Coronation Street’s Georgia Taylor, famed for her role as Toyah Battersby, has split from fellow soap actor Charlie de Melo after a two-year romance. The couple, who have a nine-year age difference, had previously confirmed their relationship following Georgia’s move on from ex-partner and Casualty star Mark Letheren.
Despite starting their relationship in late 2022, they parted ways months ago but have remained close friends. They celebrated the last Christmas apart, with Georgia joining friends and co-stars, while Charlie, known for his role as Imran Habeeb on the cobbles, has been seen in Disney’s Rivals and Doctor Who.
Georgia, who was in a 14-year relationship with Mark, was originally named Claire Jackson before adopting her stage name for her Corrie debut.
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Charlie went public with their relationship in July 2023 by posting photos from a Blur concert at Wembley Arena with Georgia
A source told The Sun: “Georgia and Charlie are no longer a couple, but they remain friends who care about each other deeply. They have lots of happy memories together, but are both really focused on work at the moment and looking forward to the future, there are no hard feelings.”
Since they went public with their relationship in 2023 the pair have often featured on each other’s Instagram accounts. Fans might be surprised to learn that Georgia initially used a pseudonym, changing from Claire Jackson to her now well-known screen name when she first appeared on the Manchester-based show, reports the Mirror.
“It’s not that I planned this to happen”, she confided to The Mirror, “but when I started with Coronation Street I had to register with Equity, the actors’ union, and at the time there seemed to be a hell of a lot of Claires so I had to think of something else.”
She then revealed: “I couldn’t tell you where I got Georgia from, other than I liked it, but my grandad’s surname was Taylor and he passed away not long before I got the part. As a teenager I didn’t really think the consequences through of opting for a completely different name, but it’s meant there’s been quite a bit of confusion over the years. At this point I’ll pretty much answer to anything! ” Georgia Taylor won the Best Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards in 2001 for her portrayal of Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street. Taylor departed the soap in 2003 before joining Casualty as Ruth Winters in 2007.
She has since revisited her role on the cobbles and became entangled in an on-screen romance with Imran Habeeb, competing with her on-screen sister Leanne Battersby. After starring as Junior Crown Prosecutor Kate Barker on Law and Order: UK from 2013 to 2014, Taylor made a permanent return to Coronation Street in 2016.