She walked the famous cobblestone Coronation Street more than two decades ago as a Gobby teenager Toyah Battersby.

And now, five years after the iconic character’s revival, actress Georgia Taylor says she’s glad some of the old Battersby bites are making a comeback.

“Toyah came back on the streets as an adult and was a very different woman from the one who had left all those years ago,” Georgia told the Mirror. “It’s much softer now than it used to be.

Read more: Poll: What Do You Think Will Happen During Coronation Street Soap Week?

“But old Battersby flashes in her coming out. I missed playing her fiery side – and I’m really glad we’re getting a little bit of it back. “

Viewers will be happy to see it too, especially after seeing Imran Habeeb, played by Charlie de Melo, admit to playing behind Toyah’s back with a drunken one-night stand this week.

What the love fraud didn’t reveal was that he slept with grieving mother Abi Franklin, played by actress Sally Carman.

“I feel like Toyah has been there for everyone else for the past few years and it is about time
so she can stand up for herself, ”said Georgia, 41.

“I’ve been waiting desperately for this revelation to come out, as far as Toyah knows. It looks like she’s finally at the end of her tether.

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“That Battersby fire is still in there. She’ll never be the 16-year-old who wrecked The Cabin again, but I think a bit more Battersby attitude from her is definitely a good thing. “

After joining ITV Soap in 1997 at the age of 17, Georgia rose to star as the youngest member of the recalcitrant Battersby clan before quitting five years later.

Toyah’s character has calmed down since her comeback

For 13 successful years off the soap, she appeared in everything from Life on Mars to Midsomer Murders and had long-term roles on Casualty and Law & Order: UK.

A return to the life of a soap star wasn’t what she was looking for. “Not at all,” says Georgia, who met actor partner Mark Letheren (50) while at Casualty.

“When my agent told me the call came in, Mark was in New York to work, so the first person I spoke to was Jane Danson.

“We’ve been best friends since we started together as Toyah and Leanne. She was at Center Parcs with her family, bless them, but she was amazing and after doing it on skype with Mark I said yes.

“And I’m so glad I did. It’s amazing to be back and working with Jane has been great. We shoot scenes together all day and then we come home and talk on the phone. She is simply the best person in the world. “

Georgia is now nearing the five-year mark back on the road – almost as long as it first lived – Georgia announces that she recently signed up for another year on the show.

Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor)

It’s been almost five years since Toyah (Georgia Taylor) made a comeback on the show

“I feel like it still has a lot to do with the character, I’m very happy to be sticking with it,” says Georgia, who grew up in Wigan.

“The first five and a half years felt like a lifetime. It was my first job, pretty much right after school. It shaped my life so much.

“I can’t believe how much we left all of this, Jane and I, given our young age.

“I don’t know if I felt the same way, now I could do it. In a way, as an adult, I’m more introverted.

She continues, “It’s that feeling of walking into a mall and feeling like everyone is looking at you.

“At 17, I thought it was a novelty. It didn’t bother me. If people wanted me to sign their magazine, that was fine. But back then there was no social media, there were no camera phones. “

While many soap stars are used to responding to the names of their alter egos on screen, things are a step harder for Georgia, who grew up as Claire Jackson. “I didn’t plan that,” she laughs.

“When I started on Coronation Street, I had to register with Equity, the actors’ union, and there seemed to be a hell of a lot of Claires.

“I couldn’t tell you where Georgia was from except that I liked it. My grandpa died just before I got the role, his last name was Taylor.

TOYAH BATTERSBY [GEORGIA TAYLOR]

Georgia is excited to see what happens to her character next

“As a teenager, I didn’t really think about the consequences, but there has been a bit of confusion over the years. I will answer pretty much everything! “

She’s still Claire in her passport and her mother, Caroline Jackson, and the actress reveals that about half of Corrie’s cast and crew call her Claire while the rest of them know her as Georgia.

“When I left in 2003, I went out and about as a job actress and everyone called me Georgia.

“It was like that for years, some of my very best friends call me Georgia. I met Mark as Georgia.

“Back on Coronation Street and there were still tons of cast and crew who knew me as Claire, so I was back with Claire for them.

“It’s pretty funny when I introduce myself. Anyone who recognizes me from Corrie thinks of me as Toyah, then I say, ‘I’m Georgia, but I’m Claire too, so call me whatever you want’. “

Georgia is excited to see what happens to the character next.

The drama will culminate next week when viewers see both Battersby sisters fight for their lives as gangster Harvey Gaskell escapes prison in revenge.

“Harvey is looking for Leanne and Toyah,” reveals Georgia. “Leanne put him behind bars and Toyah screwed up his roll call. He wants repayment. “

We hope to see more of this famous Battersby fire.

Watch Coronation Street Super Soap Week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on ITV next week.

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