Michelle Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by former Hear'Say singer Kym Marsh. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 3 April 2006. Marsh took maternity leave in January 2011, and the character returned on 3 November 2011. On 24 February 2019, it was announced that Marsh would be leaving the soap after 13 years and Michelle's final episode aired on 27 December 2019.
Michelle's storylines have included a on/off relationships with Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) during which he had an affair with future wife Becky (Katherine Kelly); discovering that her son Ryan (Ben Thompson) was not her own and had been swapped at birth with Alex Neeson (Dario Coates/James Burrows); the death of her eldest brother Paul (Sean Gallagher) in 2007; and the murder of her other brother Liam (Rob James-Collier) in 2008. Other storylines have focused on the friendships and feuds with her sisters-in-laws, Carla (Alison King) and Maria (Samia Ghadie) and Carla's brother Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis); her failed engagement to Ciaran McCarthy (Keith Duffy); surviving a minibus crash caused by Steve; becoming pregnant with Steve's baby and delivering their stillborn son, Ruairi, before learning that Steve has also impregnated Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson); and divorced from Steve, a relationship with Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill); being kidnapped and stalked by her ex-boyfriend Will Chatterton (Leon Ockenden); getting shot by Pat Phelan (Connor McIntyre) on the day of her wedding to Robert and being terrorised by Ronan Truman (Alan McKenna). History later repeated itself when Robert impregnated Vicky Jefferies (Kerri Quinn) behind Michelle's back.
Creation Casting
The character of Michelle was first created as a cameo appearance for singer/actress Kym Marsh with the possibility of returning. She was later signed up to return on a more permanent basis. Of the decision to become a regular on the show, Marsh said: "If anybody had told me I'd end up starring in Coronation Street one day, I'd have laughed and told them to shut up. I've always said this would be my dream job. My mum has watched the show for years so I've grown up with it." In June 2008, Marsh signed a contract for £100,000 after keen producers nearly doubled her salary to keep her as part of the show. Marsh stated she wanted to be on the show for a long time.
Inside Soap announced that a Coronation Street spokesperson had denied reports that Kym Marsh is leaving the show to go to Hollywood. Despite confirmation that her boyfriend Jamie Lomas is heading to LA, Kym will be staying put. With Kym confirming herself that she had just signed another one-year contract. Of the decision to stay, Marsh said: "I am absolutely delighted about it. It's not necessarily always my decision. I mean, if the producers don't want you, you're out. I'm lucky the writers feel that they can still write for my character, Michelle Connor, after doing so for three years." Marsh said she is unsure about her future in Coronation Street. Speaking to PA, Marsh said that she is unsure of what plans producers have for her and that she will have to wait until 2012 to see what happens. She said she would like to stay and added that she is excited to see how the story develops for her character.
Characterisation Michelle's character has a multi-faceted personality. Of this actress, Kym Marsh said: "The good thing about playing a character like her, she's got so many sides. She can be a bitch, she can be sensitive and she can be feisty too. She's just so well-rounded – there's plenty more mileage left in her." Marsh also discussed her character's personality during an interview with Inside Soap, stating that she thinks her character has a more devious side because she is part of the Connor family. Going on to say that her character has got quite a temper on her and that she enjoys portraying her tough side.
During a magazine interview, Marsh spoke about the effect her relationship with Steve had on her character stating: "I'd like to see a lot more of the old, feisty Michelle. She became a bit too dependent on Steve and now she is an independent woman again I think she needs a bit of a challenge." Of her character's relationship with Peter, Marsh stated: "I think it might be interesting to see where things might go with Peter Barlow. Peter's quite a deep character. He's got a lot of layers, some good and some bad." Going on to comment about wanting her character to be more feisty unlike when she was with Steve explaining: "I think she is suited to Peter because there's bound to be drama. He's not exactly got the best track record."
Development
Maternity leave On 5 December 2008, Kym Marsh announced that she and boyfriend Jamie Lomas were expecting a baby. She was due to go on maternity leave in June 2009 and return at the beginning of 2010. On 12 February 2009, Marsh's son was born 18 weeks early and died shortly after birth. Marsh's second pregnancy was announced in 2010 and she took maternity leave in January 2011. It was confirmed in July 2011 that she would return to filming in September 2011. Upon her return in November 2011, Michelle announced that she was engaged to Ciaran, she learns of Carla's rape ordeal culminating in confronting Frank and taking charge of Underworld.
Steve McDonald In January 2015, it was revealed that Michelle would reunite Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) in the aftermath of the upcoming minibus crash storyline. It was also confirmed that Michelle and Steve would be the next Weatherfield couple to tie the knot. Speaking of this Marsh said; "I'm delighted, absolutely delighted. It'll be weird after being Michelle Connor for nearly nine years, but it totally makes sense for us as characters. Simon and I love working together, and nobody likes to see us broken up." It was also revealed that Michelle would get "feisty" again when her Steve is blamed for the mini-bus crash.
