Sarah-Louise Grimshaw

Infobox soap character
color =#F0E68C
series = Coronation Street
name = Sarah-Louise Grimshaw


caption = Sarah Louise Grimshaw (Platt, Tilsley)
first = 28 January 1987
last = 30 December 2007
residence = Milan
born = Bda|1987|1|28|df=y
years = 1987–2007
parents = Brian Tilsley
Gail Platt
Martin Platt (adoptive)
siblings = Nick Tilsley
David Platt (halfbrother)
spouse= Jason Grimshaw (2007—)
romances = Neil Ferns
Aiden Critchley
Todd Grimshaw
Scooter Makuna
children = Bethany Platt
Billy Platt
grandparents = Bert Tilsley
Ted Page
Ivy Brennan
Audrey Roberts
aunts/uncles = Stephen Reid
occupation = Hairdresser
portrayer = Leah King (1987)
Lynsay King (1987–1999)
Tina O'Brien (1999–2007)

Sarah-Louise Grimshaw (nèe Tilsley; previously Platt) is a fictional character on the UK soap opera "Coronation Street". She was last played by Tina O'Brien, although two other actresses have also portrayed her.

Tina O'Brien arrived on the show in 1999, replacing Lyndsey King, who had played the character from 1987, as a baby, until she was twelve, sharing it with her twin sister, Leah. In May 1987, Leah passed away from cot death. Tina O'Brien took the torch from Lyndsey King when she was 16, playing the character who was still only 12 at the time. Sarah was quite a feminine, gossiping character and very close to her family. She also has a nasty streak, which became evident when she 'stole' Jason Grimshaw from his then girlfriend Violet Wilson. She left the street in December 2007, with her daughter Bethany. Sarah's voice was heard on 4 January 2008 when she left a message on the Grimshaws' answering machine. She was also heard on 6 January 2008, leaving another message on the Grimshaws' answering machine asking Jason to join her and Bethany in Milan.

Background and storylines

Sarah, previously informally known as Sarah-Lou, is the only daughter of Brian Tilsley and Gail Tilsley. Questions were raised on whether or not Brian was Sarah's real father and, at the time, it was quite a scandal. When Brian found out Gail was having an affair with his cousin he told her to have an abortion, which she refused point blank, and for a time baby Sarah was rejected by Brian and, until he found out he was in fact her real father, he kept his distance and even refused to visit the baby in the hospital when she was born prematurely.Even after a blood test reveled he was Sarah's father he still wanted nothing to do with the baby and it was only after he kidnapped her brother Nick that he decided to reconcille with Gail. He was murdered just two weeks after her second birthday, and she was adopted by her beloved stepfather Martin. Sarah always acknowledged Martin as her father, even though she always called him by his first name.

Teenage pregnancy

When it came to men, Sarah was always very unlucky. In February 2000, just after her 13th birthday, Sarah found out she was pregnant. Her daughter Bethany was born four months later. The father, Neil Ferns, had no interest in Bethany, and remained an "absent father". However, in late 2003, after his death in a car crash Bethany's paternal grandmother, Brenda Ferns, re-established contact after Sarah took Bethany to Neil's funeral. This nearly led to Bethany's death, as Brenda planned to commit suicide with Bethany, fearing that Bethany was being brought up in a house of sin; Emily Bishop however found them in time and saved them.

Car crash

During autumn of 2002, Sarah went through a rebellious stage and dumped her sensible boyfriend Todd Grimshaw and started dating bad-boy Aiden Critchley who was also dating her best friend, Candice. Then one night when her mother and Richard were on holiday, Sarah told her grandmother she was going to see her friend - but she was really going to see Aiden. He was driving her neighbour's (Ken Barlow's) car and took her on a high-speed joyride, deliberately speeding past speed cameras in order to add more points on Ken's licence and ultimately cause him to be banned from driving.

However, Sarah quickly lost interest in Aiden's dangerous adventure, and tried to get out of the moving car, causing Aiden to have a near fatal crash. Sarah narrowly survived the car crash that left her in a coma with serious head injuries, with the accident causing her to realise just how much Bethany meant to her. Sarah ended her relationship with Aiden after this and was disgusted by the fact that he had left her to die in the car wreckage.. A month later, Sarah and Bethany narrowly survived when Hillman drove them, along with Gail and David (all of them bound and gagged), into a canal. Richard drowned, but the others survived. Aiden was cleared of the murder and released from custody, but has never been seen or heard from since.

Relationship with Todd Grimshaw

Sarah rekindled her relationship with Todd Grimshaw in the early months of 2003 after refusing his advances for months and, to the horror of her mother, became pregnant once again in late 2003 at the age of 16 to her mother's horror. She was unsure at first about whether or not she was going to go through with the pregnancy but with Todd's persistence she agreed. Todd seemed dead set on making it work for him and Sarah and even dropped out of school in order to spend more time with Sarah and the baby. For this reason amongst others [Sarah sleeping with Jason to spite Todd] , Sarah found herself an enemy in Eileen Grimshaw. Sarah left home to live with Todd and had a falling out with her mother after she reported them to Social Services for child neglect. Against the wishes of their families they got engaged and Sarah and her mother were finally reconciled. Unfortunately, in an unforeseen twist, Todd was wrestling against his homosexual feelings and started an affair with a man behind Sarah's back.

