Vanessa Hehir smiling at the Inside Soap awards and Esther looking worried in Coronation Street
Soaps

Coronation Street’s Esther and Mike plan to adopt Summer’s baby

Actress Vanessa has appeared in many popular TV shows

Coronation Street couple Esther and Mike Hargrave first appeared last month.

Billy had been counselling the couple, but after discovering Summer is pregnant, they planned to adopt the baby, giving Summer and her boyfriend Aaron money.

But who is Esther and who plays her?

Esther is married to Mike (Credit: ITV)

Coronation Street: Who is Esther Hargrave?

Last month Billy introduced Summer to couple Mike and Esther.

He explained Esther was planning to help out at the upcoming clothes swap at the community centre.

Summer offered to help Esther with the event

After Mike and Esther left, Billy told Summer he had been counselling the couple through a tough time.

Later Summer helped Esther with the clothes swap and she took her out to lunch with Mike, Billy and Paul to say thank you for her help.

However at the lunch it was revealed that Summer is pregnant.

Summer stormed out, upset at what had happened.

Esther came along to try and help her and explained she and Mike struggled to have children.

Later Esther and Mike said they would adopt the baby in return for money.

At first Summer wasn’t sure and planned to have an abortion.

Billy thought she had a termination but it turned out Summer was planning to secretly have the baby and let Mike and Esther adopt in return for money.

Summer sits on the sofa with Esther while Mike and Aaron look on in Corrie
Mike and Esther are planning to adopt Summer’s baby, but they don’t know she’s had a miscarriage (Credit: ITV)

Summer planned to use the money from Mike and Esther to put Aaron’s alcoholic dad Eric through rehab.

They were thrilled that Summer was going to let them adopt the baby and immediately transferred £10k.

Summer and Aaron used the money for Eric’s rehab.

They continued with their plan, but Mike and Esther said needed to say Mike was the baby’s father on the birth certificate in order to avoid suspicion from social services.

However after leaving rehab, Eric began drinking again and Summer suffered a miscarriage.

She still hasn’t told Mike and Esther about what happened as she plans to use more of their money to put Eric through rehab again.

Will she come clean?

Vanessa has been in many other TV shows (Credit: Grant Buchanan/FameFlynet.uk.com/SplashNews.com)

Who plays Esther in Coronation Street?

Esther is played by actress Vanessa Hehir.

Vanessa is also a screenwriter and an award-winning filmmaker.

She was born in 1981 and is originally from Manchester.

Vanessa is married to actor Leon Ockenden.

The couple married in 2010 and in 2014 they both appeared in Waterloo Road together.

They have one daughter.

Vanessa played Sue in Waterloo Road (Credit: BBC/YouTube/Waterloo Road)

Where have you seen Vanessa Hehir before?

Vanessa has appeared in many popular TV shows.

In 2001 she appeared in Heartbeat as a character called Gail Smethurst.

However in 2004 she returned to Heartbeat playing Rosie Cartwright and continued to play the role until 2007.

Waterloo Road fans may also recognise Vanessa from the BBC school drama where she played science teacher Sue Spark in series nine and 10.

Coronation Street isn’t the first soap Vanessa has appeared in.

Between 2010 and 2011 she played Nurse Summers in Emmerdale.

Nurse Summers is the nurse who looked after Jackson Walsh while he was in hospital following his accident.

Vanessa has also had roles in Holby City, Down to Earth, Grease Monkeys, Hustle, Stella, Unforgotten, Midsomer Murders, Hollyoaks, Doctors and The Dumping Ground.

She also played Esther in the 2010 film West is West.

Read more: Who is in the cast of Coronation Street 2022? Meet the full line-up

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Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.

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Charlotte Rodrigues
Soap Contributor
Charlotte Rodrigues joined Entertainment Daily in April 2018, as Audience Engagement Executive. A huge soap fan, Charlotte then became Senior Soap Writer, delivering the latest storylines and spoilers to our followers.