Danny Baldwin

Danny Baldwin is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by actor and TV presenter Bradley Walsh, who went on to portray the main character in Law & Order: UK. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 31 May 2004 and remained until his departure on 31 December 2006.

Creation and development

In an interview with Chris Evans on OFI Sunday on 11 December 2005, Bradley Walsh revealed that the character was originally to have been called Vic Baldwin, but that he asked the producers if the name could be changed to that of his own father, who had recently died.

In September 2010, Bradley Walsh revealed that he may reprise his role as Danny Baldwin on Coronation Street in the future. Walsh told Holy Soap: "If the time was right for them and Danny Baldwin needs to go back, and the time is right for me where I've actually got some time to do it. Because you can't just go in and do one, two or three weeks - you have to really put your mind to it. The scripts come four months in advance, so the timing has to be absolutely right. It's a bit like the alignment of the moon and the stars to get it right. So if that came about somewhere later down the line, I would love to go back, of course. It was a fantastic show and a great character."^[1]

Storylines

Danny moves to Weatherfield to help his uncle Mike (Johnny Briggs) with his business. Not long after his wife Frankie (Debra Stephenson), who had previously cheated on him, arrives as she wants to give their marriage another chance. They are soon joined by Danny's sons, Warren (Danny Young) and Jamie (Rupert Hill). Unaware of Frankie's intentions, Danny has a brief fling with Sunita Parekh (Shobna Gulati) shortly after his arrival but Sunita does not know he is married and is very hurt when Frankie arrives. The Baldwins then rent Number 7 from Blanche Hunt (Maggie Jones).^[2]

In 2005, Danny's father, Harry dies, and his mother, Viv, (Patricia Brake), comes to stay and reveals to Mike and Danny a secret she had kept since his birth. Mike is Danny's biological father, the product of an affair she had with Mike. Danny's Uncle Harry had brought him up believing him to be his own son.

Danny embarks on a passionate affair with Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), his son Jamie's girlfriend. When this is finally revealed, Jamie is heartbroken. Frankie throws Danny out and he moves in with Leanne.

Mike becomes ill with Alzheimers Disease. Danny is initially determined to use Mike's illness to gain control of the factory and Mike's other assets and manages to get power of attorney but as his condition deteriorates, Danny's emotions get the better of him and he is genuinely upset at the decline of his father. Mike's death in April 2006, hits Danny hard. Leanne, now engaged to Danny, finds a more recent will amongst Mike's belongings in which he leaves everything to his youngest son, Adam (Sam Robertson). Leanne uses the will to blackmail Danny, demanding £100,000 and leaves Weatherfield after Danny throws her out. Danny continues to try to reconcile with Frankie and nearly succeeds but is shocked and appalled to discover that Frankie is having an affair with Jamie. Danny goes on a downard spiral, sells his share of the factory to Paul Connor (Sean Gallagher) who had already bought Adam's share, and leaves Weatherfield. He is last seen with a beautiful woman on his arm, ringing Jamie to wish him Happy New Year

References

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