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Julie Hesmondhalgh found motherhood ‘a struggle’ and has a lot of regrets

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Fabbro, L. D. (2026, October 21). Julie Hesmondhalgh found motherhood ‘a struggle’ and has a lot of regrets. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/julie-hesmondhalgh-people-british-actress-ross-kemp-b1301848.html

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Evening Standard · collected 2026-10-21 · by Lauren Del Fabbro

Quick Summary

Julie Hesmondhalgh, a 56-year-old actress known for her role as Hayley Cropper in "Coronation Street," spoke to Good Housekeeping UK about the challenges of balancing motherhood and her career, expressing that motherhood was often difficult and citing regrets over how she treated her children. She also discussed her recent appearance on "Celebrity Traitors" where she formed friendships with fellow participants before being removed from the show early.
Written by AI on 2026-10-21, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Story summary

Julie Hesmondhalgh, a 56-year-old actress known for playing Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, revealed in an interview with Good Housekeeping UK that motherhood was "a struggle" and expressed having many regrets. She discussed the challenges of balancing her career and family life while raising her two children with her husband Ian Kershaw, a writer. Hesmondhalgh participated in the current series of Celebrity Traitors, which ended early for her after she was banished from the castle by fellow contestants.

Written for “Julie Hesmondhalgh On Motherhood Regrets” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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📰 Julie Hesmondhalgh On Motherhood Regrets
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sentences that state something as happening or true
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0 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
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Evening Standard · 8456 article(s) · 73 correction(s) detected
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Who wrote this

Lauren Del Fabbro
103 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction
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🔮 The tribute will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, November 3, with theatres across London joining together to honour the celebrated stage and screen star.
🔮 Theatres in London’s West End will dim their lights for two minutes on Tuesday November 3 at 7pm in honour of the actor and his acclaimed decades-long career.
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🔮 The 20-year-old appears as District 12 tribute, Maysilee Donner, in the sixth and latest instalment of the hit blockbuster, The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping.
🔮 “So, it was really interesting playing a character like that, who was fully immersing himself with the dark side for a greater good that might not come to fruition for generations.
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🔮 I think a lot of people would be drawn to it.
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Also by Lauren Del Fabbro
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Topics

British Good Housekeeping UK Good Housekeeping’s Horizon ITV

Subjects

Hesmondhalgh PERSON · 4× Hayley PERSON · 3× Roy PERSON · 2× British NORP · 1× Good Housekeeping UK ORG · 1× Hayley Cropper PERSON · 1× Ian Kershaw PERSON · 1× Julie Hesmondhalgh PERSON · 1× Romesh Ranganathan PERSON · 1× Suzanne Sercombe PERSON · 1×

Narrative

Julie Hesmondhalgh found motherhood ‘a struggle’ and has a lot of regrets The 56-year-old, who appeared on the current series of Celebrity Traitors, is best known for playing the first trans character in a British soap, Hayley Cropper on Coronation Street from 1998 until 2014.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-21
2026-10-21 · Evening Standard
Julie Hesmondhalgh found motherhood ‘a struggle’ and has a lot of regrets · assertive framing

Claims (20 extracted, 0 hedged)

Julie Hesmondhalgh found motherhood ‘a struggle’ and has a lot of regrets The 56-year-old, who appeared on the current series of Celebrity Traitors, is best known for playing the first trans character in a British soap, Hayley Cropper on Coronation Street from 1998 until 2014. asserted
who → find → 2014
Hesmondhalgh opened up about some of the challenges she had raising her two children, who she shares with her husband, writer Ian Kershaw, including how to manage her home and work life. asserted
she → open → home
Speaking to Good Housekeeping UK, she said: “I found a lot of motherhood a struggle. asserted
lot → speak → motherhood
“Balancing my own life and work with motherhood was tricky at times. asserted
Balancing → balance → times
I have a lot of regrets about losing my rag with my kids. asserted
I → have → kids
“I took things too personally; I felt like they were almost trying to make my life difficult, which obviously they weren’t. asserted
they → take → things
Hesmondhalgh said she was “so chuffed” to be asked to be on Celebrity Traitors because she is “obsessed” with the series. asserted
she → say → series
Her time on the show came to an end early after she was banished from the castle by her fellow faithfuls. asserted
she → come → faithfuls
Hesmondhalgh left the show with newly forged friendships, including with comedian Romesh Ranganathan – who she described as being one of the “greatest human beings”. asserted
she → leave → beings
She said: “The extraordinary thing is that you’re all on the same footing. asserted
you → say → footing
“You have these accelerated friendships because there’s a lot of time off-camera when you’re travelling in cars together and aren’t allowed to discuss the game. asserted
you → have → game
Read More The actress is also known for Broadchurch and played Suzanne Sercombe, the partner to Toby Jones’ Alan Bates in the ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, about the Horizon IT scandal. asserted
actress → read → scandal
She left Coronation Street in 2014 and said that she has “no regrets” about leaving, however it sometimes feels strange to see so many of the same cast and crew names in the credits. asserted
it → leave → credits
One of the key storylines Hesmondhalgh played out on the soap followed the relationship between her character Hayley and Roy Cropper, played by David Neilson. asserted
Hesmondhalgh → play → Neilson
She said their love story “was important” and “got people talking”, adding that Roy was originally meant to leave Hayley after she came out as trans. She said: “Everybody loved the relationship. asserted
Everybody → say → relationship
It became a key storyline almost by accident, which was the best way, because it wasn’t an issue that was shoehorned in. asserted
that → become → accident
“I maintain that Hayley and Roy’s love story was important. asserted
story → maintain → ?
It got people talking. asserted
people → get → ?
“It’s so upsetting that trans rights have now gone backwards.” asserted
rights → ’ → ?
The full interview can be read in Good Housekeeping’s December issue which is on sale from October 22. asserted
which → read → October
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