Coronation Street star Jacqueline Leonard recently made a sensational return to Weatherfield.
The 56-year-old actress portrays Linda Hancock on the ITV soap and returned to screens for the first time in five years earlier this month.
Linda left the cobbles following the tragic death of her daughter Katy (Georgia May Foote) in 2017, leaving her grandson Joseph (William Flanagan) in the care of Chesney Brown (Sam Aston).
Katy was killed in a car accident in Portugal off-screen and after seeing Joseph growing up alongside Chesney’s four other children, an alarmed Linda tried to convince her grandson to come and live with her overseas.
But, who is Linda actress Jacqueline Leonard? And where have you seen her before?
Soap rejection
While Jacqueline officially joined the Coronation Street cast in 2015, she auditioned for the soap a number of years before.
Speaking back in 2011, the Blackpool-born star revealed she initially tried out for the part of Stella Price in Coronation Street.
That role was eventually secured by soap legend Michelle Collins.
Of her failed audition, Jacqueline told Inside Soap: “I auditioned recently for the new part of Stella Price. I actually got down to the last few for the role, but as we now know, it went to Michelle Collins.
“That part would have been great to do because the Street set is right on my doorstep – but that’s life, isn’t it?
“It’s quite ironic really, what with Michelle being a southerner having to come up north to film her scenes!”
EastEnders stint
Jacqueline is a bit of a chameleon and made her soap debut over 20 years ago on a rival BBC show.
The actress played the character Lorraine and appeared in 170 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997, eventually exiting the soap to care for an ill family member.
Before joining Corrie in 2015, Jacqueline made several other soap appearances.
She recurred as a character called Lydia Murdoch on River City from 2007 up until last year.
Jacqueline has also made several appearances as two different characters on Holby City and appeared briefly on Hollyoaks and Casualty in 2007 and 2014 respectively.
Co-star connections
(Image: @JacquieLeonard/Twitter)
Jacqueline made her acting debut in 1991 TV movie Palmer, alongside Ray Winstone.
In 1995, she starred alongside fellow Coronation Street alum Reece Dinsdale – best known for playing Joe McIntyre in the soap – and Life on Mars star Phillip Glennister in I.D.
The veteran actress teamed up with another Corrie star in There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble in 2000.
The heartwarming British film also starred Samia Longchambon – who plays Maria Connor on the cobbles – and Johnny English actor Ben Miller.
In 2005, Jacqueline joined Helena Bonham Carter in the TV movie Magnificent 7 – which also starred Strike actress Holliday Grainger.
(Image: WireImage)
Jacqueline appeared in Scottish horror film The Wicker Tree in 2011 and in 2015, she featured in a British movie called The Violaters.
Over recent years, Jacqueline has been sticking to the soap world.
However, her current stay on Coronation Street is only temporary, with the actress recently confirming Linda’s return to Weatherfield will be a “flying visit”.
She said: “The nice thing about the character she can come in and out anyway. But if it was a permanent thing, that would be great also. Wait and see (if she sticks around)!”
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30pm on ITV.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
