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Thread: Melanie Hill ( Cathy Matthews)

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    Melanie Hill ( Cathy Matthews)

    http://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/...l-joins-corrie

    Coronation Street favourite Roy Cropper is to get a new friend played by renowned actress Melanie Hill.

    Melanie has been cast as Cathy Matthews, the owner of the allotment next to Roy and Sharif’s plot.

    Roy and Cathy strike up a friendship through their love of the allotment and he soon discovers she is getting over the death of her husband.

    Is this destined to be Roy’s first chance of romance following the death of his beloved Hayley?

    Melanie is best known for her roles in Playing the Field, Waterloo Road and the sitcom Bread, more recently she appeared in Cilla playing the scouse singer’s mum ‘Big Cilla’.

    Producer Stuart Blackburn said:

    "Recently widowed, Cathy is an engaging yet sometimes chaotic woman. Though her indecision can drive her friends mad, behind the vulnerable front is a woman who truly does have a heart of gold."

    “Gentle, kind and intelligent she has more to offer than she knows and in Roy she'll find a friend who will ultimately bring out the best in her. ”

    – Stuart Blackburn

    "We are delighted that Melanie Hill has agreed to join us and take on the role. Familiar I'm sure to our audience, Melanie is an incredible actress who I know will soon propel Cathy to the heart of Coronation Street.”

    Melanie Hill said:

    "I'm chuffed to bits to be joining the cast of my favourite soap. I and my family grew up watching it and to actually be working on it is a dream come true. "

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  3. #2
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    I liked her in Waterloo Road, she should be a good addition for Corrie.

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    I liked her in WR too and yes, I think she will be a good companion for Roy

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    She was great as Aveline Boswell too in Bread and in Playing The Field, an actress very capable of both drama and comedy

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    Waterloo Road star Melanie Hill has joined the cast of Coronation Street.

    The actress has landed the role of Cathy Matthews, who will strike up a friendship with fan favourite Roy Cropper in a forthcoming storyline.

    Melanie Hill
    © PA Images / Jonathan Brady
    Melanie Hill

    When Roy starts working on an allotment with Sharif Nazir, he quickly gets to know Cathy as she owns the adjacent plot.

    As they start to confide in each other, Cathy reveals that she is getting over the death of her husband. Roy can easily relate to her experiences, having lost his beloved wife Hayley at the beginning of last year.

    Speaking of her new role, Hill commented: "I'm chuffed to bits to be joining the cast of my favourite soap. I and my family grew up watching it and to actually be working on it is a dream come true."

    David Neilson and Marc Anwar filming scenes for Coronation Street
    © Rex Features / MCPIX
    Roy at the allotments in Coronation Street

    Coronation Street's producer Stuart Blackburn added: "Recently widowed, Cathy is an engaging yet sometimes chaotic woman. Though her indecision can drive her friends mad, behind the vulnerable front is a woman who truly does have a heart of gold. Gentle, kind and intelligent she has more to offer than she knows and in Roy she'll find a friend who will ultimately bring out the best in her.

    "We are delighted that Melanie Hill has agreed to join us and take on the role. Familiar I'm sure to our audience, Melanie is an incredible actress who I know will soon propel Cathy to the heart of Coronation Street."

    As the storyline develops, viewers will have to wait and see whether meeting Cathy could be Roy's first chance of romance since Hayley's death.

    Hill has appeared in a number of popular TV shows over the years, including Waterloo Road as Maggie Budgen. She has also starred in Bread, Playing the Field and Cilla among others.

    Coronation Street will air Cathy's first scenes in late April.

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    Melanie is great... brilliant casting.

    Loved her as Rita in Playing the Field and she was good as was it Marie in the Bill, she was married to Jim Carver?

    And my personal favourite character of hers was Sandra in Brassed Off....one of my all time favourite films! You wouldnt mess with her. Cant wait to see her scenes in Corrie she is a brilliant actress if given the right stuff

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    Brassed Off is one of my all time favourite films too ... and she was brilliant in that ..as she has been in everything I have seen her in

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    hope she puts anna and mammy kazir in their place

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    Good news for Corrie (and Roy).

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  18. #10
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    Coronation Street will welcome former Waterloo Road star Melanie Hill to the cast next week as she takes on the role of newcomer Cathy Matthews,

    Roy Cropper (David Neilson) will meet Cathy at the local allotments, where he and Sharif Nazir discover that she owns the adjacent plot.

    Melanie Hill
    © PA Images / Jonathan Brady
    Melanie Hill

    When they start to confide in each other, Cathy tells Roy that she is getting over the death of her husband and the pair find themselves bonding over their grief.

    Here, Melanie Hill about her new role and hints that Cathy is harbouring a big secret.

    Kathy has been brought in as a romantic interest for Roy. What can you tell us about that?
    "Basically they meet on the allotment that Roy has got and Cathy's husband, who has just passed away, had the allotment next to it. Cathy is being introduced as a friend for Roy and it is all going to be very gently done because obviously Hayley was such a popular character and so is Roy. At this stage, they are just going to have Cathy come in gradually as a friend for him.

    "The common ground that they have got is that they have both lost their partners and they strike up this friendship because they are both quite lonely. They end up confiding in each other and talk about things that Roy wouldn't normally talk about to with anyone else on the street. They just form a friendship."

