Coronation Street actress Jane Danson has confessed that she thought she was going to be axed when Oliver’s illness storyline was pitched to her.
Heartbroken viewers have watched Leanne and Steve go through every parent’s worst nightmare as their three-year-old son faces a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease.
With tensions running high as they try to find out what strain of the life-limiting illness Oliver has, and come to terms with the fact their lives will change forever, things are looking bleak.
Is Jane Danson leaving Coronation Street?
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Jane, who plays Leanne, has now admitted she was initially concerned this would be the end for her character.
Speaking to metro.co.uk, Jane said: “That was my initial concern – it felt like the end for Leanne, a leaving story.
“I know how soap works so spoke to Iain [MacLeod, Corrie boss] and understood my character might become a casualty, but I asked if he could tell me now if this was it.
“But he said it’s quite the contrary – the beginning of a new chapter for her.”
She continued: “It’s quite possibly the worst thing that can happen to anybody but having spoken to Liz from The Lily Foundation charity, life does go on in a way after this horrific journey, and Leanne will go through a bad time but she has another responsibility in Simon.”
The experience will change her. However, with a long way to go, Jane doesn’t know what differences we’ll see in Leanne yet.
“Maybe she will finally grow up a bit – she has always been feisty and gobby,” she said.
“There’s a long, long way to go and I am interested to see where they take that – Leanne could change for the better or for the worse. I don’t know what will happen to her but it will change her.”
What happens next to Leanne in Coronation Street?
As Leanne keeps a vigil by Oliver’s bedside, the men in her life aren’t being very helpful.
Oliver’s dad, Steve, is on the warpath wanting answers over his son’s condition. He’s been yelling at the doctors to get them.
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Meanwhile, Leanne’s partner, Nick, is making things about him and struggling to work out where he fits in.
On Wednesday (May 20) Leanne threw Nick out of the hospital after he objected to Leanne and Steve joking about Oliver’s childhood.
Although they’re set to make up tonight, there’s still a long road ahead.
Next week Steve and Leanne are told the doctors are bringing Oliver round from his sedation, but he may have suffered brain damage.
Leanne refuses to believe it and is thrilled when her little boy says ‘Mummy’. But Nick and Steve know things aren’t all that positive and worry for Leanne’s state of mind.
Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm on ITV.
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