Lucy Fallon

Lucy Fallon
Side view of smiling Fallon in a black jacket with her hair tied back.
Fallon in 2018
Born
Lucy Fallon

(1995-11-13) 13 November 1995 (age 29)
Blackpool, Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present
Known forRole of Bethany Platt in Coronation Street
PartnerRyan Ledson (2020–present)
Children1

Lucy Fallon (born 13 November 1995) is an English actress. She gained widespread recognition as Bethany Platt in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2015–2020, 2023–present). The role has earned her several accolades, including two British Soap Awards, an Inside Soap Award, and a National Television Award.

Early life

Lucy Fallon was born on 13 November 1995 in Blackpool, Lancashire,[1][2] to engineer Andrew Fallon and accountant Angela Fallon.[3] She grew up in Cleveleys, Lancashire,[4][5] and has two older sisters, Rachel and Laura.[6]

From the age of two, Fallon studied singing, dancing and drama at the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre; since the age of eight, she had private drama classes, and also took the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) exams.[7] She first went to Hodgson Academy, and then attended the Blackpool Sixth Form College, where she achieved a Distinction Star and two Distinctions in BTEC Extended Diploma Performing Arts.[5][8] For financial reasons, she declined offers from the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and ArtsEd to study musical theatre.[4][7]

Before landing her role in Coronation Street, Fallon had several part-time jobs, including working at Subway, Next, New Look, and in the Merrie England bar on the Blackpool North Pier.[3][4][7] At the same time, she appeared as a dancer in the pantomime Sleeping Beauty at the Blackpool Grand Theatre.[6][7]

Career

Coronation Street

"Walking onto the set was surreal and nerve wracking, but everyone has been really welcoming and I am thrilled to have been given this great opportunity."

—Fallon on being cast as Bethany[2]

Fallon made her professional acting debut in 2015 when she was cast as Bethany Platt, the daughter of Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien), in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.[9] A returning character, Bethany had been played by child actors Mia Cookson (2000) and twins Amy and Emily Walton (2000–2007), before Fallon took over.[10] She was 19 when she was cast to play the 14-year-old Bethany.[2] She was offered the role after it emerged that Katie Redford, the actress who was originally chosen for the part, had lied about her age.[9]

Fallon described Bethany as "a bit of a wild child. She's very feisty, but she does a lot of it to get a reaction."[7] The Guardian's Hannah Verdier thought that she was "perfect" for the role and that her comedic skills were a "reincarnation of Joan Rivers, only with a Mancunian accent"; however, Steven D. Wright from the same newspaper felt that she was "far too old for her part."[11][12] While on the soap, Fallon's character was involved in a highly publicised grooming and sexual exploitation storyline, which earned Fallon widespread acclaim.[13] Barbara Ellen of The Guardian found her performance "immaculate", while Daily Mirror's Ian Hyland wrote that scenes which saw Bethany survive a kidnapping to testify in court against her abuser gave Fallon "another chance to show what a fine actress she has become."[14][15] Fallon won the Best Actress award at the 2017 Inside Soap Awards, the Outstanding Serial Drama Performance at the 2018 National Television Awards, and the Best Actress and Best Female Dramatic Performance at the 2018 British Soap Awards.[16][17][18]

Fallon left Coronation Street at the end of her contract in 2020 to pursue other projects,[19] and her final appearance aired on 4 March 2020.[20] In August 2023, it was reported that she would reprise her role in the series.[21] Her on-screen return was broadcast on New Year's Eve 2023.[22]

Other endeavours

Fallon competed in the ITV Christmas special All Star Musicals which aired on 24 December 2017 and was voted the winner for her rendition of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from the musical Evita.[23] She was a contestant on the ITV reality miniseries Don't Rock the Boat in November 2020.[24]

Fallon starred as George alongside Pearl Mackie in the 2021 Audible horror series Sour Hall, set and recorded on a Yorkshire farm, which tells the story of a lesbian couple tormented by a Boggart.[25][26] She was also cast in the titular role of Jazz in that year's BBC Radio 4 drama titled Jazz and Dice.[27] Fallon next appeared as Molly Seagrim in the 2023 miniseries reimagining of Henry Fielding's novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling titled Tom Jones.[28][29]

