It is unbelievable to think that 41-year-old Jane Danson has been playing Coronation Street’s Leanne Battersby on and off for nearly 23 years.
Of course, during that time Leanne has been through the usual soap opera mill – marriages, affairs… drugs, prostitution.
But as Jane says, her current storyline, in which Leanne’s young son Oliver is diagnosed with an incurable condition, mitochondrial disease, ‘is the most harrowing one I’ve ever done’.
Although the show’s production has of course stopped because of coronavirus, Jane says that they still went ‘full pelt at it for six or seven weeks, but there’s a lot to play out yet’.
And as we chat to the mother of two, it’s clear how moved she has been by it.
Jane’s speaking over Zoom from her kitchen, where the sun shining through the skylight gives her a kind of halo effect. ‘Oh good,’ she giggles. ‘That means you can’t see my roots!’
She shares her Cheshire house with her husband, fellow actor Robert Beck – she famously had a teenage crush on him when he played Peter Harrison in Brookside and the pair met at the 1999 British Soap Awards.
They married in 2005 and now have sons Harry, 13, and Sam, 11. Jane laughingly rebukes the latter for rustling in the fridge while she talks. ‘These kids just eat and eat and eat!’
Warm and articulate, the actress talks openly about Leanne’s heartbreaking drama, family life in lockdown and those aforementioned ‘roots’…
Was it strange when filming had to suddenly stop?
It’s weird not going into work. I actually had a bit of downtime before the mitochondrial storyline, so I was very excited to get up and running again. From a creative point of view it was disappointing, but obviously completely necessary.
Are you keeping up with the rest of the cast?
We’ve got a WhatsApp group with almost all the girls, so we show each other what we’ve been doing each day, whether it’s baking or changing our hair or sending jokes.
And I’ve had lots of chats with Georgia [Taylor, who plays Toyah] and Samia [Longchambon, who plays Maria]. And we’ve Zoomed a few times. It’s so nice to be able to keep in touch like this. Technology has made such a difference.
Though my Mum, who is self-isolating on her own, doesn’t have any of it, she’s never been interested in computers, so I’ve not actually seen her face for weeks now, which has been really hard.
How are things going in your home during quarantine?
We’re doing ok. I’ve learned to love my house again. We’ve been doing all those jobs we’ve been putting off for years.
We’ve cleaned out the garage and Rob’s built some furniture. And we’re very lucky that the weather’s been good and we’ve got a garden.
At times it’s felt like we’re on holiday sitting out there. I think the key is keeping busy and having a routine.
I get up every day and get ready properly, putting some make-up on. We’ve got a dog who needs walking and the boys need to sit down to do their school work.
Are you a good teacher?
I’ve got no idea when it comes to maths! Luckily, they are both at different stages, so if I can’t work things out with Sam, I run and get Harry to help.
But having had all of this thrust upon them I think they’re doing really well, they’ve totally adapted. I’m proud of them.
Have there been any family ructions?
Me and Rob are absolutely fine, we’re just getting on with it. Though I must be cleaning the kitchen about 18 times a day!
Mainly because I can’t stop baking – I’m really playing in the kitchen a lot more. In some ways the whole situation is quite nice, spending time with each other, not having any pressure.
Things can really get on top of you sometimes when you’re busy – the housework, the washing – you can feel a bit suffocated. But at the moment none of it’s urgent.
I feel a bit guilty for enjoying it all because of what’s happening to other people. You watch the daily government briefing and the numbers of people ill or dead has become the norm. But it’s not normal. It’s so hard to fathom it.
What are you looking forward to most when this is all over?
Mainly seeing my mum, but also being able to go for a coffee with friends. And I can’t wait to be back at work.
We’re so sociable on the show, hanging out in the green room, we know each other’s kids and families. I miss seeing everybody. We all genuinely care about each other.
And getting your hair done?
Yes! Though Rob cut mine and the boys’ hair this morning. He’s so good at stuff like that.
With the boys he even graded and trimmed it. But my roots are already an inch long, so if the salons aren’t allowed to open…
My sister is a carer in Australia where the residents can only chat to their loved ones over Skype.
She’s also a trained hairdresser, so she did all of their hair so they looked nice when doing it, which cheered them up. It’s little things like that which can make a difference.
Do you think you’ve changed during this strange period?
I think we’ve all sort of changed a bit. It teaches you that you don’t need all the things you think you do.
It’s taught me to make more time and make the most of seeing people in the future. No more cancelling plans!
Meanwhile I’m just trying to stay positive about it. As long as we stay well, I just view it as a moment in time.
I know we’re lucky that we haven’t got it and that we’re not struggling, like so many others.
How difficult has Leanne’s current storyline been for you?
I’ve been really fortunate over the years to be involved in some really hard-hitting things, but this one is tonally a bit different.
It’s really tough. But I feel honoured to be doing it because it’s so very sad. As a parent it’s completely relatable.
It’s the worst case scenario, and not a road you ever want to go down. But there are families out there on that awful journey.
Can you describe what mitochondrial disease is?
It’s basically like your battery’s running out of power. All the cells that transport energy to vital organs within the body essentially break down and lose power.
For Leanne’s son Oliver, because he’s a toddler, it means he starts to regress and he’s suddenly not doing the things he would have been. It’s a slow process, but there’s no stopping it.
In Oliver’s case it’s life-limiting, which is absolutely heartbreaking.
Did you do much preparation?
I spoke to a lady called Liz Curtis who founded a charity for the disease, The Lily Foundation, named after her daughter who died from it at eight months old. She was so brave telling us her story…
She told me about her day to day life after Lily died – the days she managed to get dressed and the days she didn’t. The days she coped and the days when friends and family would come and cook for her.
We’ve tried to incorporate all of it into Leanne’s story, and to show how it’s not just her, as Oliver’s mum, who is suffering, but so many others too, from Steve, Oliver’s dad, to Nick, Leanne’s partner. There’s a ripple effect across The Street.
If you are affected or are living with someone who has mitochondrial disease, for information and support click here
