ says Sue, who’d previously appeared in Victoria Wood’s sitcom Dinnerladies. ‘I had a three-month contract at first, then they changed it to a year and said I was getting a family! I told my agent I’d complete the year then leave, but that shows what a happy place this is!’

Sue says the only thing that could tempt her away is her first love, the stage – she was inspired to become an actor aged 19 while working as a nanny in Canada after seeing a friend in a play. ‘At some point I’ll ask for time off to do some theatre but right now I’m so busy with this storyline. It’s fun and is keeping me on my toes.’