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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Corrie Leanne actress' soap star husband who put career on hold for kids and tragic loss

Jane Danson isn't the only famous face in her family - as her husband is also a soap star.

The Coronation Street favourite first arrived on the cobbles in 1997 as part of the chaotic Battersby family, who were instantly dubbed the 'Neighbours from Hell'.

After leaving the ITV soap in 2000, Jane went onto play the first lesbian police officer in The Bill's history before going back to the role of Leanne in 2004.

While Jane is undoubtedly a soap legend, her husband Robert Beck has actually appeared in a greater number of them.

The couple met at the 1999 British Soap Awards when Robert, who had first shot to fame as Peter Harrison in Brookside, was playing Gavin Ferris in Emmerdale.

Rob previously revealed: "We met at the first ever Soap Awards back in 1999. I was in Emmerdale at the time. Jane came over and introduced herself."

What he didn't know at the time is that Jane had actually had a crush on him since she was 15-years-old.

Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwistle), Les Battersby (Bruce Jones), Leanne Tilsley (Jane Danson) and Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) (Granada Television)

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"I’m not the world’s most confident person but I’d had a crush on Rob since I was 15, so I thought, I have to speak to him, it’s fate," she said.

Peter, who went on to appear in Corrie, Waterloo Road and as several different characters in Doctors, started dating Jane quickly after their first meeting.

The couple got married in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire in 2005 - and their relationship has never hit a rocky patch.

"Rob’s absolutely my best friend in the world. We’ve only had about two rows in twenty years," revealed Jane.

"I’m not saying we don’t get on each other’s nerves sometimes but we’re a strong team and we’ve always allowed each other to be individuals."

The pair are proud parents to their two sons, Harry, 15, and Sam, 11, who visited the Corrie set and even started to think Ken Barlow actor Bill Roache was their grandfather.

Due to Jane's intense work schedule on Corrie, Robert decided to take time away from his acting career to look after the kids while they were young.

The pair met at the first ever Soap Awards back in 1999 (Corbis via Getty Images)
Robert with Anna Friel on Brookside (Channel 4)

"He is Daddy Day Care," a grinning Jane told The Mirror in 2010. "I'm lucky that Rob is an actor who has taken a sideways step for a while and put is career on hold because of the kids."

"He used to do a lot of touring and theatre but that's not ideal with two young children and the hours I do sometimes.

"So for the past couple of years, even though he is itching to work, he has put his career on the backburner.

"At the moment, dare I say it, I’m the one with the more secure job so it’s a no-brainer. But as an actor, you never lose that desire to get out there and do it. It’s great to have a partner who understands my job and gives me his opinion."

The couple were trying for a third child but Jane suffered a devastating miscarriage, which she bravely spoke about in 2016.

Heartbreakingly, it was at the same time that her character Leanne was going through her pregnancy storyline.

"I kind of feel in a good place to say it, but I actually did lose a baby a couple of years ago," she said in 2016. "So [Leanne's pregnancy] does make me quite sad.

"I've been asked the inevitable questions over and over, 'Would you have another baby?' and I just feel now it's a good time to say that it is close to my heart. But it's Leanne going through it, not me."

Jane received support from her family and castmates and felt she was "one of the lucky ones".

"It's fine because I've never talked about it, but I just feel that now it's a good time to say that it's something that Leanne has always wanted and I know how that feels but I'm very lucky," she went on.

"I've got two wonderful children so it is something that has been quite difficult, but at the same time I know how lucky I am."

In December 2018, Jane told OK! that she and Robert found out about the miscarriage at their three-month scan

"It was heartbreaking and it took us a long time to get over it – I don’t think you ever do," she told OK! magazine.

"There will always be that sadness there and there’ll always be that desire, but we’re getting older now and the boys are growing up. Sometimes you just have to appreciate what you have."

Jane has continued working on Corrie and been part of some major storylines over the years, while husband Robert joined the cast of a rival soap last year.

Rob joined the cast of Hollyoaks last year (Lime Pictures)

In March it was confirmed that the former Brookside actor would be playing Fergus Collins, the ex-boyfriend of Denise Welch's character Trish Minniver, on Hollyoaks.

Despite them both appearing in competing soaps now, Jane confirmed there wasn't too much "rivalry" in their home.

"He’s very much been in the soap world on and off for a while, so there’s always a little bit of banter and we go through each other’s lines," she said.

"We met both working on soaps so there’s a massive understanding there. He’s very, very pleased so fingers crossed."

As well as their two boys, Jane and Robert are also parents to an adorable fur baby.

In 2019, the couple visited Dogs Trust Manchester and adopted two-year-old Labrador Millie.

Jane gushed: "From the moment we met her we knew she would be perfect for us and she has settled in brilliantly. She is never happier than when playing with balls, a minimum of two, she loves running in the water in the park and she gives the best cuddles to the whole family."

Georgia and Jane started on the soap as teens (Granada Television)

Another person Jane is incredibly close with is her on-screen sister, Georgia Taylor, who returned as Toyah Battersby in 2016 after 13 years away from Weatherfield.

Georgia's husband Mark was in New York when she got the call from her agent to discuss coming back to Corrie, so she immediately phoned Jane to get her advice.

"Ever since we started together as Toyah and Leanne we’ve been best friends, so when I got that call I texted Jane straight away," said Georgia.

"She was in Center Parcs with her family, bless her, but she was amazing and after speaking to her and dealing with the whole thing over Skype with Mark, I said yes."

"And I’m so glad I did. It’s amazing being back and working with Jane has been brilliant. We film scenes together all day, and then we get home and speak to each other on the phone. She’s just the best person in the world."

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