Corrie's Brian Capron, who plays murderous Richard Hillman, spent the evening avoiding questions about his character's next victim. But he did reveal one cast member is actually keen to get on the wrong side of him!

"I can't say who is going to die. But Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah Battersby, asked producers if she could be killed! But I'm not telling you whether they agreed..."

Inside Soap Magazine October 5th 2002

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Land of Oz Georgia on Her Favourite Movie as a Kid Some people are embarrassed when they think of movies they enjoyed as a kid, but not Corrie's Georgia Taylor. "I used to love The Wizard of Oz and whenever I went to a fancy dress party I would dress up as Dorothy," laughs the actress, who plays Toyah Battersby in the soap. "There was a sequel made in the 1980s called Return to Oz but it was really dark and scary. It still terrifies me!" All About Soap September 2002

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ROMANCE WITH SPIDER

Martin Hancock and I have such a great relationship, in a platonic way. When they finally got together the public loved it.

THE BATTERSBYS' ARRIVAL

I loved doing that tearaway stuff. We took flak from the critics but we made an impression.

TOYAH'S RAPE

I would never say: "Oh God, I feel like I've been raped myself." It winds me up when actresses come out with stuff like that.

LES AND JANICE SPLITTING

I didn't like the way Toyah looked after Les after his break-up with Janice. I think it weakened her as a character.

GORAN THE REFUGEE

I don't think any of the critics liked this romance. I knew they wouldn't. But we had great fun filming it in Blackpool.

The Sunday Mirror August 11th 2002

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Toyah on Why She's Leaving Corrie To Follow A Dream (By Ian Hyland)

GEORGIA Taylor takes a long drag on her cigarette and fixes me with her fiercest Battersby stare. "Hey you, you've written some nasty things about me," she says. "Nah, I'm sure I haven't," I lie. "You have - you said I had a face like a smacked arse."

There's no getting out of it. Fortunately, Georgia has much more important business to occupy her time. Like finding a new job. After five years with Coronation Street she's only gone and quit. Without another job to go to.

"It's just starting to hit me now," she says. "I've known that I'm definitely leaving for the last six weeks but now it's all out in the open I'm like, 'Oh-oh, no going back now'. "When I went to break the news to the show's producer I was so nervous," she says. "I was practising what I was going to say for weeks."

Truth is, Georgia, 22, has known she was leaving for a lot longer than six weeks. She actually decided last Christmas that she'd taken teenage tearaway Toyah Battersby far enough. "I didn't tell anyone," she says. "I didn't want to give anybody a chance to change my mind. "I've never had any other job apart from the Street and I was worried people would think I was mad to throw it all away."

She was so paranoid about it that she didn't tell her agent until the day she quit and couldn't bear to tell her parents in case it upset her mum Caroline. "The only person I told was my boyfriend Mark," she says. "He's very laid back and didn't try and influence me either way. He just listened and when my mind was made up he backed me all the way."

Although the news of her departure was only announced a few days ago, the rumour mill has already been grinding. She's been sacked. She's suffering from the same soap burnout as EastEnders' teenager Michelle Ryan. She's fallen out with the new Coronation Street boss, Kieran Roberts. She's leaving to have a family with her rock star boyfriend, guitarist Mark Eyden, even.

"No way have I been sacked," she laughs. "And I'm not being killed off either. In fact they've asked me to stay an extra three months after my current contract ends so they can let Toyah go with a bang."

In Georgia's time on the show, Toyah has been raped, kidnapped and had under-age sex, so perhaps people would understand if she'd quit because she found the going tough. Not a bit of it. "I hate it when actresses do that," she says. "Say they've taken the character home with them and it's all become too much for them, left them emotionally drained. "Live in the real world, for God's sake, go home and have a cup of tea."

Hearing her talk like that you could easily imagine her falling out with her boss. But no, she gets on so well with him she even approached him with storyline ideas for Toyah's exit next February.

So it must be the babies then. Georgia and her fella Mark, who is in Manchester-based band The Jackdaws, have been going steady for two years and they live together so surely they must be thinking of starting a family. Georgia flashes me a "yeah, right" look. "Me and Mark are pretty solid but we aren't planning a family just yet," she says. "He's busy with his band and it feels like I'm just starting out again.

"I'm not leaving Corrie because I hate anyone or I'm unhappy," she sighs. "I know people are always cynical but there's nothing negative in my decision at all." It seems the reason Georgia is leaving is that she's had enough of being miserable. Which is pretty much what I meant with the smacked arse thing. 

