Sian Powers
Encyclopedia
Sian Powers is a fictional character on the UK soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

 Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...

, portrayed by actress Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Louise Parkinson is a British actress best known for playing Sian Powers in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street from January 2009 onwards. Her character will leave the show in January 2012.-Career:...

. Sian was introduced as a love interest for Sophie Webster
Sophie Webster
Sophie Lauren Webster is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed by actress Brooke Vincent, after previously being portrayed by both Ashleigh Middleton and Emma Woodward. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode...

 (Brooke Vincent
Brooke Vincent
Brooke Levi Vincent is an actress in the British soap opera Coronation Street. She joined the soap in 2004, taking over from Emma Woodward in the role of Sophie Webster.- Career :...

). Sian joined the cast of Coronation Street alongside Ben Richardson (Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Leon Laviscount is a British actor and socialite and perhaps best known for his portrayal of Jonah Kirby on popular BBC One drama Waterloo Road. He is also widely known for appearing on Celebrity Big Brother 2011,...

) in early 2009 as Sophie's schoolmates. They soon form a new group of teenagers along with Ryan Connor
Ryan Connor
Ryan Connor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Ben Thompson, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 30 August 2006...

 (Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson (actor)
Ben Thompson is an English actor best known for his role as Ryan Connor in the British soap opera Coronation Street. Raised in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, Thompson made his screen debut when he appeared in the 2002...

). Sian and girlfriend Sophie are Coronation Street's first lesbian couple. It was announced on 29 May 2011 that Parkinson had quit her role as Sian in order to pursue other roles and will depart in 2012.

Sian arrives and starts dating Ryan Connor but later broke up with him. Sian's father attacks Ryan after finding out he slept with his daughter. She later grows feelings for Sophie and the pair then kiss, realising they are both lesbian.

Storylines

Sian arrives on Coronation Street and she and her schoolmate Ryan start dating. They decide to consummate their relationship, but his mother Michelle Connor
Michelle Connor
Michelle Sinéad Connor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Kym Marsh, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 3 April 2006...

 (Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh
Kimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside...

) gets in the way. Sian's father Vinnie Powers (Ian Dunn) subsequently attacks Ryan after he finds condoms in her bag and accuses Ryan of sleeping with his daughter. Ryan tries to kiss Sophie, Sian's friend but Ryan lies to Sian that Sophie kissed him first. She later realises Sophie is telling the truth. She goes to see Sophie, they have a heart felt conversation. Sophie kisses Sian, this makes her shocked and confused and she leaves. The next morning Sian travels to her mother's home, to put distance between her and Sophie. Sophie finds her, Sian tells her they cannot be friends. Sian returns to confront Sophie. Sian develops an attraction for Sophie, and misses her. Both girls talk through their mixed up emotions, things become clear; then Sian kisses Sophie. They now decide to be together, going out, as a couple; but in secret.

Sian starts having stomach pains and Sophie accuses Sian of faking an illness in order to avoid going to the prom. Sian collapses screaming in pain due to a ruptured appendix. She recovers with Sophie by her side. Ryan spots Sian kissing Sophie and feels disgusted. Sian goes to see Ryan explaining that she is confused, but thinks she is in love with Sophie. She begs Ryan to keep quiet about her relationship with Sophie. Ryan reluctantly agrees to Sian's request. Sophie and Sian sneak off to a festival together, Sally finds out and stops them from seeing each other. They continue to see each other in secret. Sian comes up with a plan for them to spend time together, they start to attend choir practise weekly. At Roy
Roy Cropper
Royston "Roy" Cropper, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor David Neilson, the character was introduced during the episode airing on 19 July 1995. Originally a secondary character, he was given a more prominent role in 1997, by the...

 (David Neilson
David Neilson
David Neilson is an English actor best known for portraying Roy Cropper in Coronation Street from 1995 onwards....

) and Hayley Cropper
Hayley Cropper
Hayley Anne Cropper is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...

's (Julie Hesmondhalgh
Julie Hesmondhalgh
Julie Hesmondhalgh is an English actress.Hesmondhalgh was born in Accrington, Lancashire. As a teenager, she was moderately interested in acting, but wished to become a social worker. She applied to drama school to be with her friends, and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art...