Kym Marsh also revealed that Michelle and Steve's mum Liz would clash over the best course of action for Steve. With Michelle now focused solely on helping Steve to get better with his depression following their reconciliation, she faces opposition from his mum Liz as it becomes apparent that they have very different approaches. While Liz adopts a "tough love" approach with her son, Michelle thinks they should tread more carefully around him, worried about his vulnerable state. Marsh said: "They both obviously want to help Steve but because both of them are so worried about him and love him so much - they both want to help him in their own way. Understandably they clash as they're both so concerned about him. They both have different approaches - Liz is more of the tough love approach and tries to get Steve up and doing things, whereas Michelle is much more trying the softly-softly approach." Marsh added: "Liz doesn't think it's the best way because Michelle is so protective of Steve and doesn't want to hurt or upset him. After everything that's happened with the crash, Michelle thinks they should go easy on him." Despite the disagreement, Marsh believed that the pair would be able to put their differences aside eventually in order to work together to help Steve.
Departure (2019) In February 2019, it was announced that Marsh would be leaving the soap after 13 years. Kym said "When I was lucky enough to be offered four episodes on Coronation Street I could never in my wildest dreams have thought I'd be here 13 years later. "It's been an incredibly difficult decision but it feels like the right time for me to take a break from the show and explore some other roles. "But this isn't the last you've heard of Michelle Connor, she'll be back! I can't wait to see what the writers have in store for the future." A statement from Executive producer John Whilston said "We will be really sad to lose her when she goes but totally understand that, after dedicating herself to the show for so long and so brilliantly, she now fancies trying something else for a while. We, and the audience, thank her and wish her well". Marsh made her on-screen departure on 27 December 2019.
Storylines Michelle auditions as a background singer for Vernon Tomlin's (Ian Reddington) band and also gets a job as a barmaid at The Rovers Return Inn. She is soon joined by her son, Ryan Connor (Ben Thompson), and her brothers, Paul (Sean Gallagher) and Liam Connor (Rob James-Collier). It is established that Michelle had Ryan when she was a teenager and that Ryan's father, Dean, was killed in a car accident five years prior, when Ryan was 9 years old. Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) falls for Michelle immediately but his mother, Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard), does not approve of Michelle as Vernon is clearly attracted to her.
When Paul's wife, Carla Connor (Alison King) hints that Paul and Liam have a secret, she confronts them. Paul denies it but Liam admits that Paul actually drove on the night Ryan's father died, not him. She lashes out violently at Paul and Liam for hiding Paul's crime and struggles to forgive them but does keep the truth from Ryan. After having a brief fling with Steve, Michelle begins dating Sonny Dhillon (Pal Aron) but ends it after discovering he is bisexual and having an affair with Sean Tully (Antony Cotton). Devastated, Michelle ends her friendship with Sean.
In December 2007, Ryan is followed repeatedly by a man in a blue car. He appears constantly and scares Ryan, who tells Michelle, but initially, the claims fall on deaf ears. The driver starts a conversation with him, using his name. Ryan, frightened, flees to the Rovers and tells Michelle and Liam. Liam tries to catch the mystery man but he escapes. He reappears several days later and goes to a house in the suburbs. Michelle, Liam and Ryan follow, determined to find out why this man is following Ryan. Michelle rings the doorbell and the door is answered by another 15-year-old, Alex Neeson (Dario Coates). She is horrified to see that Alex is the image of her late partner. Her worst fears are confirmed – Alex and Ryan were swapped accidentally just after birth, making Alex Michelle's biological son, not Ryan. Alex later appears in The Kabin and tells Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) that Michelle would pay for the sweets he wanted. Norris asks who his mother is and Alex tells him his mother is Michelle. Later that day, news spreads about Ryan not being Michelle's son and Ryan is not amused when Amber Kalirai (Nikki Patel) comments on it. The police later arrive at The Rovers with Alex. He has been shoplifting and tells them Michelle is his mother. They ask her if this is true and Michelle tells them it is and that it is okay for him to stay at The Rovers. He stays for a couple of weeks, causing problems for everyone, so Ryan moves in with Liam and his wife Maria Connor (Samia Ghadie). He "loses" Steve's daughter Amy Barlow (Amber Chadwick) and barricades himself in the pub, but Michelle feels obliged to send him back to his adoptive mother, Wendy Neeson (Jane Slavin). She meets Alex again and has taken him to Ireland to meet his grandparents. She later tells Alex and his family that she cannot have Alex in her life because Ryan is her son.