"To be honest, I probably agreed with you," she admits. "People used to love Toyah because she was gobby and in your face, but now she can be a right miserable sod. "But when you've had a storyline like rape it's difficult to get any more dramatic, particularly in Corrie where they go for reality rather than sensationalism. I just felt like I didn't want to stay in a show where there was nowhere for the character to go. And I want to play a woman for once. I'm 22 now but Toyah is still a teenager."

That doesn't mean Georgia is going to follow the same route as other ex-soap stars, like Merseybeat newcomer Joanna Taylor, who walk straight into a role which relies more on their bodies than their acting skills. "I'm not gonna start getting my bits out. Don't get me wrong, as a viewer I love seeing sex on the telly. "But with soap stars being considered as celebrities rather than actresses they are sometimes taken advantage of in the ratings war. "They leave a soap and the first new show they're in they get their boobs out. And I hate it when young people leave soaps and say, 'I want to do films', as if it's the easiest thing in the world.

"I'm realistic, I just want to do something good. Some young soap stars get taken in by the glamour of it all and end up doing rubbish. "I want to judge everything on its merits - assuming I get offered something, of course. "And even if I don't get a flood of offers you won't catch me being a TV presenter or trying to make a pop record. That's a promise."

She's far too polite to name names, but you get the feeling Georgia doesn't think much of her fellow soap babes who think showing some flesh is the route to success. Though not a busty blonde bombshell, there's no denying she is a beautiful woman, far more so than the greasy spoon that Toyah works in allows her to be.

"I look back at pictures of Toyah and think, 'What did I look like?' "I've lost about two stone since I joined the Street. I wasn't on a faddy diet. I swam 50 lengths every day for four months and it just dropped off. People say it was puppy fat dropping off, but I prefer to take the credit and say I worked my arse off."

Georgia is not exactly a media whore. Hating champagne, she tends to shun showbiz parties in favour of a night in with Corrie girls, Samia Ghadie (Maria), Jenny McAlpine (Fiz) and Angela Lonsdale (Emma). They are who she will miss most. Even so, she says she'd love it if Toyah was killed off. Put the poor cow out of her misery.

"I'd love it if she was Richard Hillman's next victim," she says, referring to the show's serial killer. "I know what's going to happen but I can't say," she adds. "It's very dramatic. "Given that she leaves around Valentine's Day and she earlier let slip that Toyah's exit was to do with love, I reckon her old flame Spider might be involved.

Talking about it, Georgia loses her train of thought and instinctively lights up a cigarette. Second thoughts? "Nah, I'm good at sticking to a decision when I've made up my mind," she says. "I know this is what I have to do. Even if I fall flat on my arse."

It is a lot for a 22-year-old girl with a mortgage to give up. Georgia shares a two-bedroom flat with Mark and her two cats in Manchester. "I believe that everyone in this business should experience being a jobbing actor. I had to challenge myself," she says. "If I get no work I could handle tightening my belt." Besides, her dad Geoff, who is her financial adviser, has told her she's okay for money. "He has invested stuff for me, I don't really understand it."

Her hesitation prompts me to ask my cruellest question: So where do you see yourself in five years' time? Her reply is possibly the funniest thing I've heard a soap star say. "Doing panto!" she says.

Somehow I doubt it.

The Sunday Mirror August 11th 2002

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"I've always said I couldn't be in Corrie for 20 years and I'd know instinctively when to leave"

Five years ago the common as muck Battersbys came to live in Coronation Street - among them a sullen teenager called Toyah. Since then, Toyah, played by Georgia Taylor, has blossomed into a kind studious girl who has been through both her first love (Spider) and a vicious rape. But just last week, Georgia, who won Best Actress (sic) at the 2001 British Soap Awards, announced that she's quitting in January. Georgia, 22, lives in Manchester with her musician boyfriend Mark (left). Here, Sarah Molla puts your questions to her.

Why are you leaving Coronation Street next year? Micheal Reece, Southampton

I've always said I couldn't see myself being on Corrie for 20 years and that I'd know instinctively when to leave. I am sad, but I've made some wonderful friends that I'll have for life - people such as Vicky Entwistle (Janice) and Samia Ghadie (Maria). I've had a great five years, but I'm looking forward to trying other things.

What was your best and worst moment on Corrie? Paul, via e-mail

My best and worst moment was our first press call as the Battersbys. I was wearing a tiny pair of hot pants and suddenly there were lots of photographers in front of me. I was terrified and had this look of rigid fear etched on to my face.

