Coronation Street's Kelly Neelan has faced some challenging, dramatic, and emotional storylines on the ITV soap.
The character, played by Millie Gibson, was part of the shocking hate crime storyline, inspired by the tragic story of Sophie Lancaster who was killed in 2007. It saw Kelly find herself charged with a murder she didn't commit after Seb Franklin died from his injuries when he and his girlfriend Nina Lucas were set upon by Corey Brent and his mates.
She made her debut on the cobbles in 2019 and has struggled as a teen, finding herself homeless after being cleared of the murder. More recently, the character found out about her dad's death days before her mum Laura Neelan - played by Kel Allen - also died from cancer, in tragic scenes, after taking the wrap for her husband Rick's murder so that the real culprit, Gary Windass, could be her guardian with wife Maria, reported Manchester Evening News.
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Millie, from Broadbottom, has had a busy few years with acting. But her efforts certainly paid off when she took home the prize for Best Young Performer at the British Soap Awards last month. As she got on stage to collect her first major award, the soap star said she had been 'unbelievably lucky' to have been given the 'most hard-hitting and compelling' storylines adding, that she'll be 'forever honoured'.
Oldham Theatre Workshop trained Millie went on to shout out the co-stars with whom she worked closely on the hate crime storyline, and made sure not to forget her family, who were super pleased to see her up on stage at the star-studded bash.
Taking to Instagram with a photo of her collecting her award, they wrote: "We are so incredibly proud of our @milliegibbo for winning Best Young Performer at the #britishsoapawards for her outstanding performance in @coronationstreet." Mille was quick to reply, writing: "Forever thanking you!"
Shortly after her big win, Millie had another big occasion to celebrate - turning 18. She celebrated with a birthday bash attended by several of her Corrie co-stars. The birthday girl looked stunning in a maxi red gown with a plunging neckline and ruffled detailing all the way down. She paired the look with a matching pair of heels and added a red lip to complete the daring look.
Meanwhile, her bright blonde locks had been styled into glamorous waves, while she stuck to simple gold jewellery to accessorise. She took to Instagram with snaps from the party alongside her family and friends, as well as an appearance from on-screen guardian Mikey North, who plays Gary, and former on-screen foster parent Charlie De Melo, who recently exited the soap in dramatic fashion as Imran Habeeb.
Craig Tinker actor Colson Smith, Paddy Bever, who plays Max Turner in Corrie, and soap icon Jimmi Harkishin, aka Dev Alahan, also made an appearance to help Millie celebrate her birthday. And, following her big day, Millie revealed that her actual name isn't Millie after all.
Her brother, Morgan, shared a photo of what appeared to be a photo album to her Instagram Story. It didn't take fans long to notice that there was a different name on the front of the personalised book.
It said: "Amelia Eve Gibson" alongside Millie's birthday date - June 19, 2004. She shared alongside the snap: "@_morgangibson7 belated birthday present," with a tearful emoji. She then gave her followers a glimpse inside, showing a photo of her as a toddler looking adorable as she blew out the candles on a birthday cake.
One of the things that Millie got asked about most when joining the cobbles were her eyebrows. At first, some Corrie fans assumed that the teen shaved the slit into her eyebrow for her role as troublemaker Kelly, but Millie has since confirmed that it is in fact a scar. Even her Instagram bio states: "actress, currently in @coronationstreet ... before you ask - it’s a scar."
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News in May last year, Millie said: "My dad always gets frustrated about comments like that because people are like 'oh no she's put it in herself trust me, I know she's put it in herself.' When I was younger, I was about two or three. In all of my baby pictures I have, I look like a right thug.
"I was running and I whacked my head on the corner of the banister thing and apparently my head was massive." She added: "It's never really healed but I kind of like it. It definitely works for the character."
Prior to Corrie, Millie starred in the ITV drama Butterfly, which followed the story of a transgender child. She played Lily, the sister of 11-year-old Max, who identified as female and wished to live life as a girl. The three-part mini-series also starred Rochdale actress Anna Friel and former Hollyoaks star Emmett J Scanlan as Max's parents.
Her first screen role was in an episode of drama series Love, Lies And Records. But her big break really came when she was cast in children's programme Jamie Johnson, which aired from 2017 to 2018. The CBBC show followed the titular Jamie, a senior school pupil who was also a talented footballer. Millie played Indira Cave, a teenager who seems to be a shallow gossip but ends up being much more.
After Jamie Johnson, Millie landed the part in ITV miniseries Butterfly, before Corrie signed her up. Her character initially came into Coronation Street for four episodes but as they say, the rest is history.
Millie has a close bond with many of her co-stars, particularly her soap bestie Tanisha. The pair are often seen together on their individual Instagram pages. One of the more recent Instagram posts of the co-stars saw Millie write in the caption "The Mrs" in which she kisses Tanisha's cheek, while Tanisha uploaded a selfie from the same day on her account, captioned "my little love".
Following Corrie's belated Christmas/Summer party earlier this year, Tanisha, who has starred as the daughter of Dev Alahan on the cobbles since 2009, posted a snap of the pair cosying up with one another at the bash among other images from the night. She captioned the album: "Crimbo party only 4 months late :))."
In the comments section, Millie replied: "That the love of my life?!' to which Tanisha swiftly wrote back: "Always my baby," showing the pair's unbreakable bond. Millie has also found a second mum in Kel Allen, who played Kelly's mum Laura in the ITV soap. The pair were often told they looked alike when they posted photos together and refer to themselves as 'babba' and 'mamma'.
Sharing snaps of the pair together at Millie's 18th birthday party, Kel wrote: "Babba’s all grown up....Happy 18th birthday to the one & only @milliegibbo.
"The love I have for the most beautiful human, with the most beautiful soul, is endless." She ended her message: "Baby girl, the world is yours. Love youuuuu Mills, Mamma." Millie was quick to reply, writing: "I love you with my whole heart my mamma forever and always."
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