    How would you describe Cathy as a character?
    "She is basically just consumed with the loss of her husband. It has affected her in such a way that she is now very anxious and very nervous. He took care of everything in their lives like looking after the bills and obviously the allotment. She has never had to take care of anything before and now she is on her own so she is struggling with that massively. She talks for England but she is very nervous. She trusts Roy because she doesn't have many friends. Also, there is more to her than meets the eye. In future episodes we find out that she is carrying this big secret which she doesn't want Roy to find out so that is going to be very interesting, but that is further down the line."

    What is her first meeting like with Roy?
    "It is at the allotment and it is all very gradual. At first, she is actually a bit annoyed with him when they meet. They are throwing rubbish into her allotment so it starts off on a bad foot. But they soon get talking and they discuss their partners passing away."

    Roy meets Cathy at the allotment
    © ITV
    Roy meets Cathy at the allotment

    Does Cathy have children?
    "We are not really bringing that into it yet. We are leaving it open at the minute. She is basically just trying to survive after the death of her husband."

    Is it quite daunting knowing that Roy was previously part of such a popular double act with Hayley?
    "It is, very. Obviously I would never try and replace Hayley or come anywhere near that. At the moment, I am just working with him as a friend. But who knows what will happen in the future?"

    Do you think viewers will warm to Cathy? Or will they resent her because of her closeness with Roy?
    "I think they might have a problem with it because obviously this comes back to Hayley being such a massive character. I think the people on the Street are going to have a problem with it as well because obviously they are protecting Roy."

    Do you think Cathy will be a conflict character or a comedy character?
    "I think a bit of both to be honest - that is what I would like to think. She is quite funny in her own way. She makes big faux pas because she is nervous and she says the wrong thing. She is quite ditzy, but there will be conflict coming into the Street, obviously. She is an outsider coming into the heart of it. I am looking forward to seeing what comes. That is why I like the fact you don't know what is going to happen. You are in this show playing the same character, but you still don't know what is round the corner. You are waiting for the scripts with baited breath."

    Roy is very unique personality, so does Cathy understand him?
    "I don't know if she understands him, but she has bonded with him because he is a gentle soul. She feels safe with him. I don't know about understanding him, but she does get very close to him very quickly because they are both simple people and they start talking quite deeply early on."

    Do you think they would be so close if it wasn't for the grief they both share?
    "No, they wouldn't. I think at the time, the universe has aligned and they met and formed this friendship. If they had their partners here, they probably wouldn't. Her husband passed away from cancer as well."

    Did you have to screen test with David before getting the role? And would you say you had instant chemistry?
    "I didn't know David before but I screen tested with him. I would like to think we did have chemistry. He is so lovely and put me at my ease. That was very helpful."

    How long is your initial stay for?
    "I have signed for a year."

    Are they any other characters in on the show that you would love to have some scenes with?
    "I am looking forward to working with Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz. She is another favourite of mine and I think there is a lot of potential aggro there as Fiz is going to protect Roy."

    Have you ever auditioned for a role in Coronation Street before?
    "No I haven't - this is the first time. It is the perfect time for me as I am happy to be in something long running and long may it last. I did Waterloo Road for three and a half years and I like working like that. Very often in this business, you are working for three months and then you move on and you have to make new friends. It is daunting as you get older to be thrown into a situation with all new people. I find it a bit hard so I liked being with the Waterloo Road folks and staying with them everyday. I liked that comfort although I know a lot of actors don't. It appeals to me."

    What was it like seeing the Street for the first time?
    "It was quite emotional. I really felt like it was where I was meant to be and that sounds quite silly, but I really feel so happy about where I am. I was terrified when I went into Roy's Rolls though - that was really scary. The screen test was also really nerve-wracking because they were filming when I went in. I expected it to be one camera and it wasn't like that. In the scene, I had to open an umbrella so to be on the safe side, I bought an umbrella and I was rehearsing with it. But as I went into the studio, they said "we've got all that" so I didn't need it. They gave me an umbrella that broke during my first take I did, so imagine my nerves. I tried to improvise my hardest but I failed miserably. I had to apologise. I was convinced I had blown it."

    You knew Les Dennis before you started, so was this reassuring when you started?
    "Yes I know him through mutual friends near where we live so it has been really really good to know him. It is nice to know a friendly face. He has been really helpful and shown me the ropes. David has also been really helpful because a lot of my stuff is with him. Also, Katie McGlynn was in Waterloo Road so it was nice to see her. I spent the day doing scenes with her a couple of days ago so that was lovely."

    How similar is Coronation Street to other shows you have done?
    "Well I was only a semi regular on Emmerdale and The Bill, so it wasn't the same as Corrie. Once you are regular, you are part of that gang and the team and I never felt as part of it there as I do on this."

    With Waterloo Road finishing, do you think it is a shame that there are fewer opportunities for writers and actors in continuing dramas?
    "Yes, I was gutted when The Bill went as it had won loads of awards and then they canned it. There is less opportunity for people my age as the average age in these things tends to be quite young. That is why Corrie is good as it keeps the older actors and they are the interesting ones to me anyway. People identify with those characters."

    Do you miss Waterloo Road?
    "I miss the people, yes. We formed a really tight friendship. When Heather Peace left, there were five of us girls who were so close and we still keep in touch. When you have been on something for three years, you do form really strong bonds. So, I miss them. We do keep in touch but it isn't the same as when you see people everyday because everyone is so busy. That is why I like the idea of staying in one thing because I don't like just meeting people for three months and then saying goodbye. It can be hard."

    Coronation Street will air Cathy's first scenes on Monday April 20 on ITV.

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