Are you luckier in love than poor Toyah? Neil Wood, Cambridge

I have been in a relationship for over two years now with Mark, a musician from Stoke. We met in a nightclub - it was instant lust for both of us. He was quite shy, so it was me who did most of the running, but he has a quiet confidence which has made me a lot more secure.

Have you kept in touch with Jane Danson who played your sister Leanne? Claire Hainsworth, via e-mail

We might not speak for a few months, but when we do it's like we've never been apart. I saw a lot of Jane when she was on A&E, which is filmed in Manchester.

You have lost a lot of weight since first joining the Street. What is your secret? Zoe Jones, Manchester

Everyone assumes it must have been puppy fat that just melted off me, but I worked my backside off to get thin. I stopped eating crisps, chocolate, chips and fried chicken, and started eating healthily and exercising. In two years I lost about two stone. I'm still working to keep it off.

How hard was it for you to do the rape scene? Kim Whitfield, Haydock

There wasn't a rape scene as such. It was the aftermath of the attack I dealt with and, as an actress, I enjoyed it. It was the most dramatic and thought-provoking thing I've had to do. I went to the St Mary's Crisis Centre in Manchester and they talked me through what would have happened had I been raped. Being there, it all hit home and I burst into tears. We filmed Toyah's examination scenes in those rooms and it felt eerie and emotional.

What is your most disgusting habit? Lizzie Howard, via e-mail

I'm always chewing my lips and biting my nails. I also burp a lot - not ladylike discreet ones, but big, manly frog burps.

What were you like at school? Lisa Parker, via e-mail

I was painfully shy until I discovered drama at 11. It was the first thing I had really enjoyed at school and it gave me confidence.

Where would you like to be in five year's time? Beryl Cassidy, Nottingham

I'd love to do comedy, drama, costume dramas, theatre, everything and anything. Personally, I'd like to have children by then. I'm so broody - recently I turned to Mark and said, "If we don't get some cats I'll end up having a baby!" So we've got two kittens - Hari and Bo. Good job too, because it has made me realise I'm not yet equipped for motherhood.

When was the last time you felt really angry? Karen, via e-mail

I rarely lose my temper. Mark is even more laid back than me and I don't think we've ever had a row.

If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? Harry G Gray, via e-mail

I'd sit in on a top secret Corrie storyline meeting because I'd love to hear what they've got planned. Knowledge is power!

The Daily Mirror Look Magazine August 10th 2002

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Toyah won't be Killed Off.

WILD child star Georgia Taylor last night stunned Corrie chiefs by quitting the show. The 22-year-old babe is going because she feels "limited" with her options since winning a British Soap Award for her portrayal of Toyah Battersby's rape ordeal.

A friend said: "That was the absolute pinnacle of her short career - but how on earth do you beat that?" 

Toyah will NOT be killed off - leaving the Rovers door ajar for her to nip back for a swift half.

Georgia, who has been in Corrie for five years, also wants to spend more time with her boyfriend, rock musician Mark Eyden.

She said: "I have had the most amazing time here. I've made wonderful friends that I know I will have for life. But it's time to try other things."

A boss at the show's makers Granada said: "Nobody wants to see her go."

Daily Star July 31st 2002

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Georgia To Pursue New Acting Roles

Coronation Street actress Georgia Taylor is quitting the soap. The 22-year-old has played Toyah Battersby for five years. She will leave the series in January next year. Taylor's current contract ends in October but she has agreed to extend it by three months to give scriptwriters time to devise "an explosive storyline" for her departure, said a Corrie spokeswoman.

Taylor said: "I have had the most amazing time working on Coronation Street but the time has come to move on and try my hand at other things. "I have made some wonderful friends that I know I will have for life. I will be sad to leave but I am very excited about the future."

Wigan-born Georgia scooped the best dramatic performance award in the 2001 Soap Awards for her portrayal of teenage rape victim Toyah. She is now keen to pursue new acting roles.

Coronation Street producer Kieran Roberts said: "Georgia Taylor has been a huge asset to the show during her five years here. "She is a talented young actress and we will be sorry to see her go but we totally understand her decision to move on and we wish her every success for the future."

