Bethany Platt

[maidmarian]

New Beth looks older too

I think in the photo you meant(sat next to
Gail)- ??she was very heavily made up- which
can age even young women.
In the photos just published below - less
make-up- looks more like age she is meant
to be?

[maidmarian]

New Beth looks older too

I think in the photo you meant(sat next to
Gail)- ??she was very heavily made up- which
can age even young women.
In the photos just published below - less
make-up- looks more like age she is meant
to be?

[Katy]

The new actress looks older then the other one!

I think Katie Redford was a bit hard done by in all honesty. Yes she is 25 but I dont think she lied as it was made out in the press. Her agency made it clear that she was down as playing age 14-20 which I think looks about right as she had a very young looking face. I hope she goes and gets another role, shes clearly worked hard.

How old is Sarah meant to be now?

[Perdita]

Sarah is 14, soon to be 15

[alan45]

Sarah is 14, soon to be 15

She has a 14 year old daughter called Bethany. I thought it was only EE which did miracles

Sarah Platt was born in 1987 on Feb 2nd making her 28

[alan45]

Coronation Street reintroduces the character of Bethany Platt next week as TV newcomer Lucy Fallon takes over the part.

Bethany arrives in Weatherfield unexpectedly after flying out from Milan, where she has spent the past few years living with her mum Sarah-Lou. This paves the way for Tina O'Brien's return to the role of Sarah later this month.

Here, Lucy chats about joining the cast of Coronation Street and offers some insight into Bethany's future.


© ITV
Lucy with her on-screen family


How do you feel about taking on the role of Bethany?
"It's amazing as she's such a fun character to play. She's very feisty and she's got a really good personality. It's such a great character to have for my first ever TV role."

When did you hear that you'd got the part?
"Obviously I'd had the call to say that I didn't have the part as somebody else had got it, so when I got the call to say that I had it after all, I was even more shocked and excited!

"When I heard that I'd got the part, I was actually in bed asleep. My phone was ringing and it was my agency calling. My agent was really calm when she was telling me about it, but I was so excited that I wasn't really listening to her, I just kept asking, 'Have I actually got the part?!'

How did you get into acting?
"I went to a theatre school called Barbara Jackson's, which is a local school. I did singing, dancing and drama there from about the age of 2. I also went to private drama lessons from when I was 8, with a lady called Joanna Newson. I did LAMDA exams, drama festivals and then I went to Blackpool sixth form and did performing arts. I finished last June.

"Afterwards I auditioned to go to Arts Ed and Mountview. I got offered foundation courses for both of those, but it was quite expensive so I couldn't afford to go. Then I auditioned to do a panto at the Blackpool Grand theatre, just as a dancer. While that was going on I was auditioning for Corrie and then pretty much as soon as the panto finished, I got the role of Bethany."


© ITV
Bethany returns

What was your first day like?
"On my first day, the person who really took me under their wing was Tisha Merry who plays Steph. We share a dressing room and she gave me loads of advice. She made sure that I wasn't on my own, as she took me into the canteen and she sat with me.

"The Platt family have also been amazing. I met Tina O'Brien in two of my auditions previously and then I filmed a bit before she came back properly. Then when she came back, we get on really well. She's also giving me loads of advice.

"Jack P Shepherd is hilarious and so is Sue Nicholls who plays Audrey. Helen Worth is just lovely - she's another one who is really taking me under her wing. I was petrified on my first day, but I feel quite comfortable now because everyone has been so nice. It was fear of the unknown as I've not done anything like this before, but it's been fine."

Did you play it cool when you first stepped onto the Street?
"I got a photo outside of The Rovers but that was on the day I was having my first tour, then my mum and sister came and they got a picture outside the pub too! I tried to play it cool once I actually started filming. I was really nervous filming on the Street itself - I'd been there for a couple of weeks by that point."

Why does Bethany come back to Weatherfield?
"I think the main reason is because she's not getting much attention from her mum in Italy. She's quite bored, so she decides to get on a plane and stir some things up in Weatherfield! Bethany comes back and tells everyone that her mum doesn't care about her, so that's the main reason she comes back - just because she wants to."

