Producers of
Coronation Street have dropped actress Katie Redford from the show, after it
emerged she gave a false age to win a part as a 14-year-old.
ITV announced Redford
was joining the soap last week, playing the role of Bethany Platt,
granddaughter to Gail McIntyre. Continue..
A press release,
issued on Friday, described the actress as 19.
But fans on showbiz site Digital Spy found
evidence, including a CV, suggesting she was actually 25.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
I'm feeling really
stressed and so sorry for Katie. She's a star in the making”
Joanne McLintockKatie Redford's agent
A spokeswoman for the
actress later confirmed she had auditioned "as a 19-year-old".
Producers only became
aware of the discrepancy at the weekend, after the discussion gained momentum
online.
As a result, ITV
announced on Monday morning: "Coronation Street have taken the decision to
recast the part of Bethany Platt".
It is understood that
producers have another actress in mind for the role, and there will not be a
new audition process.
Speaking to BBC Radio
1's Newsbeat, Redford's agent said it "wasn't
[Katie's] idea to audition as a 19-year-old.
"People in the
industry do it regularly and she sort of went along with what we said,"
Joanne McLintock said.
"I'm feeling really
stressed and so sorry for Katie. It's her first real job and she's a
star in the making."
'Dream
come true'
The character of
Bethany was last seen in 2007 when she moved to Italy with her mother, Sarah
Louise.
Bethany was previously
played by three child actors - Mia Cookson and Amy and Emily Walton.
The teenager's
reappearance paves the way for the return of Tina O'Brien, 31, who plays
27-year-old Sarah Louise.
In its press release last week,
ITV said Bethany would be returning to the soap as a regular character.
The
statement continued: "Nottingham-born Katie, 19, will debut as tearaway
teenager Bethany this spring when she arrives unannounced in Weatherfield from
her home in Milan."
It also
contained a quote from Redford who said the role was "a dream come
true".
"Until
I'm actually on set, I genuinely don't think it will sink in that I'm joining
the cast of Coronation Street," she added.
The
actress, who trained at the National Youth Theatre, had not filmed any scenes
before the decision was taken to drop her from the show.
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