'Love the programme just not the iffy accents...' said another. As the transgender cafe worker Hayley Cropper, Hesmondhalgh proved that she had talent to burn but, after 17 years in one role, it was hard to see her doing anything else. So often in TV drama, rape victims are young and glamorous, their feelings never allowed to be fully articulated by prurient scriptwriters. The episode had 9.7 million viewers, which was the show's highest figure in almost a year. This caused arguments with husband Roy, however he eventually accepted his wife's decision. She's easily as versatile, and in her strong character studies, probably easier to cast. Since then, she has proved her versatility, most notably in Cucumber, Russell T Davies’s underrated Channel 4 series about a gay man trying to make sense of being middle aged and suddenly single in modern Manchester. She plays Trish Winterman, a rape victim whose attack is the focal point of the third and final series of Chris Chibnall’s drama. In episode one of the third and final series, which attracted an audience of 7.5 million, detectives Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller (David Tennant and Olivia Colman) were called out to bring a woman reporting a rape to the police station. The remainder of series two focused on the reopening of the Sandbrook case, which Alec Hardy had worked on before coming to the town of Broadchurch. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. "The decision to hang up Hayley's red anorak was a tough one, but doing the play at the Royal Exchange last year made me realise that there's life in the old dog yet, and that there are other things I want to try.". Why we are drawn to the most unlikely and ordinary documentary stars, Joanna Lumley interview: 'We forget how frightening all this bad news is for older people', Strictly Come Dancing 2020 launch show: 12 pro-celebrity pairs unveiled, including first same-sex couple, ‘I escaped a modern sex cult after spending eight years as their slave’, 10 burning questions for a Covid-safe Strictly. Julie said that fans reached out to her during the final series of the crime drama, and reflected on Coronation Street's male suicide storyline, which saw Aidan Connor tragically take his own life. Writers and producers met with sexual abuse charities and the show depicts police officers dealing with reports of rape effectively and sympathetically - in contrast to widespread fears - which Julie believes is important and might help rape victims have the courage to come forward. The series returned on Monday February 27 at 9pm to ITV, and continues every week at 9.00pm. It’s not one that screams “Give me a Bafta”, it’s muted but gut-wrenching, powerful in the subtlest of ways with much being achieved by a perfectly crafted pause or a faltering statement. According to Rape Crisis UK, approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men are raped in England and Wales alone every year, which equates to roughly 11 rapes every hour. The tense plot and impeccable performances have already earned Broadchurch glowing reviews just two episodes in - but fans of the series are less than impressed with some of the Dorset accents. 11 times that soaps have changed real lives, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. This video content is no longer available, To watch The Telegraph's latest video content please visit, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Julie was born in Church, Accrington, Lancashire in February 1970. View our online Press Pack. ', Viewers expressed their concern over the 'degrading treatment' of Trish, with one dubbing it 'utter claptrap', The 47-year-old soap star's transition to serious drama has been a success already, Viewers noted that she was pushed to give an interview before she was ready and questioned by a rape support victim in a busy cafe within earshot of other people, Despite the praise she received on Twitter tonight, speaking on Woman's Hour ahead of Monday night's show, Julie expressed her surprise at landing the role. Broadchurch is the name of the fictional, small coastal town where the series is set. Let's play Strictly bingo: 8 things that are bound to happen in this year's series. Another wrote: 'Police pushing for rape victim's ABE [achieving best evidence interview] before she's ready because it's in the police's best interest. Hayley Cropper's Corrie exit was one of the most talked about soap exits of its time. As his sister, Cleo, Hesmondhalgh showed comic timing and a fair amount of fight as she tried to protect her children from the invasive sexuality of the internet age. And this is not the first time Julie has spoken out after depicting a woman facing one of the hardest dilemmas in life. Julie plays the character of Trish Winterman - the victim of a sexual assault being investigated by Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller. Julie Hesmondhalgh has been praised for her role as rape victim Trish Winterman, pictured, in Broadchurch but viewers were left alarmed at the way her character was treated by police Julie added that she hopes Coronation Street's storyline encourages conversation. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Julie plays the role of Trish in Broadchurch, Julie was awarded for Hayley's exit story line from the street, DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller return for the third and final series, find the person who viciously sexually attacked her, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Michelle Keegan returns to Corrie after 6 years away as cast film Xmas episodes, 21million Brits to be under Tier 3 or 'circuit-breaker' lockdowns in weeks, Helen Flanagan shows off growing baby bump in glam dress for lunch in Manchester, Mum, 18, charged with killing baby daughter 'left her home alone for six days', Baby's head torn from its body and fell on floor during botched pregnancy, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. We would encourage anyone who identifies with Aidan's story to reach out. The actress says we're so used to seeing rape being portrayed as an act of desire. After graduating she was part of the ... 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