What's in store for her?
"Quite a lot! In Bethany's first scene, she is having an argument with a taxi driver because she can't afford to pay for the taxi. She gives him a story that isn't true about her gran dying, so then he lets her off. Then she meets Fake Gavin and she makes him carry her bags and go to The Rovers with her. She makes him buy her alcoholic drinks as he doesn't know she's underage, but then Gail comes in and she's furious about it.

"Bethany is definitely a bit of a wild child. She's very feisty, but she does a lot of it to get a reaction."

What is Bethany's relationship with Sarah like?
"Bethany is really close to her mum and they're more like sisters. When she comes to Weatherfield and her mum arrives a few days later, she tries to tell Sarah that she doesn't just want to be like sisters or friends - she wants her mum to be her mum. They do really get on but they also argue like they are sisters. Bethany hasn't had many boundaries in Italy, so she's been left to do what she wants."

We've heard that she even throws a hard object at Sarah at one point?!
"Yeah, that was really funny! We filmed that in one take as well. That was really good. I had to throw an ornament and aim for her head. She had to duck and it just misses her head!"

Is there a vulnerable side to Bethany, though?
"Yeah, I think she is quite vulnerable because she does genuinely miss her mum being her mum. There are quite a few scenes where you see that - she is quite sad underneath it all and it is a front."

Has she been in school in Italy?
"She got expelled for shoplifting, so she is quite naughty! She even tries shoplifting again when she arrives in Weatherfield but she just drops the item she stole afterwards - again it's just to get a reaction."


© ITV
Bethany has some rows ahead with her family

What does Bethany make of Max and Lily?
"I've not done any scenes with Lily yet, but I've done quite a few with Max. Max and Bethany get on quite well. He doesn't really want Bethany and Sarah-Lou to go back to Italy because he likes having them around."

Who would you like to have scenes with?
"Rita, but I think I've got some with her soon! Maybe Tracy Barlow as well."

How do you feel about the fame that will come with the role?
"I'm not really that bothered about it. Obviously it's quite scary but the main thing for me is the role. I'm not really bothered about the fame part of it - but that's really good too! Tisha has said to me that it's up to me - I can either be in this job and just be an actor and not really put myself out there into the public eye, or I can be in this job and I can do that as well. That's up to me and I don't know which way I'm going to go yet! But the acting is definitely what's important for me."

Did you watch Corrie much before?
"I did when I was younger. I remember when the guy drove the Platts into the canal, and I remember the song that was playing in the car which is quite weird! I've not really watched it recently but I've been watching it now to get up to speed with the storylines. My mum watches it too but my dad doesn't really watch it."

As you're 19, how do you feel about playing a 14-year-old?
"Oh, it's really fun. I think the best thing about it is because Bethany is so feisty, she's not a boring character to play. Bethany has got some really funny one-liners, so I'm really enjoying playing the character."


Lucy with on-screen mum Tina O'Brien

We know you currently live with your family in Blackpool, but are you hoping to move to Manchester?
"I hope so. I do really want to do that. This morning I got the train at quarter to five! It takes about an hour and if I was to drive it would take even longer, so I do eventually want to move here."

Do you have any plans for your first episode?
"Yeah, we're having a Corrie party with curry - Corrie curry! I think we're going to have something at my mum's with family and friends."

Do your parents have any acting background?
"No, they don't. My elder sister did acting with the same drama teacher that I went to, but she's moved away from acting now. Both of my sisters went to the same dance school. I started when I was really young because I wanted to do what they did."

What real-life jobs have you had?
"I've worked at Subway, Next, New Look, and on North Pier in Blackpool in a bar. I also worked in a nightclub but I lasted about two days, it was just a bit scary and I've got a really bad phobia of sick! I enjoyed Subway the most because the people who worked there were a similar age. New Look was good as well but I was only about 15 and it was my first job."

Finally, now that you're on the Street, do you know how long you're definitely staying for?
"I've got a six-month contract with options."

[lizann]

so andy thinks she is older and buys her alcohol

[tammyy2j]

http://i1.cdnds.net/15/07/618x407/so...ft-scene-5.jpg

She looks older than Sarah there

[tammyy2j]

.

[lizann]

reminds me of sinead