) wedding day Sophie gets into an argument with Claire Peacock
Claire Peacock
Claire Peacock , is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Julia Haworth, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 9 April 2003, as the new nanny of established character Ashley Peacock's son Joshua...

 (Julia Haworth
Julia Haworth
Julia Louise Haworth is an English actress best known as Claire Peacock on ITV's Coronation Street, a role she has played since 2003...

), who is suspected of child abuse after Aadi Alahan (Zennon Ditchett) suffers a head injury, she is forced to reveal that Sian and Sophie were minding the children at the time of the incident. In the heat of the moment she also blurts out the truth about them being lesbians, as she had seen them kiss but kept it to herself.

They reveal to Rosie Webster
Rosie Webster
Rosie Webster is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 24 December 1990. Originally portrayed by actress Emma Collinge from her birth until December 1999, the character has since been...

 (Helen Flanagan
Helen Flanagan
Helen Joyce Flanagan is a British actress best known for playing Rosie Webster in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.Flanagan has played Rosie Webster in Coronation Street since 2000, when she was ten years old....

) that they face homophobia at college. Rosie makes Sophie's discreet gathering into a raucous party with the girls from her work. Sophie and Sian are caught kissing when their pastor comes in to wish Sophie a happy birthday. The next day the Pastor Michaels (Chris Grahamson) comes round to Sophie's home so he can speak to them about their relationship. He reads from the Bible and tells them that their relationship is sinful. Infuriated by this, Sian speaks angrily about how ridiculously outdated he sounds. When they attend choir practise, the pastor makes it clear they aren't welcome and with a final remark, she and Sophie leave the church and find a new one. Sian and Sophie sleep together for the first time. They sleep together again but Sally catches them and is furious. They go and stay with Eileen Grimshaw
Eileen Grimshaw
Eileen Grimshaw, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Sue Cleaver, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 3 May 2000....

 (Sue Cleaver
Sue Cleaver
Sue Cleaver is an English actress. She is best known for her regular role in Coronation Street.She studied at the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre and her first television appearance was a small part in an episode of A Touch of Frost...

) to give Sally time to cool down. They have a troubled month as Sophie is going through a hard time. Sian leaves to go on holiday to Tangiers, resulting in some tension after Sian returned home with plans to move back in with her mother. Although Sophie initially felt jealous and neglected, after she accidentally fell off a church roof, she and Sian reconciled while Sophie was in hospital, Sian also encouraging the Websters to recognise the negative impact that their recent actions were having on Sophie.

The two volunteer at a charity kitchen for the homeless but Sophie is ripped off by James Cunningham (James Roache
James Roache
James Roache is a British actor and is perhaps best known for his roles in Coronation Street as Ken Barlow's long-lost grandson James, or as his father William Roache in BBC drama The Road to Coronation Street....

). Sian goes on holiday to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 with her mother and Sophie kisses Amber Kalirai
Amber Kalirai
Amber Kalirai is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Nikki Patel, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 9 November 2005. In May 2011 it was announced that Patel had returned to filming and Amber appeared again from 11 July...

 (Nikki Patel
Nikki Patel
Nikki Patel is a British actress. She is best known as the character Amber Kalirai in Coronation Street. Some may also recognise her from the BBC hit drama Waterloo Road, where she played Shazia...

) while she's away. Sian Powers returns to Weatherfield early from her holiday in France. Sophie Webster is surprised to see Sian; and is feeling guilty for kissing Amber Kalirai on a girls night out the previous evening. Later that afternoon, Sophie tells Sian that her life without her is worthless, and empty, and that she wants to marry Sian sometime soon. Sian is very happy by this proposal.

Casting

It was announced on 15 December 2008, that actress Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Louise Parkinson is a British actress best known for playing Sian Powers in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street from January 2009 onwards. Her character will leave the show in January 2012.-Career:...

 has been cast as Sian alongside Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Leon Laviscount is a British actor and socialite and perhaps best known for his portrayal of Jonah Kirby on popular BBC One drama Waterloo Road. He is also widely known for appearing on Celebrity Big Brother 2011,...

. They were both introduced as schoolmates of Sophie Webster
Sophie Webster
Sophie Lauren Webster is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed by actress Brooke Vincent, after previously being portrayed by both Ashleigh Middleton and Emma Woodward. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode...