Annanova July 30th 2002

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When I Grow Up Georgia Taylor, Coronation Street Aged about 10, I wanted to be either an actor or an artist. I did GCSE art and got an 'A', but that was about as far as I took it. I went through lots of different phases when I was young though. I wanted to be a vet, but that didn't last very long. And then I went through a stage of wanting to be a lawyer. However that was only because I thought I'd make loads of money. It was very superficial, I just wanted to be a lawyer so I could buy myself a big house! All About Soap August 2002

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Truly Madly Depply Georgia talks about her lasting crush Schoolgirl crushes usually fade with time but Corrie's Georgia Taylor admits there is one teen idol who still holds a place in her heart. "I have to admit I've been in love with Johnny Depp since I was 10," blushes the actress, who plays Weatherfield's Toyah Battersby. "He's my one crush that has just lasted and lasted. I've always liked the fact that he picks really quirky and unusual roles. I loved him in the movies What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Edward Scissorhands. In fact, I fancied him even more with the white make-up! Maybe I've got a secret goth thing going on!" All About Soap July 2002

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The Sunday Mail joins the cast of Corrie as romance blooms in Blackpool

THEY say there's nothing like a bit of sun, sea and sand to perk up your love life... just ask Toyah Battersby. For Coronation Street's sulky student has found true love after a whirlwind holiday romance in Blackpool. And if Toyah - played by Georgia Taylor - likes her men tall, dark and handsome, she couldn't have chosen any better. She's swept off her feet by Goran Milanovich, a smouldering Croatian barman who turns out to be an illegal immigrant.

Never mind the waves crashing against the rocks along Blackpool's famous Golden Mile. The mysterious Goran - actor Matt Zarb - is so smitten with blonde bombshell Toyah he goes down on one knee on the beach and proposes marriage. The Sunday Mail was the only newspaper invited on set when Corrie decamped to the holiday haven to film their latest storyline.

I met Georgia and Matt in between takes to get the lowdown on how love blossomed in the shadow of Blackpool Tower. Landing a part on ITV's No.1 soap is Matt's first big break as an actor. He only left drama school 12 months ago and won the role because of his Eastern European looks. "My father is Maltese, my mother is Welsh, plus I've got a Yugoslavian name so they thought I was perfect for the part," joked Matt.

I've heard of method acting, but Matt's inspiration for his role came from a very unlikely source. He studied tapes of another famous Goran - Croatian tennis star Ivanisevic, who won the Wimbledon title in 2001. "I watched videos of Goran's television interview after he won at Wimbledon and it helped me to nail the accent. It's a very flat accent - halfway between Italian and Russian," said Matt. "I hope I've managed to make Goran sound authentic."

Goran's appearance in Corrie marks the start of a Mills and Boon-style romance for Toyah. Georgia told me: "Goran catches her eye one day and Toyah thinks, 'Ooh, he looks nice'. Later, they bump into each other in an amusement arcade and really connect." Matt added: "Goran is a Croatian student who comes to Britain to find work, believing he is going to make his fortune. But he winds up working for 2 pounds an hour as a barman in Blackpool. "At first he thinks maybe he could use Toyah as a means to getting a British passport. But Goran really does fall in love. Things turn out quite heartbreaking in the end."

So, do the waves literally crash against the rocks for Toyah and Goran? "Do you know what, they don't," said Georgia, aghast. "Toyah is absolutely gutted about that. They get very close, but she doesn't get his kit off." 

The actress won many new admirers for her impressive performance last year when Toyah was raped by one-time pal Phil Simmonds. She is glad Toyah is getting a bit of happiness back into her life. Georgia said: "This storyline is good for me because for the last 18 months I've been going into work and playing a character who's become a shadow of her former self. "It's nice to see Toyah have fun again."

Telly newcomer Matt is just delighted to have joined the legendary Coronation Street cast. He said: "When we filmed the scenes on the beach there were lots of members of the public watching us. I tried to put the fact that there was probably another 13 million viewers who were also going to be watching completely out of my mind. The cast and crew click so well and they've really made me welcome."

So does Toyah take the plunge and say, "I do?" Sorry, I've agreed not to reveal the plot. You'll have to tune in to next week's Corrie to find out.

The Sunday Mail 5/5/02

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Toyah's holiday romance turns to true love when she receives a proposal.

When Toyah Battersby gets an invite from her mate Maria to join her on holiday in Blackpool, the Weatherfield student jumps at the chance. And the trip provides more than just a bit of fun in the sun - Toyah meets the man of her dreams and gets a proposal too!

"A holiday is exactly what Toyah needs," smiles Georgia Taylor, who plays her. "The past couple of years have been fairly grim for her and having a laugh with people her own age will do her the world of good. She's not going in search of romance at all, she just wants a bit of a girlie break with Maria, meeting a man is the last thing on her mind. Her romance with Sam Kingston was a bit of a non-starter and since Spider there hasn't really been anyone special at all."

