‘Coronation Street’ Spoilers: Hayley Says Her Final Goodbyes & A Death Stuns Citizens of Weatherfield [VIDEO & PHOTOS]
The time has officially come for Hayley (Julie Hesmondhalgh) to say goodbye on Coronation Street.
Coronation Street: Monday, Jan. 13, 2014
She has decided that today will be her last day on earth, and she is going through with her plan to end her own life before the cancer beats her to it. Though her husband, Roy (David Neilson) is still unsure that this is the way she should go about things. He will honor her request to let her say her final goodbyes to the people who mattered most.
As a result, Rita (Barbara Knox), Anna (Debbie Rush), Tyrone (Alan Halsall) and Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) will gather at the café and reminisce with Hayley, completely oblivious to her plans.
Back in the couple's flat, Hayley will reiterate all of her wishes to Roy one last time before taking a toxic cocktail of drugs. She will iron the shirt she wishes him to wear at her funeral, and instructs that he not touch the glass containing the drugs, preventing him from having any culpability in her decision.
Both Hesmondhalgh and Nielson have spoken to Radio Times about the final episodes as Hesmondhalgh says goodbye after 16 years on the soap opera.
On Jan. 14, Hesmondhalgh told the publication that she hopes fans will be able to handle her character's departure, one that has been a long time coming and may be painful to watch.
"I hope that people are going to be able to stick with it," she said. "If you're going to show someone dying of a really terrible kind of cancer then you can't shy away from how horrible it is. In a way, viewers are happier to see a brutal murder because it doesn't say anything to them about their lives, but Hayley's story and cancer in general touches so many people."
Neilson also spoke about how Roy will handle his wife's decision.
"To him it's a very selfish act," he said on Jan. 19. "Roy feels that he's absolutely on his own. He's very confused and conflicted that she has removed herself from their relationship, which is such a tight and unique one. So he's not at all understanding of it, but he's trying to be supportive of the woman he loves."
"He kept telling her 'you could have life tomorrow.' So now he feels betrayed and almost like he's fallen out of love with her," Neilson added.
Coronation Street: Friday, Jan. 17, 2014
CLICK HERE to see a video looking back on Coronation Street's most powerful moments of 2013.
Julie Hesmondhalgh's final episodes of Coronation Street will air Monday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on ITV.
