Coronation Street veteran Jenny McAlpine, known for her role as Fiz Brown, has revealed a charming connection between her three children's names and the iconic ITV soap. During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the 40-year-old actress discussed her 23-year stint on the show and how it subtly influenced her family life.
McAlpine, who shares her three children - Albert, Hilda and Doris - with husband Chris Farr, was quizzed by presenter Kate Garraway about the "very Corrie" feel of their names. McAlpine, a self-proclaimed "massive Corrie fan" and Manchester native, confessed that she couldn't escape the show's influence when choosing names for her children. "Every name we thought of, I thought, 'That has got to have a Corrie link so we've got to go with it,'" she admitted.
While the actress clarified that she and Farr didn't intentionally name their children after Corrie legends, she expressed delight in their connection to the show. "We didn't purposefully do it, but I'm very happy that they're connected," she said.
For those unfamiliar with the show's history, the name Albert immediately brings to mind Albert Tatlock, a beloved character played by Tony Warren from 1960 until his passing in 1984. Similarly, Hilda evokes memories of the iconic Rovers Return cleaner, Hilda Ogden, portrayed by Jean Alexander from 1964 to 1987. Lastly, Doris is a tribute to the original cast member Doris Speed, who played the legendary Rovers Return landlady, Annie Walker, until 1983.
McAlpine, who joined Coronation Street in 2001 as a troubled teenager, has been a fixture on the show for over two decades. Her memorable storylines include her marriage to the sinister John Stape, the premature birth of her daughter Hope, and her complicated relationship with Tyrone.
Reflecting on the recognition she receives from Corrie fans, McAlpine shared, "I love Corrie and I'm happy to chat to people about Corrie, but in Manchester where I live, people are sick of seeing me. And hopefully where I live, I'm Albert and Hilda and Doris' mum. That's me." She added, with a laugh, that her youngest son, Albert, is completely unimpressed by her fame, "He's not impressed with me at all."
Jenny McAlpine's heartwarming anecdote provides a delightful glimpse into the lasting influence of Coronation Street, not only on its viewers, but also on the lives of its cast members. The strong connection between McAlpine's children's names and the show's history underscores the deep-rooted place the soap holds in the hearts of its fans, even those who are only just beginning to understand the world.
