Coronation Street star Ellie Leach will depart Weatherfield after 12 years. Her final scenes as Faye Windass air next week.
Faye’s exit scenes will see her face the decision of leaving Weatherfield with Jackson and Miley or staying with her fiancé, Craig.
Ellie has now spoken out about her final scenes on the cobbles as Faye decides to leave her home behind for good.
Faye Windass’ decision to leave Weatherfield
Before she chooses to leave the Street, Faye decides to stay put and build a life with Craig. However, soon enough, she changes her mind, with Craig accepting that she must go to Slough if she feels that it’s the right thing for her.
Speaking about Faye’s decision, Ellie revealed: “I think that she is very torn about her life with Craig and then what her life could be with Miley and also what her life could be with Jackson.
“I think it’s really hard for her because it literally is a case of: do you go with the head or do you go with the heart?
Ellie shares that Faye chooses to stay in Weatherfield but ultimately changes her mind due to Miley, stating: “I think it turns into a little bit of resentment towards Craig as well because she’s like, this is what I could have. This is the life that I could have with my child who I love very, very much. But you’re taking that away from me.”
Ultimately, Faye backtracks on her original decision and decides that she no longer loves Craig and has to move away.
Craig’s blackmailing
Part of Faye’s initial decision to stay in Weatherfield is that ‘she’s got that fear of going back to the prison over her head’.
Craig knows Faye’s hit-and-run secret and starts blackmailing her to stay. Faye feels ‘trapped’ in her relationship as a result.
Speaking about Craig’s blackmailing, Ellie shared: “As much as it drives her to stay because she’s scared of that getting out, it’s also driving her further and further away because she doesn’t want to be in a relationship with someone who’s blackmailing her.”
Craig’s blackmailing attempt does work on Faye at first as Ellie points out: “He is trapping her and forcing her to make a decision that she might not want to make.
“I think that she [Faye] is genuinely frightened about people finding out about the hit and run and having that chance of going back to prison.”
However, once Craig understands that he’s ‘trapping’ Faye, he ensures that he would never snitch on her, making Faye’s decision easier.
Faye’s ‘very, very emotional’ final scene
Faye’s final scenes will see Craig give her the go ahead to leave Weatherfield with Jackson and Miley. He has this change of heart after seeing her struggle to say goodbye.
Faye will pack her bags and leave in a taxi, officially ending her engagement to Craig. She’ll prepare to start a new life in Slough.
On the topic of Faye’s final scene, Ellie detailed: “It was very, very emotional. Very emotional. Obviously, it’s Faye leaving the Street after 12 years, but it’s me leaving the street after 12 years as well.
“The saddest part of the scene is we’re in the taxi, we’re on our way and then we just see Craig walking on his own just walking up the street and then Faye’s like stop the car. She gets out and she’s like, ‘I’ll, always love you, I always have and I always will’. It was just so so emotional.
“And I think you do see that there’s two people here who do love each other but there’s so many other factors, love isn’t always enough. I think you can definitely see that in that last scene.
Ellie Leach on leaving Coronation Street behind
Speaking about her departure, when asked what she’ll miss most about the role, Ellie confessed: “Just the people. I know everyone says we all get along so well and we are all like a big family but we genuinely are and I’ve absolutely loved being able to work with my best friends and I feel like that is just an amazing experience in itself.
“And to be on one of the biggest soaps ever. It’s crazy and it’s been an amazing, amazing time and I honestly will never ever forget it.”
Reflecting on her last day on the Corrie set, Ellie added: “It was very, very emotional.”
“It was great because we filmed the scenes out of sequence. So I’d already filmed my last scene the day before, and then I’d gone back in time for my actual last scene. The last scene that I filmed was with Colson and Mikey and Lisa George. So that was really nice because I’ve not worked with Mikey for a while considering he plays my brother. It was really nice for him to be there on my last day.
“When we finished the scene there were people on the floor and my family came to watch and it was so, so emotional, but I felt really proud and really lucky and loved. It was emotional, but it was also happy tears. I can’t believe that I’ve been doing this for so long and that all of these people are here to wave me off. Then we went for drinks afterwards. It was just a really, really lovely day and evening.”
Read more: Coronation Street who’s leaving in 2023?
Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
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