List of Coronation Street characters introduced in 2017
Coronation Street is a British soap opera first broadcast on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters introduced in 2017, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by series producer Kate Oates. The first notable character that appeared was the stillborn son of Michelle Connor and Steve McDonald, [|Ruairi], in January. [|Chloe Tipton] first appeared in February as a love interest for Peter Barlow and left the series in May. She was followed by Trina Robson, a drug dealer, who appeared in four episodes. The final character to join in February was Oliver Battersby, Steve and Leanne Battersby's baby son. Neil Clifton arrived in March as an acquaintance of Nathan Curtis who became involved in Bethany Platt's grooming and sexual exploitation storyline. Sally Metcalfe's online stalker, Leah Buckley, arrived in April, which tied in with the return of Sally's sister, Gina Seddon. Pat Phelan's biological daughter Nicola Rubinstein arrived in June, alongside Summer Spellman, who is taken in by Todd Grimshaw and Billy Mayhew. [|Moira Pollock], the manager of the Medical Centre and Liz McDonald's new boss, arrived in July. Mary Taylor's long-lost son Jude Appleton moved to Weatherfield in August, bringing his wife, Angie, and their baby son, [|George]. In September, Colin Callen made his first appearance. In October, Seb's drug-addicted mother, [|Abi], played by former Shameless actress Sally Carman, first appeared. November introduced Rana Nazir's brother Imran Habeeb, as well as [|Henry Newton], a new love interest for Gemma Winter.
Ruairi McDonald
Ruairi McDonald is the son of Steve McDonald and Michelle Connor. Ruairi is born prematurely at 23 weeks and dies when he is born. Steve and Michelle are further devastated that Ruairi will not be given a birth or death certificate, as he was born before 24 weeks. Michelle and Steve's marriage is strained and Michelle kicks Steve out when she thinks he does not care about his dead son. However, Michelle allows him back after talking to Steve's mother Liz McDonald, who also lost a premature child, Katie, 25 years before. Steve blames himself for Ruairi's death, thinking it is punishment for getting Leanne Battersby pregnant six months earlier. Michelle contemplates suicide, unable to cope with life without Ruairi, but is talked out of it by Robert Preston.In December 2016, it was announced that the show would tackle the subject of late miscarriage and Michelle and Steve would lose their unborn child. Marsh, who lost her own child at a similar stage in her pregnancy, said "I thought long and hard before agreeing to take on the challenge of this storyline. It is obviously a cause very close to my heart having lost my beautiful Archie at 21 weeks and 5 days. I discussed it with my family and friends, all of who were very supportive. In the end I felt it was an important story to tell in order to raise awareness of something which affects thousands of women every year. I have had to go to some very dark places in my mind whilst filming these heartbreaking scenes but my family, friends and colleagues have been incredible." She added that revisiting feelings in character was "challenging". Producer Kate Oates added "The subject of miscarriage will always be sensitive; but telling this story with Simon and Kym at the centre would always have an extra poignancy" and hoped they "are able to encourage discussion, understanding and compassion for those viewers affected by the loss of a baby. The cast were in safe hands with our amazing and empathetic director Tony Prescott, and it has been humbling to see all the actors involved being so selfless and generous in their performances".
Chloe Tipton
Chloe Tipton, played by Jo-Anne Knowles, made her first on-screen appearance on 1 February 2017, before departing on 15 May 2017.Chloe is a glamorous woman who orders a taxi from Street Cars and finds herself being driven by Peter Barlow, who has just fallen out with his girlfriend Toyah Battersby. Chloe witnesses Peter and Toyah arguing outside the cab office and when they arrive at her hotel, Chloe asks Peter if he is going back to reconcile with Toyah. Chloe is clearly attracted to Peter and asks to join her for a drink in the hotel. They talk in the bar, where she tells him that she is impulsive and he seems interesting to her. Telling her that he has a family conference to go back to, Peter makes his excuses to leave. Chloe asks him to stay with her, but he refuses and she gives him a generous tip, making it clear that she is unhappy to see him go. A week later, Chloe calls into the cab office and specially requests Peter as her driver to collect her from a dinnertime drinks appointment with a friend, telling him that she would pay him for his extra time and that her divorce would shortly be coming through.
Chloe later deliberately bumps into Peter crying, and tells him that her ex-boyfriend has been following her. He takes her home, where there is obvious sexual tension; however, Peter leaves, forgetting his mobile phone. He then returns to Chloe's house to retrieve it, where they kiss; however, Peter leaves immediately after. It is then revealed that Chloe has downloaded a tracking app on Peter's phone so she can observe his every move. After previously telling her that he is interested in purchasing the local pub The Rovers Return Inn, Chloe unexpectedly arrives and fakes showing an interest in buying the pub, where Peter is unnerved that Toyah may see her. Peter then threatens Chloe in the ginnel, ordering her to leave him and Toyah alone. However, they have been spotted by Peter's father Ken Barlow, who takes Chloe inside and she lies to him that she and Peter are having an affair, so Ken informs Toyah of this, leading to her temporarily moving out. The following night, Peter is close to turning back to alcohol after battling alcoholism previously and declares that Ken is at the heart of all his problems. Later that night, Ken is pushed down the stairs by an unknown assailant, with Peter and other members of his family being listed as suspects.
