Maddie Heath

[mariba]

I'm not happy about this at all

I've got nothing against Amy Kelly, but Sophie and Maddie are painful to watch! I wish they'd both leave together permanently.

I don't usually read spoilers, but I couldn't resist just reading the first couple of lines of this post to see whether Maddie was leaving Corrie and taking Sophie with her

I actually quite like this storyline with Maddie-and have always liked Sophie too..so it's all ok for me

[mariba]

Poor table manners . Annoying....I also find Tina 's way of eating and talking annoying too...and the toothpick she always puts in her mouth.

Maybe her mom has been too busy using drugs to teach her children any table manners! Not everyone has an easy life, and I think it's good there's different types on the street too. Becky was great, and it's nice to have similar character on the street.

[Dazzle]

Maybe her mom has been too busy using drugs to teach her children any table manners! Not everyone has an easy life, and I think it's good there's different types on the street too. Becky was great, and it's nice to have similar character on the street.

I agree with not everyone having an easy life, and have nothing against Maddie for her circumstances - indeed, they predispose me to like her and excuse her bad behaviour. The problem is that the writing and acting makes her totally unlikeable and unsympathetic.

Becky was a bad 'un when she first appeared on the street (worse than Maddie, in fact), but Katherine Kelly is a very good actress and had screen presence, and there was always something likeable about Becky deep down. I'm afraid the same doesn't apply to Maddie in my opinion. It doesn't help that she shares nearly all her scenes with one of the worst actresses on Corrie.

[tammyy2j]

If Maddie was introduced slowly and not as a love interest for Sophie, she would be a better character, as her scenes with Sally and Tim are not bad imo

[Perdita]

The made the same mistake as they did with introducing Stella ... hope they don't keep doing this to new characters ....

[tammyy2j]

Life seems to be looking up for Coronation Street's Maddie Heath next week when she becomes a huge hit at Underworld.

Maddie is put to work in the factory's packing department as a punishment for recently stealing Carla Barlow's car, but when she impresses everyone with her efficiency, she is offered a permanent position.

Here, Amy Kelly - who plays Maddie - chats about this possible turning point for her feisty character.

When Maddie starts at the factory, it's not long before she impresses her co-workers with her efficiency. Does she enjoy working there?
"I think what Maddie enjoys is that people start to recognise her hard-working streak. Everyone presumes she's a good-for-nothing, volatile teenager, when in reality she's used to being a responsible adult and bringing up her brother. It's her defensive, mistrusting nature that lets her down.

"I think Maddie enjoys working at the factory because, ultimately, she's proving a lot of people's initial assumptions about her wrong. I think Carla has a soft spot for Maddie because she sees the same feistiness that she has. Carla is also about the only person who is not afraid to put Maddie in her place, and Maddie has a lot of respect for Carla for that reason."

With Maddie's latest storylines, it's clear she does have a heart and does care for people. Why does she still put up a harsher façade some of the time?
"I think the reason Maddie still has trust issues and still has her guard up is because she's expecting something to go wrong. She thinks it's too good to be true - she has a girlfriend that supports her and has put up with her difficult personality, she's been welcomed into someone's home, she now has two jobs and is starting to make acquaintances.

"Maddie has never had even a fraction of what she has now and I think the sheer speed that everything has happened at is a lot for her to deal with - she's gone from nothing to... Well, certainly 'something' anyway!"

How would you describe Maddie's relationship with Sally these days?
"I think there's always going to be some friction between the two characters because of how things started between them. Dunking your mother-in-law in a trifle within the first five minutes of meeting her is never a good first impression!

"I think the new friction between Maddie and Sally comes from Maddie's growing popularity within the factory. It's strange to think considering, but maybe Sally is actually a little jealous of Maddie! Although, of course, she would never lower herself enough to admit it!"

Is Maddie worried when she hears that Kevin is returning to Weatherfield again?
"I think this time, she's not so worried. The first time, there was the classic pressure of meeting your girlfriend's dad, which is never an easy thing. This time, because Kevin has given her a chance and welcomed her into his home and given her a job, Maddie feels more at ease with him.

"Maybe Maddie is a little nervous because she still feels like she has a lot to prove, but Kevin was one of the first people, after Sophie, to actually see something in her worth putting faith in."

How do you feel about approaching your one-year anniversary on the show?
"I can't believe it's been a year - it's gone so fast! I can't even begin to explain how much I feel I've grown as a person while working at Coronation Street. I've learned so, so much and I still love it just as much as when I first started!"

Do you feel Maddie has changed since she first arrived on the Street?
"Oh goodness, yes! I think her life has changed so, so much and that has forced her to adapt as a person - it's been a reality check for her, I think."

