Becky Mc Donald - Character Creation and Casting

Character Creation and Casting

Becky was created as a short-term recurring character, working in the Underworld sewing factory. The character was deemed popular so producers decided to bring her back, with executive producer Steve Frost initially pitching the idea of bringing in her family, stating: "Becky will leave Weatherfield for a short period of time and shock the Street's residents when her relatives return with her." However, this never materialised and Becky returned without any relatives. It was also thought that producers were going to kill the character off, in her early stages.

Auditions were held for the role of Becky which required the auditionee to look deliberately scruffy. Actress Katherine Kelly commented: "I was told to turn up looking as crap as possible, with no make-up. But that morning I'd also been for an audition where I had to look really glamorous. So I sat on the Tube putting grease in my hair and wiping my make-up off with everyone looking at me. By the time I got there I looked a right state!". Kelly was initially only cast for a three-month period when she began filming in 2006, but impressed producers and was offered an extended contract as a regular character. On 17 June 2008, after further impressing the producers, Kelly was signed for an additional 12 months. In February 2009, Kelly again had her contract extended, securing her role in the soap until August 2011. However, in 2010 Kelly was signed to a new 18-month contract by new producer Phil Collinson, a contract which was described as "unprecedented" at the time.

In 2011 Kelly decided to quit the role. She said it was one of the "hardest decisions of her life" but felt it was the right time to "say goodbye to Becky". Executive producer Phil Collinson said that Kelly was talented and managed to make Becky into a "firm favourite" with viewers. Kelly finished filming her final scenes as Becky on 9 December 2011.