After Peter's son Simon Barlow finds a voice message on his phone of Peter apologising and sounding frantic on the night that Ken was pushed down the stairs, everybody automatically assumes that he is behind Ken's attack. However, Peter tells Simon, Toyah and the rest of his family that he was visiting Chloe at the time that Ken was attacked; however, her obsessive behaviour became violent and he pushed her away in self-defence, but she fell and cut her face, and threatened to lie to the police that he punched her. Peter then visits Chloe and pleads that she tell the police the truth, but instead she informs DS MacKinnon that Peter assaulted her in her own home as a result of their affair, and that this took place the day before Ken's attack, making him prime suspect in the investigation. Peter is later arrested and charged with assaulting Chloe and placed further in the frame for Ken's attack, which adds pressure to his relationship with Toyah.
In the week when Peter is due to stand trial for attacking Chloe, he confides in his ex-wife and Toyah's stepsister, Leanne Battersby, about how he would never harm a woman and that Chloe is punishing him for something. Leanne subsequently pays Chloe a visit, threatening her to drop the charges; however, Toyah later turns up to achieve the same purpose. Chloe is exceptionally rude towards Leanne and Toyah, and initially refuses to drop the charges against Peter; however, Toyah and Leanne threaten to tell the police that Chloe attacked Toyah by throwing her to the floor, with Leanne offering to provide Toyah with bruises to reinforce their case. Chloe reluctantly agrees to drop the charges; however, she states that Peter could still easily have returned to Weatherfield and pushed Ken down the stairs, which stuns Leanne and Toyah. Peter later receives a phone call informing him that the charges have been dropped by Chloe, and Leanne provides him with a false alibi for the time when Ken was attacked.
Ronan Truman
Ronan Trueman, originally played by Colin Tierney, is a man who has made a career dealing in class-A drugs. He interviewed Adam Barlow for a job, the interview was postponed when Ronan was arrested. He was later released. Adam later slept with his girlfriend Trina Robson. Over 2 weeks later, Adam went to Rohan hoping to get a business deal with him only to find out who Trina really was. Adam feared that this would ruin his business deal with Ronan but Trina said he was an old friend of her brother's. Adam offered to sell Ronan drugs and Ronan agreed. Although Ronan was unimpressed when Adam, was delayed by his cousin, Amy, the deal went ahead but Ronan noticed the tension between Adam and Trina. Ronan turned up on the street and told Adam that he knew about his night with Trina. Ronan threatened Adam with him and his family's lives unless he returned the money given to him for the drugs. Adam agrees to return the money but finds his grandfather Ken burning it. Adam confessed to Ronan that he lost the money resulting in Ronan beating him up and putting him in hospital.In September 2018, now played by Alan McKenna, Ronan bumps into Adam and asks him to get his son Cormac who has just been released from prison for drug use a job. Adam gets him a job working for Robert Preston. Robert's stepson, Ryan Connor is an old friend of Cormac's. Cormac is taken in by Robert and his girlfriend Michelle Connor. During his stay at Michelle and Robert's, Cormac takes several drugs. While Ryan is out, Cormac overdoses. Ryan calls his brother Ali Neeson, who's a doctor. Ali tells him to call an ambulance. Ryan refuses to do so as he's worried it will land Cormac back in prison. Despite Ali's best efforts to revive him, he is unsuccessful and Cormac dies. The following day, Ronan turns up to see where Cormac died. Michelle, Ali, Robert and Ryan lie saying they called an ambulance but Cormac was already dead. After Ryan's friend, Sophie Webster, who Ryan had previously asked give him a false alibi changes her statement, Ryan is arrested. Ronan's thug PC Duffy Ronan and informs him of the news. On Ronan's orders, PC Duffy attempts to poison Ryan and beats him up. After Ryan is released, Michelle goes to see Ronan at Cormac's funeral and asks him to stay away from Ryan. Ronan threatens Michelle and her family. Michelle tells Ryan and Ali they have to leave the country. They pack their bags and drive off unaware that Ronan's watching. He follows on. During a high speed chase, Michelle's car breaks down just as Ronan catches up with them. Ryan decides to face him alone and tries to make Ronan understand that Cormac's death wasn't his fault. Ronan runs Ryan over. He prepares to shoot Michelle and Ali just as Leanne Battersby arrive. Ronan unintentionally reverses over Leanne. During an attempt to flee the scene, Ronan swerves off the road and into a tree. Ali hears him screaming for help. He goes to check on Ronan and finds the gun. Ali pulls out a fence post impaled in Ronan's abdomen. Ronan bleeds out and dies. Ali lies and says that Ronan pulled it out himself.