Actress Rebecca Ryan is currently making waves in Coronation Street as Lydia Chambers; Underworld PA and new pal of Sarah, who has been secretly stalking ex-boyfriend Adam Barlow.
But things could’ve turned out very differently because the 30-year-old star has revealed that she auditioned for the soap several years ago to play a different character.
The woman in question caused mayhem for Fiz and Tyrone and was related to a former resident who died back in 2011. Still stumped?
Reveals Ryan, “I auditioned to play John Stape’s daughter, Jade Rowan. She was a bit troubled as well - I must have that sort of face!
“There was also an audition years and years ago, but I can’t remember what character it was for. So twice I have auditioned, and getting Lydia was a case of third time lucky.”
Jade Rowan, played by Lottie Henshall, was a fixture in Coronation Street from 2019 to 2020.
She had been a teaching assistant at a specialist school in Birmingham, where Hope Stape was being educated after being removed from Bessie Street Primary, and was brought to the cobbles by Fiz to home-school her troubled daughter.
But Jade had a secret vendetta against the mum. She blamed Fiz for the string of crimes that led to her father John Stape’s death, and attempted to frame the knicker-stitcher for child abuse.
Lydia Chambers, of course, is no less disturbed. She dated Adam when they were at University together and, hurt over the fact he has dismissed their six month relationship as a meaningless fling, she is intent on destroying the solicitor, who has a somewhat colourful past with the ladies.
She has already tried to ruin Adam’s business and, following a well-orchestrated plan, she ‘confesses’ to Sarah - Adam’s wife - in this Friday’s double episode of Coronation Street that he is the married man she has been seeing.
“She isn’t doing what she is doing just because she feels like messing someone’s life up,” explains Ryan. “She’s doing it because she is deeply hurt and it’s her way of trying to get some revenge or get her feelings across, and make Adam realise what he has done.
“Her intention is for him and Sarah to get divorced or just to break up, to get Sarah away from Adam.
“In Lydia’s eyes, he has not changed at all. She won’t be happy until she has broken them up.”
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV - see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITV Hub now.