What sort of reaction do you get from people when you're out and about?
"A lot of people just whisper as I go past, but every now and then you do get people who stop and ask for a picture. As it's my first professional acting job it's been a lot to get used to, but I do feel miles more relaxed now and it's nice that people do feel they can approach me because, after all, I'm just a normal person at the end of the day!"

Who are your friends on the show?
"I love Brooke to bits. She's looked after me from day one and we share a lot of inside jokes which is always a laugh on set. I get on really well with Georgia too - I think we're really similar as people so that's nice."

Would you like Maddie to mellow a bit, or do you think she should keep her feisty side?
"I think it's important she keeps her feisty side to a certain extent because that's just who she is. It works for Carla and that's because it's all about how you use it - you can be feisty and respected and have a lot of friends without people automatically thinking you're a bad guy.

"I think it would be a real shame if Maddie completely chilled out because her unpredictable nature is what makes her a joy to play and fun to watch."

How would you say Maddie and Sophie's relationship has developed over the past year?
"A lot has happened for them as a couple and it's been a real test. Sophie had so many opportunities to just walk away through alienation, but she stuck by Maddie and that's been a massive step for Maddie because she never had the support from her own mum, let alone a partner.

"Their relationship is a very complex one, and one that a lot of people don't understand, but for whatever bizarre reason it is, they just work so well together."

Maddie and Tim seem to have a nice connection. Why do you think Maddie gets on with him better than some other people?
"I think Maddie and Tim have a lot of things in common. A lot of people doubt them and they've both, at certain points in their lives, had absolutely nothing. Maybe Tim feels like he can look after Maddie because he sees similarities between them both, and Maddie hasn't been as hostile with Tim because she can trust him not to make her feel small."

Maddie's had storylines with Simon and Eccles recently. How have you found that?
"Alex [who plays Simon] is such a lively young lad and there were so many times me and Brooke tried to calm him down before filming - he's just so full of energy, as kids obviously are. The storyline was really great because it's the first time, since we saw her with her brother Ben, that the viewers get to see Maddie's soft caring side."

You juggled working at Corrie with doing your A Levels. How did you find that?
"It was a real challenge! There was lot of blood, sweat and tears! February was definitely the hardest time because the first unit of my art and photography coursework had to be handed in for marking, and I had to learn a monologue and write a play for my theatre studies course. At the same time, we were filming the massive storyline where Maddie and Sophie were homeless in Manchester.

"Everyone at work was so great with it - they wrote me out for the whole of April so I could do my exams, and in the story I went to stay with Ben in Devon. I also used to bring boxes of art stuff to my dressing room so I could work in between scenes! I remember I kept getting colds because I was so tired, but honestly if I could go back, I wouldn't change it.

"I know it sounds cheesy, but the challenge of coping with both has helped me grow up so much as a person and the sense of achievement I've now been left with is huge - I got three Bs! None of the staff at my sixth form doubted me, which was such a brilliant feeling. Obviously it was my mum who saw me at my worst and had to scrape me up off the floor when I was collapsing saying I couldn't do it anymore! She kept convincing me that, yes, I could, and I'm so glad I listened to her."

[Perdita]

Coronation Street star Amy Kelly has quit the show after a year in the role of Maddie Heath.

The actress chose not to renew her current deal with the ITV soap, but will remain part of the cast until the summer.

Amy Kelly as Maddie Heath in Coronation Street
© ITV
Amy Kelly as Maddie Heath

Announcing her choice to bow out, Kelly commented: "I made the decision to leave because I'm young and adventurous and I want to gain more experience and explore and improve my craft. Acting is my passion and I'm excited to see where it takes me.

"I've had the most amazing 18 months and I'll be sad to leave my Corrie family. It's been like a second home, but like all young people, you eventually fly the nest. I can't thank everyone enough who made this, not only possible, but fantastic."

Maddie arrived on screen in December 2013 as a new love interest for Sophie Webster. Although her early storylines revolved around her troubled background and bad behaviour, viewers have also seen a softer side to the feisty character in recent months.

Sophie and Maddie sit back and watch their prank work
© ITV
Maddie with girlfriend Sophie in Coronation Street

Maddie also had a major role to play in Coronation Street's recent mini-bus crash storyline, helping to save Sophie's mum Sally by pulling her out of the vehicle before it dropped over a cliff.

Coronation Street's producer Stuart Blackburn added: "Amy is a talented young actress and we wish her every success for the future. We are currently working on an exit storyline for Maddie which will have repercussions for Sophie and other Weatherfield residents."

[mariba]

Sad to see her go.. Corrie is losing all the characters soon..

[maidmarian]

Sad to see her go.. Corrie is losing all the characters soon..

Couldnt stand her at first-but was probably
because of Sophie-blight. Only Sally seems
to rise above it.
So I ve not seen much of her but caught
a couple of scenes last week and thought
how much better she is with other characters.
The actress who played Sian has done
quite well since she left-so I hope Amy does
too.

[maidmarian]

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