Jane Danson addresses viewer ‘split’ over controversial Coronation Street storyline

Coronation Street’s Jane Danson has been reflecting on the audience’s reaction to a storyline she’s been involved in for most of this year.

Shortly after 2024 began, Jane’s character Leanne Battersby met a man called Rowan Cunliffe (Emrhys Cooper) at a hotel. At the time, he claimed he was holding a seminar about self-help and positivity.

Leanne was immediately drawn into what Rowan was up to as a result of his charming personality. Very quickly, she became interested in The Institute and started to prioritise going to their meetings over spending time with Nick (Ben Price) and Sam (Jude Riordan).

As Nick and Toyah (Georgia Taylor) worked out that Rowan was actually the leader of a cult, Leanne became more brainwashed. Eventually, she believed the organisation cared more about her needs than her actual relatives.

The wool was pulled from Leanne’s eyes around the time of learning Rowan was blackmailing Toyah and Nick. They were having an affair behind Leanne’s back, and Rowan had secured photographs of them kissing.

This, along with Amy’s (Elle Mulvaney) involvement in the group, lead to Rowan getting arrested. He pleaded not guilty and in upcoming episodes, Leanne will face him in court.

Reflecting on the storyline, actress Jane Danson recently told us about the reaction she received from fans.

‘I think the reaction to it was a bit of a split, if I’m honest. I think some people liked it and some people did it, and I totally buy that because Leanne is such a strong character. But I watched documentaries, and you see these intelligent people with great jobs, with families, with houses, with assets, and they get taken by these people.

‘And I suppose, depending on where you are in your life and what’s going on, who knows what is possible? I loved working with Emryhs [Cooper aka Rowan]. He was so lovely, and he and just loved being here and he was very popular with the cast. He was just a positive, lovely guy and I really miss him. Also, this story was another chapter for Leanne, for which I’m always grateful.’

‘I just think she just feels a bit of a fool, really’, Jane explained, pondering over how Leanne is feeling before the trial.

‘Now it’s all like it all come out and she’s realised that she’d been sucked in. This is kind of the start of her trying to prove herself, her decisions and why she’s why she did what she did. She says this lovely speech at the trial, where she’s just saying how sorry she was for everything she’s done, but she was striving to be better. She wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. And in the middle of that, obviously Nick and Toyah got together and all fell apart.’

She added: ‘I think ultimately she just feels bad for Amy because she lost all her inheritance, and it’s her way of trying to make amends with all that. She’s just trying to repair all the damage that’s been caused by all the stuff that’s been played out with The Institute over the past year. This is climax to all that in a way but it does open up some doors to some other things.’

Amid all of this, Leanne knows that Nick and Toyah are continuing their affair.

‘It’s just the pits for her!’, Jane sighed.

‘She was over the first time to a point. Leanne knows that she did make some bad decisions, and although she didn’t agree with what Toyah and Nick did, she can understand why it might have happened. She loves Toyah so much that she was prepared to forgive her. So, to find out that their affair is continuing – basically, she’s at the end of her rope.

‘Toyah has kind of taken out her whole life from Leanne and she resents that hugely. It’s great to play out!’