She's grown up in front of viewers' eyes but Ellie Leach is set to say goodbye to Coronation Street as Faye Windass leaves Weatherfield. The actress has spent more than 12 years in the ITV soap and has tackled many harrowing storylines including her character falling pregnant when she was 12.
Then in 2020, Faye was sexually assaulted by evil Ray Crosby and last year she went to prison for attacking Adam Barlow in a case of mistaken identity thinking that he was her sleazy boss. And last year, Faye was back at the centre of the Corrie drama after she knocked down an elderly man called Ted while on a driving lesson with Emma Brooker, who was still tipsy from New Year's Eve.
The girls took the pensioner home after he insisted that he was fine, but when they later went to check on him they found him dead in his armchair. And when a police investigation ensued, Faye had to confess to her boyfriend Craig Tinker who briefly left the police force as he tampered with evidence to keep her secret.
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But next week, viewers will see Faye decide to leave the street after reconnecting with her daughter Miley and ex Jackson Hodge. Faye and Jackson conceived their child after the two teens slept together at a party with Miley then born in 2015 when Faye was just 15 years old. But due to their young age, Faye felt she wasn't capable of looking after a child and Jackson took sole custody of Miley and went to live in Canada with his parents.
After her initial reservations, Faye has been spending time with Miley and Jackson with the former young couple even sharing a kiss. She has been struggling to mix her new life with Craig and her old one with Jackson and Miley. But when faced with losing her daughter, she finally makes a decision and joins Miley and Jackson on their move leaving Craig heartbroken.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News and other press, Ellie was asked to describe her last scene and how she felt. "It was very, very emotional. Obviously, it's Faye leaving the street after 12 years but it's me leaving the street after 12 years as well," the 22-year-old, from Bury, said.
"I think the saddest part of the scene is we're in the taxi, we're on our way and then we just see Criag on his own, walking up the street and then Faye's obviously like, 'stop the car!'
"She gets out and she's like, 'I'll always love you. I always have and always will,' and it was just so, so emotional. I think you can see that there are two people here who do love each other but there are so many other factors. Love isn't always enough and I think you can definitely see that in that last scene."
As she reminisced about her time on the cobbles, Ellie shared how she was adamant she wouldn't get the part when she first went for her audition. "I went up for the audition. There were a few rounds and I got down the final five and literally walked in and there were four other girls who were all in their first year of high school and I was in my last year at primary school," she explained.
"They had like skirt, tie, blazer, hair straightened, tall. I was tiny and I had a little school cardigan on with my hair in pigtails. I looked around and I was like, 'Mum, I’m nothing like these girls. I can’t get this part.' And my mum was like, 'It’s ok, just be yourself and do the best that you can.
"'If it happens it happens and if it doesn’t it doesn’t'. They all looked similar and I looked the odd one out. I’m guessing now it worked in my favour."
Despite not expecting to get the role, Ellie soon received the good news. "I remember I was at my friend’s birthday, she was having a sleepover," Ellie said. "And her mum said my mum was on the phone. And she was like, 'you’ve got the job'."
And filming her last scenes at the Salford-based set was a big day for the soap star. "It was emotional but it was happy tears," shared Ellie, who filmed on her last day with Colson Smith (Craig), Lisa George (Beth Tinker) and Mikey North (Gary Windass). Her family were also able to join her and Ellie was given some special gifts to leave with
"We finished and loads of people came on set and brought me gifts and it was really emotional and so, so nice. I got a really lovely handbag, some flowers, a big Millies cookie which said, ‘Faye Windass Forever,’ and I got a really beautiful, engraved necklace from the cast which means I can always have Corrie with me wherever I go," she said. "It’s engraved with two hearts and it says FW for Faye Windass."
But she also took a few of her own momentos from the set including some of Faye's comfy pyjamas. "I took a few of Faye's clothes, which to be honest I wasn't going to because she's not really got the best sense of style. I took a few jumpers to remind me of Faye," she said before revealing the more unusual item she has kept hold of.
"I had a coat on a few weeks ago and I put my hand in my pocket and was like, what's that? I pulled it out and it was a fake nail from when we filmed the Ted storyline from the nail that went down his sink and Craig had to go and get out." She added: "So I said I'm definitely taking that home, a green sparkly nail."
Away from the ITV soap, Ellie, who is 22, was loved-up with her boyfriend Reagan Pettman. Reagan is also an actor and he's a model, influencer and a dancer. The pair regularly shared adorable snaps of themselves out and about together, however, there has been no sign of him for a while now.
Many fans may not realise that Ellie has a famous relative who is also a Coronation Street favourite. Her older cousin Brooke Vincent is known to Corrie fans for playing Sophie Webster.
Mother-of-two Brooke, who left the soap over three years ago to go on maternity leave, was very supportive when Ellie joined the soap. "I remember when I first started Brooke, my cousin, was like, 'Just be yourself. Everyone will love you,' and I think that's just what I've done," Ellie recalled. "I've just been myself and I think that's why I've been here for so long."
And speaking on ITV's Lorraine last year, Ellie revealed how Brooke had asked her to be her eldest son Mexx's godmother. Ellie said: "I am Mexx's godmother, yeah Brooke asked me, she bought me a little bracelet, and on the inside it says 'Auntie Elle, will you be my godmother?' I couldn't stop crying, I couldn't believe it."
Last year, Ellie shared her struggles with her skin. She took to Instagram with another string of stunning snaps but as the compliments came flooding in, the Bury-born star took the opportunity to discuss the 'stages' she was going through with her skin.
She shared the photos with her thousands of followers with just a 'shush' emoji for a caption. Commenters were quick to ask for Ellie's skin routine in order to follow her lead but she was quick to give an honest response. "Posting this from weeks ago because my skin is so bad at the min," she said. But with more of the same comments coming in, the Bury-born soap star decided to share what her skin is currently like.
Sharing two photos on her Instagram Story, Ellie said: "Guys! My most recent post was taken in APRIL. I just didn't get chance to post it at the time but just wanted to show you what my skin looks like currently. I always go through stages with my skin where it clears and then flares up which is what's happening now."
She went on: "I always feel so self-conscious and like everybody is looking at me when my skin flares up. I hate it, but I've definitely learnt to deal with it more and just remember that it's normal to have breakouts. It's very rare that I do have spot free skin hence why I milked taking pictures whilst it was so clear [crying laughing emoji]." Finishing up her post, Ellie added: "But realistically on a day to day basis this is what my skin looks like no matter how much I was it and do a skincare routine!"
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