Angela Harris (Coronation Street)

Last updated

Angela Harris
Coronation Street character
Angela Harris.png
Portrayed by Kathryn Hunt
Duration2002–2005
First appearance13 November 2002
Last appearance2 May 2005
Classification Former; regular
Introduced byKieran Roberts
In-universe information
Other namesAngela Nelson
OccupationFactory worker
Father Keith Appleyard
MotherShirley Appleyard
SistersLorraine Appleyard
Pauline Appleyard
Husband Tommy Harris (1985–2005)
Sons Craig Harris
Daughters Katy Harris
AuntsMarjorie Appleyard

Angela Harris (also Appleyard and Nelson) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street , played by Kathryn Hunt. She made her first on-screen appearance on 13 November 2002, before departing in 2005. Angela is the matriarch of the Harris family, and her storylines centred on her family's victimisation by a gang and her relationships with her husband and children.

Contents

Her departing storyline was entitled "Killer Katy", in which her daughter Katy (Lucy-Jo Hudson) had an abortion and killed her father during a heated argument. Angela took the blame for the crime but following her daughters suicide she was jailed for perverting the course of justice. It was described as one of the soap's most sensational and shocking storylines.

Casting and development

The four members of the Harris family were introduced in November 2002, described as a "working class family" with a "dark secret". They moved into the house formerly occupied by Matt Ramsden (Stephen Beckett) and Charlie Ramsden (Clare McGlinn). [1] In March 2004, her contract was renewed for another year. [2] Katy, Tommy and Angela were written out of the show in 2005. [3]

Storylines

Angela and her husband Tommy (Thomas Craig) and their children Katy (Lucy-Jo Hudson) and Craig (Richard Fleeshman) first appeared on the street in November 2002. [4] The family rented Number 6 and using the last name "Nelson" as they were part of a Witness Protection Programme. [5] They originally came from Sheffield where Angela worked in a pub and witnessed a murder and gave evidence in court against the accused. They were given a new identity as the Nelson family and moved to Weatherfield. When the nosy neighbours Maxine Peacock (Tracy Shaw) and Doreen Heavey (Prunella Gee) knock on the door Angela fearfully cowers in the house unable to face her new neighbours. [6] Soon after the move the relatives of the perpetrator took their revenge with threats against the family and eventually tried to burn down their house. [7]

Angela got a job in the local factory Underworld but it did not go well due to her colleagues asking her uncomfortable questions. [8] Her husband Tommy was under suspicion of stealing a wallet in the garage owned by Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) where he found work and the women in the factory turned against Angela too. While at Underworld Angela suffered workplace bullying. Only Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh) made friends with Angela and eventually found out the truth about the family but promised to keep her secret. She later makes friends with Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwistle). [9]

In April 2003, Katy snuck away to see her friends in Sheffield but was followed back to Coronation Street by the brothers of the man who was jailed on Angela's evidence. [10] There was a showdown with armed police at the house when the brothers broke in and took Katy hostage and Tommy was shot in the process. [11] The family's secret was revealed to the neighbours. Angela was determined that she would not put her family through any more hiding and secrecy. The Harris's took their own name back and the residents of the street came round to being more neighbourly again.

Near the end of 2003, Tommy and Angela separated and Katy started a relationship with Martin Platt (Sean Wilson) and though disapproving, Angela could not bear to be estranged from her daughter. [12] The family eventually made up but it was an uneasy peace. [13] Angela has trouble with Craig when he embraces goth subculture with his girlfriend Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan). [14] In 2004, Angela nearly come to blows with work colleague Kelly Crabtree (Tupele Dorgu) over missing money. [15]

In 2005, Angela discovered that Katy was pregnant. [16] Not thrilled, she nonetheless supported her daughter. Angela overhears Gail Platt (Helen Worth) talking to Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor) about her affair with Ian Davenport (Philip Bretherton) and assumes that she is talking about Martin. She told Tommy what she heard and he felt vindicated. They also saw Martin and Sally talking and spending time together at Martin and Katy's flat. Other coincidences make Angela and Tommy certain that Martin and Sally are having an affair. [17]

Katy's parents encourage Katy to have an abortion which she does. [18] Angela was mortified to find out from Gail that Martin really was faithful to Katy and she had the abortion for nothing. [19] Angela and Tommy had a huge argument and her last words to him are "just drop dead". [20] Shortly after, Katy and Tommy rowed furiously in the garage and Katy striked her father with a wrench just as Angela walks in. [21] Tommy dies in Angela's arms but she decides to cover up the crime and make it look like a robbery to protect her daughter. [22] The prime suspect according to police is Martin Platt and when he is arrested, it makes Katy feel guilty. [23] Angela has the dilemma of hiding the murder weapon. [24]

Hayley catches Angela in the act of writing a threatening letter to herself on a factory computer. [25] Angela encourages Hayley to post it in a bid to help the family back on the Witness Protection Programme. [26] Hayley's husband Roy (David Neilson) finds out. Angela opens the letter in front of witnesses in order to gains sympathy. [27]

