Emmerdale's Michelle Hardwick leaves Corrie boss in 'tears' amid 'rivalry'
The Vanessa Woodfield actress revealed how she and her castmates left her wife in tears in the aftermath of the Valentine's Day limo crash
Emmerdale star Michelle Hardwick has revealed how she and her castmates left her wife in tears in the aftermath of the Valentine's Day limo crash.
What should have been a celebrations of love turned into a day of disaster when both vehicles crashed, but it was the one with the girls inside - plus Liam Cavanagh - that was left stranded on the frozen lake.
Suzy Merton was the first confirmed death after suffering from a fatal head injury upon impact. Leyla Harding was then second heartbreaking death due to "severe blood loss" when she was impaled with a piece of glass during the accident.
A third body was also seen as Amy Wyatt was plunged into the freezing water and came face to face with a floating body that caused her to panic before she was rescued by Tracy Metcalfe. But despite the best efforts of medical staff, Amy became the third victim of the horror accident.
However, before she suffered a cardiac arrest gasped for breath, she said to her partner Matty Barton, "Matty, Nate is in the water," after coming across a body which she linked to the character, he was thought to have left the village last year, thanks to bracelets he and Tracy wore from their daughter, Frankie.
She repeated it one more time, but Matty was unaware of her urgent message and just tried to console her. Amy's heart failed and she died despite the efforts to save her.
Michelle, who plays Vanessa Woodfield in the ITV soap, and was involved in the dramatic and emotional stunt, has now spoken about the week of episodes.
She told the Manchester Evening News and other press: "I've been watching and I'm not even kidding... For the first time ever, normally I watch it and you go, 'Oh, I hate watching myself' and it's a bit cringe and you really criticise, but I've stepped back and watched it as a viewer and I was genuinely getting upset by it.
"Me and Amy Walsh [Tracy] were messaging and we were proper watching it like everybody else does. And you forget you're in it in a way, it was just so exciting and so filmic to watch. So proud of it, really, really proud. With the messages we're getting, I think it's gone down really well."
As mentioned, Michelle's wife Kate Brooks is the producer of Coronation Street having taken up the role on the Greater Manchester-based soap last year.
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Asked about Kate's reaction to the episodes, Michelle said: "She watched it with me and she cried! It made her cry. It takes a lot to make her cry and I was like, 'Are you really crying?' and she said, 'Yeah, you've got me!" So I was like, 'Okay, brilliant!" She added: "She thought it was fantastic. She was very supportive.... No rivalry..."