Georgia Taylor became a household name in 1997 when she first joined Coronation Street as the feisty Toyah Battersby. Aged just 17, it was her first serious acting job out of school and the talented youngster was soon at the centre of many dramatic storylines.
After six years on the cobbles, Georgia waved goodbye to the Manchester-based soap to try her hand at other characters. She won many roles, including in the drama Blackpool, Life on Mars and as regular character Ruth Winters in Casualty and Kate Barker in Law & Order: UK.
But the call of the cobbles was too strong and Georgia returned to her roots in 2016, after 13 years away, once again playing the brilliant Toyah.
So, we know she's a brilliant actor but what else is there to discover? Here are a few things you may not know about the actor…
Georgia Taylor isn’t her real name
While we all know her as the lovely Georgia, that wasn’t actually the name the actor was given at birth. Georgia’s real name is Claire Jackson, but she changed it to Georgia as her stage name.
Her on-screen sister Jane Danson is like her "counsellor"
When the offer to reprise her role as Toyah came up in 2016, it took Georgia two months to decide whether she would take the job. Thankfully Jane Danson, who plays her on-screen sister Leanne Battersby, was on hand to offer advice:
“I messaged Jane straight away,” confesses Georgia. “She was delighted, but understood why it was a massive decision to make. She was like my counsellor. She’s got such a balanced view on things, and she’s also one of my best friends. When I made the decision she was over the moon.”
As the Instagram post below shows, the pair are the best of friends on and off set.
She lives in Bristol
While she spends a huge amount of time in Manchester filming Coronation Street, Georgia’s heart lies in Bristol, where she lives with her husband Mark Letheren. The couple met while filming Casualty together in 2008.
Georgia told Soaplife magazine: “I have a base in Manchester, but my home is in Bristol. I don’t plan to relocate, but I’ll play it week by week and see how much I’m loving that M6 drive!”
She’s not a party animal
Georgia once told The Sun: “I do occasionally like a Tia Maria with ice. Otherwise I like a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the weekend. But I can’t really drink much anymore. When I was a youngster out clubbing I would drink Archers and lemonade. God knows how many I would have! But it was so sickly, I can’t drink that anymore. And I can’t do vodka and Red Bull now. That’s the devil’s drink!”
She hates watching herself on TV
Talking about watching old episodes of herself in Corrie ahead of her return as Toyah Battersby, the actress told us: “It was horrendous! I didn’t recognise myself. I was so young, my voice was different and I looked different. But what was nice was seeing me and Jane Danson as Toyah and Leanne – two sisters who were so rough around the edges. That made me feel all nostalgic.”
She wants Tom Hanks to be her uncle
According to the Coronation Street star, Tom Hanks is the, "most amazing man in the world!". Georgia told The Sun: “I’d love to meet Tom. Even back in the day when he was in Big – in that performance, you completely believe that he’s a 13-year-old boy. That movie is really underrated. I want him to be my uncle!”
She wanted to be a dancer on Top of the Pops!
Georgia had two burning ambitions when she was little. The first was to work with animals and she set her heart on becoming a vet, but if that career path didn’t work out, the actress had dancing for the likes of Kim Wilde, Kylie Minogue or Bananarama on the weekly chart show Top of the Pops as her back up plan.
She appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox with her former co-star
Georgia appeared alongside her friend and former Casualty co-star Sunetra Sarker for the popular armchair critics show Celebrity Gogglebox. They had a great time reviewing the week's TV together and had plenty to say about everything from This Morning, to The Repair Shop and BBC News.
Georgia Taylor's fact file
Frequently asked questions about the actor…
How old is Georgia Taylor?
Georgia Taylor is 42, she was born on February 26, 1980.
Is Georgia Taylor married?
Yes, Georgia Taylor is married to actor Mark Letheren who she met on the set of Casualty where they both worked. Mark played counsellor Ben Harding.
Does Georgia Taylor have children?
No, Georgia Taylor does not have children.
Where was Georgia Taylor born?
Georgia Taylor was born in Wigan in Greater Manchester.
Twitter: @RealGeorgiaT
Instagram: @realgeorgiataylor
Coronation Street is on ITV Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm.
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
Georgia Taylor at the Soap Award: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock, Old Toyah and Leanne pic: PA Archive/PA Images
