I had the pleasure of recently meeting and interviewing Debbie Rush, who plays Anna Windass in Coronation Street.
Debbie first of all gave away a few details first about her upcoming storyline in which she becomes ensnared in Phelan’s web. She collapses and is taken to hospital. Kevin visits her there, and adds to her woes by telling her that it is over between them and that he must prioritise Jack. Anna is devastated and it feels to her as if her support system is slipping away. She’s preparing to return to prison when she spots an overcoat. She puts it on and furtively heads towards an open door. Anna goes on the run.
Then, Tim tells Faye about her mum’s escape and it is now that Faye sees the gleeful expression on Phelan’s face. She then confronts him about what really happened between him and Anna. Faye is now finally convinced that Phelan is a liar and tells Seb that Phelan is a liar and that Anna did not push the ladder. However, Seb doesn’t believe her and as a result, Faye dumps him. At the same time, Anna cowers in a deserted building – terrified and alone. When in prison she can’t get anyone to believe what Phelan has done.
Viewers will know that Debbie Rush, who plays Anna Windass is leaving, but we don’t know how. Debbie Rush tells us that many people come up to her to express their loathing of Pat Phelan from old ladies to teenage boys, showing how unanimously, Phelan is loathed. Naturally there would be a sense of justice if it was Anna who finally brought Phelan down, but there was no confirmation nor denial of this.
Debbie said that she had found the whole experience of acting out the scenes with Phelan exhausting, but even more so she has found it exhilarating. She is, she says, someone who throws herself into her acting and so does Connor McIntyre, so it’s great to play the cat and mouse game with someone who is just as keen as she is to get it all absolutely right.
When Phelan left the cobbles the first time, Anna was well aware that there existed unfinished business between them. Since then, their dislike of each other has been bubbling under the surface and for a while they stayed out of each other’s way.
In other storylines, Debbie told us that when Owen left, Anna was devastated – he was the love of her life. Then, of course, Anna was badly burnt and her legs were in a terrible state. She felt ugly and undesirable, which got in the way of Kevin and Anna’s relationship, as well as affecting her confidence generally.
Debbie spoke passionately about the rape of Anna by Phelan. She is keen to put over her belief that Phelan raped her and that she was abused and that therefore her story is on a par with the Bethany grooming story, in that both were coerced against their will.
After Debbie and Connor have finished a scene, Debbie said that they always have a cuddle, which is a relief from the dark areas into with both actors must travel. Debbie spoke of how the two of them arrive on set in a jovial mood. Then, when the time approaches for action, each actor distances themselves from each other in readiness for their role, as they transform into their respective characters. Anna admits that the dark places they go to can be terrifying.
Debbie has been on the cobbles for nine years and says it feels it’s time for a change and wants to seek work elsewhere, though she is very grateful for the fantastic storylines she’s been involved in. She’s very excited about new opening and potential opportunities. When asked if the door to the cobbles would remain open, Debbie claims that she’s not sure. She had nothing but praise too for all the people she’s worked with at Corrie and admits she’ll miss them dearly.
So Anna leaves at the end of January 2018 and wanted to make the point that she thinks the snobbery that once dogged soap operas, has now seriously diminished. I think she may be right.
By Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722
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6 comments:
It was a dreadful storyline mistake for Anna to sleep with Phelan to keep Gary out of prison. I understand the supposed reasoning. She wanted to protect her son, certain that he would never cope with prison. However, it would have been much better for her to support Gary to face up to the consequences of his actions. Naturally, there would be no story if this had happened. It was so contrived and only added to Anna's martyrdom tendencies. Sympathy for her doesn't come in to it for me. I'm not interested in her and won't miss her when she goes.
For me the real mistake they made with Anna was having Faye in her life. She already had Gary and his occasional messes to deal with.Faye's presence ensured that Anna never had a single storyline devoid of stress and angst. I hope she doesn't drag Sally and Tim's storylines down the same way after Anna leaves.
I can't say I'll miss Anna, too many opportunities to make her more likeable were ignored and I wish she'd gotten the best of Phelan, but Ms.Rush is an excellent actress and I wish her much success in her future projects.
She and Kevin as a couple were never convincing. Kevin's such a bum that he dumps her in prison. I know he can sink low, but that's a new one for him.
I've never been an Anna fan, but I do hope for the sake of justice that she is the one who brings Phelan down.
But if there was no Faye, we'd have no Tim and therefore no Sally and Tim. That's gotta be one plus side for you
Hope Anna takes Faye with her when she leaves. I won't miss the Faye character: did a few things that were "not her fault" and never really faced any consequences for anything she did. Sullen, rude and selfish attitude since day one and lasted too long even for a teenager. Don't think much of the actress either.
Debbie Rush has apparently hinted in interviews that Anna might be killed by Phelan, but this might possibly just be a red herring. I'm not sure how this would work out if it were true; would Anna be found not guilty of Seb's attempted murder which would prompt an enraged Phelan to lie in wait for her and then dispose of her body in much the same way as he disposed of those of Andy and Vinny?
As I have said before, it would not surprise me if Anna was found guilty of Seb's attempted murder and despatched to prison never to be heard of again with her innocence never proved. However, I suppose if this did happen realistically Faye would be expected to visit her from time to time, and also Gary if he does indeed return from the dead. Perhaps she will be acquitted of Seb's murder by some unexpected twist but sentenced to perhaps a few months for absconding from the hospital, at the end of which she decides not to return to Weatherfield as there is nothing for her there now that Kevin has dumped her and Phelan is possibly still at large.
I would tend to agree that too many opportunities were lost to make Anna a more likeable person. For example, she was very sympathetic towards Roy when Hayley passed away, but was later extremely nasty to him when he unknowingly attacked Gary when he stole from the cafe, and seemed unable to accept that her son had done anything wrong in the first place. Her mood swings could be very unpredictable in that way. However, for the sake of justice I do hope that her innocence is proved one way or another and she is not simply sent to jail never to be heard of again. I am getting heartily sick of the obnoxious Phelan and he can't get his comeuppance soon enough for me.
I don't know what will happen to Faye when Anna leaves. I would agree that she can also be rather nasty, particularly by the way she twisted things round to make Anna seem bad when Gary explained how Phelan had blackmailed Anna into sleeping with him. Who will she live with when Anna departs? Tim and Sally? Or will she continue to live with Eileen and Phelan until the latter eventually gets his just desserts....... we hope!!!!
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