Despite not looking for love, on 17th May Toyah finds it! "She's hardly been in Blackpool for two minutes when Toyah first lays eyes on Goran," laughs Georgia. "He's a Croation lad who works in the campsite bar and it's pretty much love at first sight. Their eyes meet across a crowded caravan park - very romantic! Then they bump into each other in town and she finds that he is everything she likes in a man.

"Toyah is enthralled by his life story. They have very different backgrounds, she's only ever lived in Manchester whereas he has grown up in a war-torn country. Goran's a photographer too so he's creative and very much a thinker, which she finds inspiring. Toyah always tries to better herself and she is desperate to learn more, so the fact he's unusual and interesting really captures her."

But the course of true love never runs smoothly and without a visa Goran reveals to her that after the summer he may have to return home to Croatia. "Toyah's gutted to think that she may lose the perfect man, just as she's found him," says Georgia. "It's the old same story for her, she's starting to think she's never going to find happiness with a bloke."

The future looks bleak until, on 22 May, Goran presents Toyah with the perfect plan - they'll get married. "Toyah's completely shocked when Goran proposes to her. She doesn't take him seriously at first but then she realises he's not joking. She asks him if she can think about it before responding because obviously this is a huge decision. She hasn't known him very long, but there has been a real meeting of minds between them. Her heart is saying yes but her head is telling her to think about it properly.

"If Toyah agreed to marry Goran then she could escape Weatherfield and leave all her bad memories behind. But it's so soon and she's still trying to finish her degree. She knows she is in love with him but doesn't know whether she should agree to marriage so quickly."

Slightly more sceptical about the whirlwind romance, Maria is quick to point out the obvious to her pal -surely Goran is only asking Toyah to marry him so he can stay in the country? "Toyah doesn't even consider that this might be behind Goran's proposal," says Georgia. "She's in denial though, she doesn't want to confront him and be told that a visa is the only reason he wants to be with her - she would be shattered. She realises it may have something to do with it but she hopes also Goran genuinely loves her. He's not the kind of guy who would ask this just so he could remain in the country. He really believes this is the perfect solution, not only could he stay in England, he could also be with the girl he loves."

So will we see another Weatherfield wedding or will sense prevail and stop Toyah getting swept of her feet? I can't tell you what Toyah's answer will be," says Georgia. "It would be really interesting for the pair to marry. Can you imagine how the rest of the Street would react?"

All About Soap May 1st 2002

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Eighties punk star gave The Street permission to call one of the Battersbys after her - but every time she hears it on TV she wishes she hadn't.

ACTRESS and singer Toyah Willcox admits she hates her Coronation Street namesake Toyah Battersby - and wishes she'd never given the soap permission to use it.

Weatherfield's Toyah, played by Georgia Taylor, arrived on the Street in 1997 as part of the family-from-hell Battersby clan. Since the character was born in 1982, when Toyah Willcox's pop career was at its height, producers asked the singer if they could name the young girl after her.

At first she was honoured - the unusual name comes from a Red Indian-named town in Texas.
Now the 43-year-old ex-punk admits: "I hate it. I'll be reading a book by myself with the telly on and I'll suddenly hear someone yell: 'Toyah' and I'll jump out of my seat. "They asked my permission, but I'm not sure I should have let it happen.

"My name is my luckiest token and I've sort of given it away - now anyone watching Corrie could call their children it and I prefer it's uniqueness." Her mother, Barbara, found the name in a book in the late Fifties when Toyah was born.

Toyah admits: "The strangest thing is after she told me that, I looked the town up in a map - and right next to it is the Willcox Mountains. She never knew. "That's why I know my name is special and helped me get where I am today."

Daily Record, February 1st 2002

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As the chubby teen in Coronation Street's family from hell, fame came early to Georgia Taylor - but now she tells Francine Cohen, she's feeling upbeat about her looks and her love life.

FOUR YEARS AGO Toyah Battersby leapt into the public soap consciousness as the youngest member of the dire Battersby family in Coronation Street - all dirty blonde hair in bunches, skirts up her bum and an attitude that was lippy and loud. In that four years, Toyah has lost her virginity in the back of a car to a lad called "Dobber", turned vegetarian, eco warrior and latter-day student, been kidnapped, raped, and undergone an HIV test as the result of the rape. Recently, she's watched her parents split up and her mother's lover killed. She's emerged as the one member of the Battersbys who is sensible, sensitive, mature and forward thinking. Now's she's facing a tug-of-love tussle when her nice but simple boyfriend, Sam, asks her to marry him.

For Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah, it's meant accolades like winning the Royal Television Society's Best Actress award and being voted Best Actress at the Manchester Evening News Awards, both last year. This made a hat trick following her winning the British Soap Award for Most Dramatic Performance last May. "I was totally gobsmacked. Going up on stage was hideous and horrible and I hated it. But, afterwards, I was really chuffed. I didn't even think I would be up for anything.

I recalled meeting Georgia in her first few weeks of filming on the Street. I remember her as nervous, slightly shy, a little chubby, almost sullen and monosyllabic. She was just 17 and this was her first major acting role. She'd left St Peter's High School in Wigan with 11 GCSEs and was at Winstanley Sixth Form College taking her A-levels when the call came from Granada for her to join the Battersbys, then hyped the worst family in Soap. She had already appeared alongside Darren Day in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, but nothing had prepared her for a part in Coronation Street, a show she'd watched since she was a small child. At the time she said to me, "It's completely overwhelming. It's taken some time to register."

Four years on, sitting on easy chairs in the rehearsal room in Stage One at Granada Studios in Manchester, where Coronation Street is filmed, she doesn't remember our first meeting. But then the past four years have been a whirlwind for Georgia.

She's now 21, a petite size eight, and quietly pretty with a slick brunette haircut. She's dressed simply in jeans and a T-shirt, wearing little make-up and her skin is fresh and clear. All trace of the gauche teenager has gone. She's confident but not brassy, trusting, almost vulnerable. Her face is slightly old-fashioned without the knowingness of some of her contemporaries. This is no soap babe. You could imagine her in a big-production costume drama, the innocent girl wronged by the world and wicked men.

I wondered if going through what can be hormonally turbulent teens in the public eye had taken its toll? "I think at the time I was not aware of how things were affecting me," she says. "I was in such a bubble. I was so naive and excited, I just got on with it. Superficial things like my appearance did bother me, but I couldn't completely blame this industry for that. I was fairly obsessed with how I looked anyway. I think most women are.

"I started my first diet at the age of 12 and was on and off diets for as long as I can remember. My mum's always been on diets as well and I was aware of her and her friends counting calories. She never pressurised me and was always positive about how I looked. But I put the pressure on myself. Then there is the added pressure of being on TV because it doesn't necessarily make you look your best."

A couple of years ago, Georgia shed her inherent puppy fat by taking up swimming and following a healthy balanced diet. "I'm not naturally tiny. I've had to work quite hard to do it," she now says.

Compared to other young people in soaps, though, she says she sometimes feels inadequate. "In a normal environment there would be a wide range of people of all ages, shapes and sizes. You go to something like the Soap Awards and everyone is breathtaking. I can put a nice frock on, do my hair and make-up and feel quite positive and good about myself. But then you get there and see all the young beautiful girls who are obviously there to make an impression. You put yourself in that environment and you feel inadequate, very average. It's a very alien experience. It make you feel a bit plain sometimes.

Georgia actually looked anything but plain at last year's Soap Awards in a silk floor-length chocolate-brown gown she'd bought in New York. Indeed, compared to some of the other soap starlets, whose dresses were more off-the-shoulder smiles, she looked positively classy.

She cites her lowest moments as when she was first in the show. Speaking in a measured way, she says, "I'd been in the show a few months and hadn't had a boyfriend for a while. Not that I focus everything on having a relationship but I was feeling low, living out of suitcases in hotels and also it is important when you're 17 or 18 to have a boyfriend, all that peer pressure. I was so gullible. I dated a lot of people who only dated me because I was in the show. Anyone who showed me a bit of affection or compliments, I would cling to. I definitely dated a few dodgy people who were superficial and used me, not sexually, but made me feel a certain way. It suddenly dawned on me: 'They're here for the ride.'"

Sensible, mature Georgia, who has had a pension scheme and a mortgage since she was 19, now almost laughs at her own naivety. "I almost want to shout at myself because I can't believe I was that pathetic. I wouldn't do it now. Now I can spot someone like that a mile off. I see the warning signs and am totally clued up."

She met her current boyfriend, Mark Eyden, 21, a singer and guitarist with the pop band Marlo, two years ago in a nightclub. They now share her flat in Manchester. "I haven't been single that much since I've been in the show, but just before I met Mark I was single and enjoying it. I had no real desire to meet anybody - so ironically I did. He brings a sense of stability and normality into my life."

