List of Coronation Street Characters (1989) - Andy McDonald

Andrew Richard "Andy" McDonald, played by Nicholas Cochrane, debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 December 1989. He was a regular character from 1989 until 1997, and has made guest appearances in 2000, 2004 and 2009.

Andy was introduced as part of the McDonald family consisting of parents Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard) and Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson) and their twin teenage boys Andy and Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson). Cochrane and Gregson were chosen by producer Mervyn Watson and casting director James Bain from their school in Manchester. Teachers informed them of the chance to join the cast of Coronation Street and they had photographs taken of themselves. One week later they were called to attend an improvisation session with Callard and Lawson who had already been cast in the parental roles. They chose which two actors they liked the most from thirty that auditioned. While their characters are twins, Cochrane was one year older than Gregson.

Cochrane told a reporter from Look-in that his character is "a bit of a devil a bit of a rogue". Andy has "brains and knows it" but often he does not use them. He added that Andy "always enjoys himself, but hates to be told things. He's a sound character, a bit like me, but with brains." However, Andy got on the actor's nerves at times because he acts "like a wimp and never sticks up for himself". While he is gifted in the "brains department" he is easily led into trouble by Steve. Cochrane explained that the only way to end Andy's "problems" would to be given "a good steady girlfriend to sort him out". Gregson told the writer that "the good thing" about the McDonald brothers is that "they stick up for each other they get on most of the time".

Cochrane's first fight scene as Andy occurred when he and Steve clashed over a girl. The actor was sixteen at the time and he told Paul Byrne from the Daily Mirror that it was his "first taste of proper action". The pair had "great fun" as they memorised fight sequence chorography to make it appear as though Andy and Steve were "were having a real go at each other". Cochrane and Gregson ended up damaging the set during filming and incurred costs to the props department.

In one storyline Andy decides to drop out of university. But Jim was not happy with his son's decision and they argued. Cochrane told Rob Sharp in the book The Official 1997 Annual of Coronation Street that he loved arguing with Lawson during filming. He explained that Jim's attitude to his decision "infuriated Andy so much that he turned on his dad and branded him a failure". Cochrane enjoyed the scenes because he felt that it "really pushed" him as an actor. Their relationship came under more strain when Andy began drinking which led his alcoholic father back into drinking. The scenes featured Jim challenging Andy to a drinking session. Cochrane told the Daily Mirror's Byrne that it was "really frightened Andy to think his dad was going back on the bottle". The pair end up fighting, Crochane and Lawson had rehearsed the scene prior to the actual shoot. He said that he was "in awe" of Lawson's performance; during the shoot "the adrenaline was pumping" for Cochrane so much that he ripped Lawson's shirt.

In 1997, the serial's new producer axed the character during his revamp of the series. Cochrane was filming a scene in the Rovers Return when he was called in to see Park who informed him that he had lost his job. The actor was being paid sixty thousand pounds to play Andy and he initially worried about his mortgage. He Byrne that Lawson, Callard and Gregson were supportive towards him after they read about his sacking in the national newspapers. Park informed Cochrane that Andy "was in a rut" and they were "struggling to find storylines" for him. Cochrane admitted that he was already aware of this because Andy "was too much of a goody two-shoesgoody two-shoes". Park suggested that the character needed a break from the series with possibility of a future return. The actor added that "looking at it now, I realise it is probably best for both me and the character."

Andy arrives on the Street with his family as an adolescent in 1989. Studious and conscientious, he is very different from his brother Steve, although he does get into several scrapes as a teenager. Andy passes his exams and goes to university but drops out, much to his parents' dismay, because of a girlfriend with whom he shortly afterwards splits up. He works at a supermarket as a trainee manager for a while, but eventually leaves Weatherfield to move to Spain, where he remains as a teacher of English.

He makes occasional returns to his former home, attending re-marriage of his parents and the wedding of his twin brother, Steve, where he serves as best man. During his return in 2000 for his parents' wedding he has a one-night stand with Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) and then when he returned in 2004 for Steve and Karen (Suranne Jones)'s wedding he is reprimanded by Toyah's mother Janice (Vicky Entwistle).

In June 2008, Steve goes to Spain to visit Andy for their 34th birthday and returns to the Street in July. Andy does not appear on screen. In April 2009, Liz visits Andy after he has injured himself and stays there for several months. In 2009, Andy and Liz return to the Street for Steve and Becky (Katherine Kelly)'s wedding. He leaves Weatherfield with his dad Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson) a week after the wedding.