At Tommy's funeral, Angela is supported by Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver). [28] She admits to the priest Father Thomas (Ian McElhinney) that Katy committed the murder. [29] The police ask Angela to do a television appeal in a bid to find Tommy’s killers and instantly feels that she is suspected. [30] There are problems when Tommy's mother insists on a burial instead of a cremation. [31] She hides the murder weapon in his coffin. [32] The police continued their questioning pressuring Angela into making a confession. [33] She confessed to the murder in order to protect Katy and was remanded in prison. [34] Angela is charged with the murder of Tommy Harris. [35] However Katy was overwhelmed by guilt plans to commit suicide by destroying her insulin cartridges and drinking water mixed with sugar. [36] Next door the Platt family hear a video tape of Tommy and Angela singing karaoke playing next door in the vacant house. [37] Katy is found by Martin and is taken to hospital. [38] Martin visits Angela in prison and reads her suicide note titled ‘The Truth’. [39]

At Katy's funeral Angela blames Martin for everything that happened. [40] Even though Katy admitted her guilt in her suicide note, Angela was still guilty of perverting the course of justice and imprisoned for eight years. [41] Her father comes to Weatherfield to stay with Craig in the house. Angela's sentence would've been completed in 2013, but she has never been seen again.

Reception

The murder–suicide storyline was described as controversial. [42] Maureen Lipman called the storyline "ludicrous". [43] Jessica Gibb from the Daily Mirror described it as one of the soap's most sensational and shocking storylines. [44]

References

  1. ↑ "New family with "dark secret" joins the Street". Digital Spy . 17 October 2002. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  2. ↑ "Harris family to stay until 2005". Digital Spy . 19 March 2004. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  3. ↑ Mirror.co.uk (5 February 2004). "CORRIE TO AXE FIVE TOP STARS". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  4. ↑ Jones, Amy (24 May 2023). "Corrie's Tommy Harris character explained including what happened to him". OK! . Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Administrator, men (12 January 2013). "Coronation Street 50 Years: Who has lived where in Weatherfield". Manchester Evening News . Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "Tommy's fears for Angela grow". Digital Spy . 10 November 2002. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Who Tommy Harris on Coronation Street was, and what happened to him". Metro . 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Angela starts work at Underworld". Digital Spy . 24 November 2002. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "Janice and Angela teach Tommy a lesson". Digital Spy . 26 December 2004. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  10. ↑ "Katy confesses her secret". Digital Spy . 9 April 2003. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "A life in the balance". Digital Spy . 9 April 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Sarah is distraught with the news". Digital Spy . 23 September 2003. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  13. ↑ "Tommy and Angela look forward to 2004". Digital Spy . 22 December 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Craig gets his tongue pierced". Digital Spy . 26 December 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  15. ↑ "Candice lashes out". Digital Spy . 3 December 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  16. ↑ Mirror.co.uk (25 August 2004). "CORRIE'S KATY IN BABY BID". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  17. ↑ "The wench with the wrench whose dad made her mad". The Northern Echo . 5 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  18. ↑ "Tommy and Angela learn the truth". Digital Spy . 21 January 2005. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  19. ↑ "Angela lays into Tommy". Digital Spy . 25 January 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  20. ↑ Mirror.co.uk (12 March 2005). "SOAP QUOTES". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  21. ↑ Mirror.co.uk (24 February 2005). "DAD'S LEFT DEAD BY CORRIE KILLER KATY". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  22. ↑ "Angela discovers Katy's crime". Digital Spy . 25 February 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  23. ↑ "Martin is arrested". Digital Spy . 25 February 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  24. ↑ "Angela hides the murder weapon". Digital Spy . 11 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  25. ↑ "Angela spends the night in the cells". Digital Spy . 23 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  26. ↑ "Hayley is put in an awkward situation". Digital Spy . 18 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  27. ↑ Simon, Jane (29 March 2005). "SOAPWATCH". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  28. ↑ "The street mourn Tommy's death". Digital Spy . 11 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  29. ↑ "Ulster actor at centre of Corrie cliffhanger". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 22 March 2005. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  30. ↑ "Craig lashes out". Digital Spy . 4 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  31. ↑ "Angels confesses". Digital Spy . 11 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  32. ↑ Simon, Jane (21 March 2005). "SOAPWATCH". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  33. ↑ "The police search the Harris house". Digital Spy . 23 March 2005. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  34. ↑ "Harris family's Corrie exit revealed?". Digital Spy . 12 December 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  35. ↑ "Angela appears in court". Digital Spy . 23 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  36. ↑ Crutchley, Joe (5 July 2025). "Corrie fans floored as they find out stars are mum and son in real life". Belfast Live. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  37. ↑ Mirror.co.uk (18 April 2005). "DEDUCTION OF THE WEEK". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  38. ↑ Mirror.co.uk (25 April 2005). "CORRIE'S GOT A FULL HOUSE". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  39. ↑ "Martin visits Angela in prison". Digital Spy . 1 April 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  40. ↑ "Katy's funeral day dawns". Digital Spy . 15 April 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  41. ↑ Delamotta, Deanna; Moyo, Lynda (19 June 2014). "10 most shocking Corrie storylines ever". Manchester Evening News . Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  42. ↑ White, Vikki (4 December 2020). "Coronation Street's most controversial storylines and a killer on the cobbles". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  43. ↑ "Lipman brands Street 'ludicrous'". BBC News . 11 April 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  44. ↑ Gibb, Jessica (23 January 2017). "Corrie's gruesome history as Pat Phelan joins list of soap's worst killers". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.