Sarah refused to listen to her brother Nick's advice that Todd was gay after Todd made a pass at him and after Todd confessed to her, a very hurt and devastated Sarah moved back home where she went into premature labor in May 2004, losing the baby, Billy, soon after. Sarah blamed Todd for Billy's death and it was before her marriage to Todd's brother Jason that they finally called a truce and promised to get over the past. In August 2004 she got her revenge by sleeping with Todd's brother which led her to be alienated by her best friend who had an on/off relationship with Jason and everyone around her for a short time and it also led to Todd's departure from Weatherfield.

After Todd

Sarah then began dating Asian skip man, Scooter Makuna, for a brief time in 2005 before setting her sights on old conquest Jason Grimshaw, despite the fact that Jason was already going out with Violet Wilson. Sarah revealed her darker side as she stole Jason without a thought for Violet. The two became engaged in March 2006 but just like Sarah's first engagement to Todd Grimshaw their families opposed the marriage. However just as everyone had started to accept the marriage, Jason got cold feet on their wedding day sending a heart-broken and humiliated Sarah a text message at the altar, calling it off.

Reconciliation with Jason

Soon after Sarah was left at the altar, Jason returned to the street claiming he had made a big mistake but Sarah declared their relationship to be well and truly over. He even put posters all over the street declaring his undying love for her. However, Sarah began to warm to Jason again, and they began seeing each other once more.

When Jason suddenly found out he had a baby daughter Holly on Christmas Day 2006 from a supposed one night stand a year previously, he told Sarah that he wanted nothing to do with the child. This angered Sarah as she felt that he was acting how Neil Fearns had acted when she had Bethany. He began to see that he could use Holly to get closer to Sarah, and Sarah said that they, meaning Jason, Sarah, Bethany and Holly could be a family. She was shocked to discover that Jason is not Holly's biological father and that Charlie Stubbs is the little girl's real dad. The Grimshaw's have since given up custody of Holly, relinquishing Holly to her Mother..

After going on holiday together with her daughter Bethany, Jason and Sarah returned refreshed and announced to her mother Gail in July 2007 that they were engaged again. She then later asked Maria Sutherland if she would be her maid of honour again.

On 17 September 2007, David was looking after Bethany, who was not at school due to a gas leak. David went outside to chat with Darryl. When he came back he realized Bethany had swallowed an ecstasy tablet which David had hidden for Darryl inside her doll. Bethany started to slow down and became drowsy within minutes. David made her vomit by drinking salt water to clear her system. Sarah returned and noticed that Bethany was feeling unwell and thought it was a bug. David became increasingly anxious and started to panic. Bethany had a seizure, and David called an ambulance. At the hospital the doctors battled to save her but didn't know exactly what was wrong with her. David eventually confessed to a horrified Jason that she had swallowed Ecstasy. Jason then told the rest of the Platt's, who were mortified. That episode ended with David sitting at home by himself sobbing.

David planned ways to ruin Sarah's wedding to Jason starting with inviting Todd to it and Jason's stag night. This plan didn't work as Sarah and Todd decided to call a truce, leaving David miserable.

The Wedding Day and departure

On 31 October 2007, Sarah and Jason were to marry again. However Sarah's brother David Platt was true to his suicide note and drove his car into the canal.

The police, who had already been informed of his disappearance, turned up at the church during the vows to tell the distraught mother Gail Platt and the family, that the son's car had been seen driving into the canal by an on-looker.

However, Jason and Sarah went ahead with their wedding, believing it to be another one of David's hoaxes. However when it was revealed that, in fact it was David's car, Sarah and the remaining Platt family waited at home for news. The doorbell rang and as Sarah answered it, she was greeted by a sodden David. He was alive, and planning more evil.

Sarah got back at David by planting Ecstacy she had bought from a customer she was serving at Vallendros. She planted the drug in David's drawer in the salon, which Audrey later discovered. Audrey told Gail who notified Stephen. Stephen decided that perhaps David should not go to Milan as he could not behave. Scheming Sarah revealed in delight when she was offered the opportunity to go to Milan along with Jason and Bethany. Sarah deliberately wound up David about the job and her new life in Milan.

On 30 December 2007, Sarah and Jason set off to Milan with Bethany. At Piccadilly station Sarah told Jason about her planting David with drugs and was proud that she had done so. Jason was disgusted and walked away leaving Sarah to fly to Milan alone with Bethany. He then returned to № 8 and told Gail and David about Sarah's confession. David demanded an apology from Gail and Jason left.

Meanwhile, at the airport, Sarah was waiting for the plane the announcer called her Jason and Bethany to the plane as it was ready to leave. She was last seen walking to the plane and to her new life. Sarah has been mentioned various times after this date and has been heard on an answerphone. She has also been criticised for going and not replying to messages. Jason visited her and Beth, in an attempt to patch up their marriage, but Sarah found out about Jason sleeping with Becky, and declared their marriage was over.

Gail temporarily left the street to visit Sarah and the others in June 2008, but Gail returned to the street in July.

Sarah and Jason are set to reconcilate later this year, after dumping Becky, Jason sets off to Milan to live with Sarah. [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a129214/corrie-prepares-for-dramatic-fight-scene.html] However, it was later revealed by Gail Sarah had got back with her ex.

Possible return

On 18 March 2008 it was reported that Tina O'Brien is considering returning to "Coronation Street" just three months after leaving the soap. The actress bowed out last December, when her character Sarah Platt was seen leaving Weatherfield for a new life in Italy. However, she struggled to find work following her appearance in a Christmas pantomime with Johnny Briggs, and is now open to the possibility of returning to the ITV1 soap. [ [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a91839/obrien-to-make-gradual-return-to-corrie.html O'Brien to make 'gradual return' to Corrie?] at Digital Spy]

References