The actress is famed for playing Leanne Battersby in the ITV soap, having joined at the age of just 17 in 1997

Coronation Street star Jane Danson has declared her recent work away from the cobbles as being been ‘such a joy’ as she made a rare move alongside her co-stars.
The actress is famed for playing Leanne Battersby in the ITV soap, having joined at the age of just 17 in 1997. The character made her arrival alongside her father Les, step-mum Janice and step-sister Toyah, with the foursome brought in to shake up the cobbles.
But Jane left the long-running show not long after the harrowing storyline that saw her character become a drug addict. She returned again in 2004, where she went on to marry Peter Barlow and then Nick Tilsley for the second time, before the couple parted again.
But she has since reunited with Nick twice more – in 2016 and 2018. In more recent years, Leanne became pregnant with Steve McDonald’s baby and gave birth to a son, Oliver Battersby, who tragically died in 2020 from mitochondrial disease, before being sucked in by a cult.
As her role on the cobbles continues, Jane has been seen hitting the road with some of her castmates by taking part in Corrie’s first-ever live show.
An Audience with Coronation Street has seen stars from the Street share behind-the-scenes stories and cherished soap moments from their lives on the cobbles, with host, This Morning’s ‘Queen of Soaps’, Sharon Marshall.
Jane was seen getting in front of the audience on home turf, just a stone’s throw from Coronation Street’s Trafford Wharf set over the weekend, on Saturday (September 20).
Taking to Instagram with pictures from the evening, including a snap with Corrie co-star Patti Clare, who is famed for playing Weatherfield’s Mary Taylor, Jane wrote on Instagram: “Such a joy to spent time with my @coronationstreet family and lovely friends at last nights sold out coronation street tour live in Salford.
“It was so special to be on home turf . Thanks to all who came to support us. @jackpshepherd88 @sharonjmarshall @patti.clare and our Dev and of course our incredible Mr William Roche- what fun.”
And her Corrie pals were quick to respond. Sally Dynevor said: “How wonderful.” Samia Longchambon gushed: “Beautiful.” Sally Carman-Duttine replied: “Just gorgeous.” Sue Devaney added: “Fabulous.”
She was also part of the group of Corrie favourites who took to the stage at London’s Dominion Theatre for the first show on September 14. Jane appeared alongside fellow cast members Patti, Sam Aston, Jimmi Harkishin and Barbara Knox.
Chatting backstage before the show, Jane revealed: “This is an absolute first for me being on a West End stage professionally so I can’t wait to have lovely celebrations of Coronation Street.”