Is marriage a desirable option? "I would like to get married but not for a while. In today's age it's acceptable to live with someone without getting married and still be solid. But I'd love to have kids - I'm really maternal. However, I've got no intentions for years and years, but one day I would love to be a mum."

She likes living in Manchester and can't imagine moving. "My friends are here and I feel comfortable going out in Manchester. You don't get bothered so much because people are used to seeing Coronation Street actors as it's filmed here."

She grew up in Billinge, near Wigan. Her father, Geoff, is a financial advisor and her mother, Caroline, a housewife. She has a younger brother, David, who is currently in his gap year. "I'm very close to my family, especially my brother."

At two, she went to ballet classes and always wanted to perform. Her grandmother would visit on Thursdays and young Georgia would put on little shows for her. Unlike Corrie's Toyah, whose early teens involved petty thieving and general rabble-rousing, Georgia was almost a perfect teenager. "When I was about two or three, I was an ideal child. Even at 14, I wasn't really bad," she giggles. "I came home once with my nose pierced even though Mum and Dad said I couldn't have it done. I got into indie music and started buying clothes and staying out later. I never had big problems though and I've always had a very good relationship with my parents. I'm a daddy's girl, even my Mum says that. I've got a great relationship with Mum though. We're very open and can talk about sex or anything. She's very open-minded and loves to sit up and have a drink and a gossip."

Georgia, like her character Toyah, has been on a gradual learning curve. Throughout our conversation the need to learn or want to learn were constant themes. She says, "I've been to the Corrie School of acting, how lucky! I have learnt and watched but I can still do a scene with Barbara Knox [Rita] and feel like I've just joined. Sometimes I'll want to go to my dressing room after a scene and just want to kick myself because I get frustrated if I feel I haven't done the scene justice. One director, Tony Prescott, always says to me, 'Don't be so hard on yourself.' I think I could be more positive, but I'll always want to learn and never get complacent and know I'm not perfect."

We part with hugs and kisses. "I feel like I've been on The Oprah Winfrey Show," she jokes. But you know that she's hoping she's passed another test in this interview and that this was another opportunity for her to learn something new.

Daily Express Saturday magazine, February 2nd 2002

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Its the End of the Road for Sam and Toyah

Sam the stripper will be sobbing into his leather thong when girlfriend Toyah finally gives him the push. After all, he has been in love with her for ages and has been following her around Coronation Street like a lovesick puppy.

He has held Toyah's hand throughout all her crises with parents Janice and Les, he has wiped away all her tears and been an all-round hunky shoulder to cry on. He took care of her after she was raped and even beat off a challenge from old boyfriend Spider when he returned to try and win her back.

So when Sam books a romantic break for the two to Ibiza as a Valentine's surprise, an ungrateful Toyah tells him she doesn't want to go. "It's like it always is - threat them mean, keep them keen," says Scott Wright, who plays the put-upon garage mechanic, "Sam does too much for Toyah. He jumps every time she says so."

But his romantic gesture proves to be the final straw for Toyah who realises she has to call off their romance. She turns to Corrie's relationship guru Ken Barlow (the man who's had more women than Sam's had pints in the Rovers) for advice. And Ken tells her to tell Sam the truth - that she's not interested. But poor old Sam doesn't know what's hit him.

"He's very hurt because he really cared about Toyah," says Scott. "It takes him a while to come round to the fact that she doesn't want him and he gets a bit desperate." So desperate, in fact, that rather than skulk off to lick his wounds, he asks her to marry him.

Toyah is stunned that Sam thinks she would walk up the aisle with him - particularly after she has dumped him. So in the end she's forced to spell it out to lovesick Sam that it's over for good.

Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah, admits the writing was on the wall for the couple almost as soon as their relationship started - but poor Sam didn't see it. "There's always been a doubt in Toyah's mind as to how she feels about Sam", she says. "She knew she could grow to love him but there would never be the passion there she wanted. Sam has always been very supportive of her - he's her rock - but she knows he's not the love of her life."

And Scott admits that when Sam finally faces up to his shattered hopes, he realises that he's better off without her. Rather than blame himself for it all going wrong, the penny drops - Toyah's been using him to prop her up through hard times even though she knew their relationship was going nowhere.

