Coronation Street’s Bernie Winter star Jane Hazlegrove has been branded ‘unrecognisable’ after a glamorous makeover (Image: ITV)
Bernie Winter’s arrival on in 2019 may not have been triumphant, but her journey since then, particularly in her fifth year, has turned into heartache.
At first, twins Gemma and Paul were less than thrilled to welcome back their mother, notorious for her lies and thefts during their childhood. But Bernie’s forthright manner and vivaciousness gradually endeared her to her children and the audience.
A regular in Weatherfield’s more outlandish plots, viewers have seen her antics like selling fake pregnancy tests using her daughter’s urine, and engaging in romantic escapades with Dev Alahan. However, this year took a sorrowful turn when her son Paul devastatingly succumbed to motor neurone disease.
Actress Jane Hazlegrove, who portrays Bernie, leads a life that contrasts starkly with her on-screen character’s. At the first casting, many observed she seemed “almost unrecognisable” as Bernie.
The 54-year-old actress boasts an extensive television career dating back to 1984, highlighted by her role as Kathleen ‘Dixie’ Dixon in Casualty from 2006 to 2016, with a brief comeback in 2019. Beyond acting, she’s been married to Isobel Middleton, known from and , since 2015, reports .
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She married Isobel Middleton back in 2015 (Image: @jane_hazlegrove/Instagram)
In a candid chat on Lorraine in 2019, Jane spoke about their dynamic, remarking: “We’ve not [worked alongside each other], which is probably why we’re still together. She’s sensational, a really beautiful woman. I am very blessed. We relocated back to Manchester last year, before []. It was time to get back to the north for all kinds of reasons and that makes me very happy.”
Isobel has her own soap credentials, having appeared as Sadie Banks in in 2002, and taken on various roles in , like Dr Lane in 2014, a prosecution barrister in 2018 and Jean Rawson in 2020.
Isobel couldn’t contain her pride over Jane’s nomination at the British Soap Awards, tweeting: “Very proud that my sublimely talented and hilarious wife has been nominated for Best Comedy Performance at the #soapawards2022 We can’t vote but if I could I would. Repeatedly. #JaneHazlegrove #BernieWinters # #funnybones.”
Notably, Jane is among the select group of actresses who have portrayed more than one regular character in . In her early days, back in 1985, Jane was cast as the lively Sue Clayton, offspring of Harry and Connie Clayton, residing at number 11 (now Eileen Grimshaw’s abode).
However, the Claytons left the show within a year, having not resonated with scriptwriters or the audience.
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