The Windass family famously lived at 6 Coronation Street between 2008 and 2014.
Eddie and Anna Windass along with their son Gary moved into No.6 in December 2008, renting the home from Jerry Morton.
Len Windass, Eddie’s brother, helped them settle in and deal with issues with the Platt family, who loved next door at No.8.
While Gary was away with the army in Afghanistan, Eddie and Anna fostered Faye Butler who eventually moved in with them in 2011.
Shortly after this, Eddie moved out to work in Germany with Len.
Over the past 14 years, the Windass clan have had their fair share of drama.
From teen pregnancy to brutal murders, there is nothing this family hasn’t faced during their time in Weatherfield.
As Faye star Ellie Leach celebrates her 21st birthday, Daily Star has taken a look into the lives of the Windass family away from the ITV soap.
Eddie Windass – Steve Huison
(Image: ITV)
Steve played Eddie in Corrie for three years from 2008 until 2011.
This was his second role in the ITV soap as he previously played criminal Andy Morgan in 2003.
Since leaving Corrie, Steve, now 59, starred as Mr. Byron in the first season CBBC series 4 O’Clock Club, which began airing in January 2012.
His role was taken over by Simon Lowe by season two, which began airing in January 2013.
Full Monty actor Steve has also reinvented himself as an artist.
(Image: Getty Images)
He escaped the urban sprawl and moved to Robin Hood’s Bay and completed dozens of drawings and sketches for a local exhibition.
Demands of working on a soap are well-known, but it was ironically when he was at his busiest that found time to rekindle his passion for art.
“I hadn’t picked up a brush for 28 years, but I spotted an advertisement for life drawing classes which happened to fit around Corrie’s filming schedule,” Steve told The Yorkshire Post in 2017.
“I remember going to first session and thinking, ‘Ah right, yes that’s how you do it’. Suddenly everything came flooding back.”
Anna Windass – Debbie Rush
(Image: ITV)
Debbie made her first appearance as Anna in 2008 and played the character for 10 years.
Her storylines included her rocky romance with Eddie, feuds with the Platt family, adopting Faye and being forced into having sex with evil Pat Phelan.
Anna left the street in June 2018 after killing her nemesis Pat in dramatic scenes.
Back in 2010, Debbie released her own Bulge Buster Workout DVD after vowing to lose weight.
Speaking to the Mirror at the time, Debbie said: “I came into Coronation Street at a normal weight but very quickly, with the pressure of the job and the temptation of a butty wagon on set, I didn’t realise how much I was eating.
(Image: WireImage)
“It was the fear of it really, I took comfort in food. My weight kind of got out of control without me even noticing.
“Obviously, if Anna was more glamorous I wouldn’t have been able to put the weight on! But as it was I was able to hide my shape under my work clothes.”
In the space of three months, Debbie dropped three dress sizes to a Size 10.
Since leave the cobbles, Debbie, now 55, has appeared in Sky series Brassic alongside former Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan.
Gary Windass – Mikey North
(Image: ITV)
Eddie and Anna’s son Gary was is still around Weatherfield and often finds himself in trouble with the law.
His army career was short-lived as his squad was ambushed in Afghanistan and, despite making a full recovery physically, Gary suffered crippling PTSD.
While on leave, Gary assaulted a police officer, leading to his dismissal from the army.
Gary has previously dated with Izzy Armstrong and Sarah Platt and is currently in a relationship with Maria Connor.
He murdered loan shark Rick Neelan back in 2019 and his body is set to be discovered in upcoming scenes.
Actor Mikey’s life is much more relaxed comapred to Gary.
(Image: Getty Images)
He and his fitness instructor wife Rachel Mikey welcomed their baby boy in November 2016 – but decided to keep the tot’s birth under wraps for the next three months.
The soap star harboured an unusual phobia for a long time until an invitation from a reality TV show forced him to face his fears.
He was terrified of driving but bravely agreed to take part in a 2018 series of All Star Driving School, getting behind the wheel for the first time.
Mikey told What’s On TV he was “absolutely terrified” of driving, and had been putting off getting his licence since he was a teenager.
Faye Windass – Ellie Leach
Faye’s adoption by Anna took place when she was nine years old, after her mother Jenny Butler died from a heroin overdose.
The young girl had been taken into care earlier in 2011 due to the neglect and abuse she suffered at home.
Her father Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) had cleared off when she was two.
Faye managed to trace him on the internet in 2013 and forge a relationship, though she was disappointed to find that he didn’t want to be a full-time dad.
Initially fostered by Anna and Eddie Windass together, Faye spent more time with Anna and her partner Owen Armstrong after Eddie moved to Germany.
(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Faye gave Anna no end of problems as she grew up, being frequently disobedient and prone to telling lies.
In 2015, she had a baby, Miley, at the age of 13. When Anna moved to Durham in 2018, Faye stayed in Weatherfield, living with Tim and Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dyneover)
Faye has been centre stage in some of the soap’s recent storylines and recently spent time in prison for attacking Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson).
Away from Weatherfied, Ellie is real-life cousins with Brooke Vincent, who plays Sophie Webster in the ITV soap.
Fans will have to wait and see what’s in store for Faye as she makes a discovery next week.
Jackson Hodge – Rhys Cadman
(Image: ITV)
Rhys played Jackson, the father of Faye’s baby Miley Jackson, on and off 2015 until 2017.
The young lad is confirmed as the Mily’s dad after 12-year-old Faye gave birth in an abandoned flat in 2015.
However, Jackson denied that he is Miley’s father.
When Faye was unable to bond with Miley, Jackson’s parents Josie and Greig offered for Miley to live with them and Jackson.
When the Hodges later decided to leave for Canada, they took Miley with them, devastating the Windasses, except Faye, who believed that Miley would be better off there.
(Image: rhyscadman/Instagram)
Faye was left stunned in March 2017 when she unexpectedly spotted Jackson and Miley in hospital while being treated for an infected tattoo.
Faye took Jackson and Miley back home to see her family, however her new boyfriend at the time (Seb Franklin (Harry Visinoni) was furious that Jackson has returned.
He later beat up Jackson up in the street, with Seb being arrested for assault later that night.
The Hodges later banned Faye from having Miley before returning to Canada.
Since appearing in the show, actor Rhys, now 23, has appeared in Northern Lights, and Love, Lies and Records.
Len Windass – Conor Ryan
Actor Conor was worked as a psychiatric nurse before joining the cast of Corrie as Eddie’s dodgy drug dealing brother Len.
Speaking to Manchester Evening News back in 2010, Conor explained: “I was a nurse for many years at Withington Hospital and I feel I have great empathy for any family either caring for a loved one or which has lost someone before their time.
“I made a promise to myself that if I ever got in a position in this industry where my profile could help, I would do as much as I could to do so.”
Like his on-screen brother, Conor has played more than one character in the soap.
(Image: ITV)
He first trod the cobbles in 1994, appearing in a single episode at PC George King.
Sadly, both of Conor’s parents died in the year before he landed the part of Len.
He told the publication: “It’s really strange because most of your time as an actor, you go into auditions and you try to do everything you can to get it.
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“But something happened with the Windasses, when all four of us – Debbie Rush (Anna), Steve Huison (Eddie), Mikey North (Gary) and I – got together in that room, something clicked between us.
“The audition seemed easy just because there was some strange chemistry between us.
“It was like it was meant to be. I think the public have really taken to the Windasses. They’re a proper Mancunian family and long may they reign.”
Conor also played violent Terry Hay in rival soap Hollyoaks.
Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday on ITV at 8pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
