Julie Hesmondhalgh in real life - famous husband to why she really left Corrie
Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh makes a welcome return to ITV on New Years Day as she stars in four-part drama series, Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
The 53-year old plays the role of Suzanne Sercombe - the partner of subpostmaster Alan Bates (Toby Jones) in the true story of the British Post Office scandal, which saw Bates take on his employer after he, and hundreds of counterparts were wrongfully prosecuted and in several cases wrongly jailed over 20 years.
It comes nine years after she left Coronation Street, in which she made her name as Hayley Cropper after arriving in the Weatherfield soap in 1998. On leaving the cobbles after 16 years, she was cast several dramas - most notably Happy Valley and Broadchurch - also ITV productions.
(ITV)Starring as Hayley, Julie was involved in several major storylines over the year. Her most memorable moments included coming out as a trans woman, falling in love with cafe owner Roy, and being arrested for kidnapping their foster son. Such a lengthy period in the role resulted in her "losing all ambition" but she remained "happy" to continue.
"I never intended to leave," she joked to the Mirror at the time. "I used to joke that I’d be there for the 100th anniversary. When new cast members would join I’d introduce myself by saying, 'I’m Julie, they’ll carry me out of here in a box'."
Mr Bates vs The Post Office viewers 'sick to their stomach' minutes into show
Corrie exit
(ITV)Julie's priorities changed, however, two years after she took time off in 2012 for a role in touring stage production Black Roses. "Doing that made me realise there was other work I wanted to do, other stories I wanted to tell," she explained. Reluctantly she decided it was time to leave Corrie and spread her wings.
"I thought long and hard about it but took the plunge," she continued. "I was really devastated when I left, even though it was my decision. I do miss Hayley still. I get such a thrill when she’s still talked about in Coronation Street."
Julie has since penned her own book, An Actor’s Alphabet, which is full of advice for those starting out in the industry. Part memoir, part guide, it has advice on how to look after mental health, cope with failure and deal with body image issues.
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Discussing its release, Julie said Julie said: "I’m quite a unique mixture of being quite long in the tooth in the industry, with many years of experience, but also at the same time really new to the world of it and still quite wide-eyed. Generally I’m a very positive person but I do spend time worrying about where I am in the industry, or whether I’m as a far ahead as I want to be."
Real-life husband
(XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM)Away from work, Julie is married to screenwriter Ian Kershaw, with whom she shares two daughters, Martha and Lyss. The pair met during Julie's first week on Corrie and have lived in the same terraced house just outside Manchester since they got together.
Discussing their romance, Julie explained: "We became really good pals, then we went out one night for a mate’s birthday and we had been full-on flirting all night. At the end of it I said, 'I’m going to marry you'. He laughed, and we kissed."
She continued: "He was going for an audition the next day and I texted him saying, 'I hope you get this job today, because I will expect to be kept in the manner I’ve become accustomed to when we get married and have our two kids.
"He texted back saying, 'What do you want from me!?' I said, 'Not much, just a top wedding and kid by next Christmas!' He answered saying, 'Martha or Arthur?' Our Martha was born by the next Christmas! We went out on the Thursday night, I moved in with him on the following Wednesday and I was pregnant within six weeks."
Charity work
Julie is also involved with several charitable organisations. She set up her Facebook fundraising page 500 Acts of Kindness in 2017, encouraging members to donate £1 a week. They can nominate individuals, families or organisations that need help, and each Friday four or five of these are given £500. The group has given over £100,000 away since it started.
Devastating true story behind ITV's Mr Bates vs the Post Office
Julie explained last year that the number of people being recommended has risen massively amid the cost of living crisis. "I knew as soon as October [2022] came it would start to pick up. People can’t believe it when we pick them – that £500 has saved lives. But we always say we are like a sticking plaster on a gaping wound. I don’t want 500 Acts of Kindness to have to exist – I’m a socialist and want to tax rich people and share it out.
"At the moment there is a feeling of absolute despondency at the state of affairs. It now feels like it’s up to us to help people because there’s no recourse in government at all at the moment."
Also last year, Julie joined the Sunday Mirror and charity CRIBS international on a trip to Athens to highlight the plight of asylum seekers trapped in an inhumane system which leaves many homeless, forced into sex work and without healthcare. On an emotional visit this week – as another 18 refugees drowned in a bid to reach the Greek isle of Lesbos – Julie saw first-hand the work of a charity she has supported since 2017.
There, she met Sylvie, 25 – mum to seven-month-old Samuel. Sylvie fled sexual violence in Cameroon, where she was studying chemistry, only to be trafficked to Turkey. On reaching Greece, which has almost 160,000 refugees and asylum seekers, she was forced into sex work.
Julie said at the time: "This isn’t a refugee crisis – this is a political crisis. And people are victims of it, they are being played like a game of tennis. UK and European governments are playing a game with human lives. My daughters turn 18 and 21 this year and the milestones made me take stock of how difficult being a mother can be, even with all the privileges I have had while raising Martha and Lyss.
"I can’t comprehend what pregnancy and motherhood is like in horrendous situations these women have been in. They’re the strongest women I have met. They have a spirit, bravery, resilience and determination I have never seen before. They have skills which can contribute to the Greek economy and economies across Europe. But government policies, including our own, are too small-minded and racist to acknowledge that."
Episode one of Mr Bates vs the Post Office will air on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Monday January 1, 2024.
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