Scott says, "When he finally gets to grip with it he realises it's not his fault, it's hers. She's not the right girl for him. "I think Toyah's just had too much going on in her life. Also she thinks she's too bright for him but Sam's not thick, he's just quite naive.

"She has taken out all her insecurities and anxieties on him and has leaned on him but I don't think she's aware of it. I think she has been going through one of those times when she has no idea what she really wants."

So the Street's other sexy singletons better watch out. Sam the stripper is ready to flex his muscles...

Woman's Own Magazine January 28 2002

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Sam's been wearing his heart on his sleeve for months but actor Scott Wright reckons Toyah's about to meet her match...

Sam and Toyah aren't exactly a match made in heaven, are they?

They could be, but I just think Toyah has got too much going on in her life. Maybe she thinks she's too bright for Sam, but he isn't thick. He's naive and sweet, but does also have some deeper moments.

Does Sam believe Toyah loves him?

Yes, I think he does. His philosophy is to make her happy and help her. He doesn't ask for much in return, but I think in a relationship people should give as well as take.

Is Sam simply too nice?

I don't think you can be too nice for your own good. It's just about him meeting someone who isn't going to take advantage of the fact he's a good bloke.

Toyah doesn't seem to take Sam seriously, does she?

No. He's really nice to her and she just takes advantage of it. I think she wants him to be a match for her and not just jump when she says so.

Do you think Sam has become a bit of a doormat?

Definitely,  but with good reason. Because of the rape and everything Toyah's been through, she's taken out all her insecurities and anxieties on him. Doormat aside, I think Sam's more secure than she is and that's why he's been able to throw himself into the relationship and commit himself. Also, he sees her as a victim and he wants to make her better.

But Sam does begin to stand up for himself, doesn't he?

Yes, when he finally gets a grip of himself. He gets a bit desperate when she keeps pushing him away and ends up doing something a bit rash. But then he realises that it's not his fault that things go wrong, but hers.

Is Sam, then, tougher than he appears?

Yes. For example, when Martin accused him of seeing Sarah he didn't just stand there and take it. Also, he does eventually decide to tell Toyah exactly what he thinks.

Do you think their relationship could be something more?

Sam would like it to be. He's not into playing the field. But Toyah doesn't seem to know what she wants out of the relationship. She just uses Sam as a way to get through a difficult patch, as someone to lean on. I don't think she knows what she's doing.

Who'd be Sam's ideal woman?

He should go for a really kind-hearted girl, like Betty Williams or Hayley Cropper!

Toyah's put-downs aside, Sam's had some sexy moments. Has strippergram Sam gone down well with the fans?

Yes, I've had lots of lovely mail... I've also had a lot of jockstraps sent to me!

Soaplife Magazine, January 2002 (picture enlarges when clicked)

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Stars of the Year - Georgia Taylor

In April, Toyah Battersby made Coronation Street history as the victim of a sex attack. How did the actress playing her handle it?

You've had quite a year. What was it like to win Best Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards?

It was a huge shock. I had absolutely no assumptions that I was going to win. When they announced it I felt sick. Vicky [Enthwistle, who plays Toyah's mum] got quite emotional and that set me off. It was a good hour or so until I got the chance to ring my mum. She said she'd already seen the results on Teletext.

What was your initial reaction to the rape plotline?

I'd heard rumours that Toyah was going to be attacked but I didn't know it was going to be sexual. At first it was a mixture of excitement - I don't mean that to sound insensitive - and nerves. It was the first time Corrie had done this and I thought, I really can't mess up.

Have you had much feedback from viewers?

I did get a couple of letters from people who've been through similar things saying, "It helped me, it made me realise I could talk to people," but I felt I'm just a girl who's playing at it; I've not been there. But, if they got something from it, what a bonus.

Has Toyah's plotline put Corrie back on the map?

To a degree. Of course, it's not down to me personally, the standard of everyone in the show is great. Obviously you do get a lot of publicity but that's not why it was done.

What do you do in your spare time? Did you go to the Harry Potter premiere?

No, because I was working. It's a shame but all the big things like that are on Sundays in London and we work at weekends.

Who did you want to win Big Brother - Helen or Brian?

Helen. I thought she was the most real - she just captured the nation's heart. All the Corrie girls were saying how much we'd love to take her out around Manchester.

Outside work, what's been your highlight of the year?

In Bridget Jones's Diary she says it's very rare that your private life and work life are both doing well, but they are. My boyfriend Mark is really great and I've just had a new kitchen put in my flat.

Heat Magazine Review of 2001, December 2001 (picture enlarges when clicked)

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