In 2024, she starred in the ITVBe reality series Drama Queens.[30]

Personal life

Fallon has been in a relationship with footballer Ryan Ledson since 2020.[31] Having suffered a miscarriage in March 2022, she became pregnant again later that year,[32] and gave birth to their son on 30 January 2023.[33] In August 2024, she announced that she was pregnant with their second child.[34]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2015–2020,
2023–present 		Coronation Street Bethany Platt Regular role [22][35]
2017 All Star Musicals Herself Contestant; winner [23]
2020 Don't Rock the Boat Contestant [24]
2023 Tom Jones Molly Seagrim Miniseries; 2 episodes [36]
2024 Drama Queens Herself Main role [30]

Radio

Year Title Role Ref.
2021 Jazz and Dice Jazz [27]

Audio

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2021 Sour Hall George Audible series [25]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2015 TV Choice Awards Best Soap Newcomer Coronation Street Nominated [37]
Inside Soap Awards Best Newcomer Nominated [38]
2017 British Soap Awards Best Actress Nominated [39]
TV Choice Awards Best Soap Actress Nominated [40]
Inside Soap Awards Best Actress Won [16]
Best Partnership (shared with Colson Smith) Nominated [41]
RTS North West Awards Best Performance in a Continuing Drama Nominated [42]
Digital Spy Reader Awards Best Soap Actress Second [43]
2018 National Television Awards Outstanding Serial Drama Performance Won [17]
TRIC Awards Best Soap Actor Nominated [44]
British Soap Awards Best Actress Won [18]
Best Female Dramatic Performance Won [18]
TV Choice Awards Best Soap Actress Nominated [45]
Inside Soap Awards Best Actress Nominated [46]

References

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  2. ^ a b c Kilkelly, Daniel (29 January 2015). "Coronation Street: Lucy Fallon cast as new Bethany Platt". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b Killelea, Amanda (2 June 2017). "Coronation Street star Lucy Fallon tells of fallout from harrowing Bethany Platt grooming plot". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Blackpool's Lucy to hit the Corrie cobbles". Blackpool Gazette. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Big Corrie role for Lucy". Blackpool Sixth Form College. 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  6. ^ a b Gardner, Alison (24 June 2015). "'Bethany's the best fun to play!' says Corrie's Lucy Fallon". What's on TV. Time Inc. UK. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  10. ^ Fitzpatrick, Katie (20 August 2017). "The Coronation Street child actors who have been replaced over the years". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  12. ^ Wright, Steven D (17 August 2015). "From cobbles to cobblers: Coronation Street has lost the plot". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  23. ^ a b Fitzpatrick, Katie (24 December 2017). "Lucy Fallon tipped for West End stardom as she wins All Star Musicals". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  24. ^ a b Edwards, Chris (16 August 2020). "Coronation Street and Love Island stars join line-up for "gruelling" new ITV reality show Don't Rock the Boat". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  25. ^ a b Harp, Justin (20 January 2021). "Doctor Who and Coronation Street stars' new LGBTQ+ horror series unveils first-look trailer". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  26. ^ Seddon, Dan (29 October 2020). "Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon lands first role away from the soap". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
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  28. ^ Petski, Denise (30 September 2021). "'Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham Joins 'Tom Jones' Reimagining For Masterpiece". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
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  33. ^ Anderton, Joe (6 February 2023). "Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon welcomes baby boy and shares first photo". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  34. ^ Harp, Justin (19 August 2024). "Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon announces pregnancy in beautiful post". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
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  38. ^ "Revealed – the shortlist for the Inside Soap Awards 2015!". Inside Soap. Hearst Communications. 29 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
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  42. ^ "Regional Awards – North West 2017". Royal Television Society. November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
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  44. ^ Dainty, Sophie (13 March 2018). "Emmerdale triumphs once again with big win at this year's TRIC Awards". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  45. ^ "Full list of nominations for TV Choice Awards". The Irish News. 25 June 2018. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
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