 (Brooke Vincent
Brooke Vincent
Brooke Levi Vincent is an actress in the British soap opera Coronation Street. She joined the soap in 2004, taking over from Emma Woodward in the role of Sophie Webster.- Career :...

). A Corrie insider told the Daily Star
Daily Star
The Daily Star is a popular daily tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom. It first published on 2 November 1978, and was the first new national paper to be launched since the Daily Worker in 1930...

: "Brooke is an amazing actress and the introduction of two characters her own age will give the writers free rein to come up with some fantastic plots for her. Being so young means there’s a limit to what Sophie can get up to - but now she has her own gang there's more scope for juicier storylines. It's great for Brooke, too, because she knows both Lucien and Sacha from her college and acting classes". They added: "It will give her an added boost to have her mates around her".

Storyline development

Parkin said she is honoured to play a lesbian character in such an iconic soap. She told Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....

: "When they first told us we were just excited and nervous to be honest," Parkinson said. "It was just an honour that they trusted us with it, and that it was going to be such a huge thing. We were very aware that there were a lot of people involved in the storyline," Vincent added. "So many people - all working hard, all giving 110% - who would really be relying on us to do it well". Speaking of the future of her character, Parkinson added: "Everybody expected it not to last, and now that it has lasted this long, they've been pleasantly shocked. It's not going to be a straightforward relationship - no relationship ever is - and they have their ups and downs. It's a love story and that's what we've tried for from the start, rather than just making it a phase".

After she found out that she was to have a wedding, Parkinson said she was "very excited" for the scenes. Parkinson told Celebs on Sunday of the storyline: "Sophie proposes because she's confused by the feelings she's having for Amber. She decides the one thing that will keep her and Sian together is if they get married. But their parents aren't exactly on board, so it looks like things aren't going to go very smoothly. I'm not sure what's going to happen after that, but I've heard there's a big wedding in a church with two wedding dresses just in time for Christmas. I'm so excited!"

In an interview with Digital Spy in April 2010, Brooke Vincent and Parkinson were asked how they found out about the storyline. Vincent said: "They called me and Sacha into a meeting with Kim [Crowther] the producer. I'd heard about this storyline they were going to have for me - I don't know where I got it from and it's probably me that gave them the idea opening my big mouth! Then they got me and my mum in and told us about the whole chastity one first and Kim said, 'Then we find out that Sophie's not in love with Ben, she's in love with Sian!' My stomach just turned with nerves - it was more shock than anything". Parkinson also commented: "When I first got told, I was laughing because I didn't believe it! I'd heard a rumour but when I went in, they told me it was happening! It was a shock that I'd been given the chance to take on such a big story but I was just excited. Brooke and I were told together, so we were both nervous and worried about making sure we pulled it off. I feel fortunate to have been given this opportunity".

Departure (2012)

It was announced on 29 May 2011 that four characters had been axed from Coronation Street. Cheryl Gray
Cheryl Gray
Cheryl Gray may refer to;*Cheryl A. Gray Evans, American politician who represented District 5 in the Louisiana Senate prior to her resignation in 2009...

 (Holly Quin-Ankrah), Russ Gray (Finton Flynn), Chris Gray (Will Thorp
Will Thorp
Will Thorp is an English actor.-Early life:Living in Frome as a youngster, Thorp attended a Catholic college in near-by Trowbridge, Wiltshire. He studied at Bath College and joined Musical Youth Theatre Company at an early age. Thorp was also a member of the National Youth Theatre...

) and Parkinson decided to leave the show shortly after these axes and would leave the soap in 2012. Sian has also been tipped for heartache before her departure as The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....

claims that Sophie is to embark on a new relationship with Dev Alahan
Dev Alahan
Devendra 'Dev' Alahan is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Jimmi Harkishin, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 10 November 1999.-Character development:...

's daughter Amber Kalirai
Amber Kalirai
Amber Kalirai is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Nikki Patel, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 9 November 2005. In May 2011 it was announced that Patel had returned to filming and Amber appeared again from 11 July...

 (Nikki Patel
Nikki Patel
Nikki Patel is a British actress. She is best known as the character Amber Kalirai in Coronation Street. Some may also recognise her from the BBC hit drama Waterloo Road, where she played Shazia...

). Parkinson said that she was sad, but excited for her final storyline. Parkinson told PA of her forthcoming departure: "I'm very sad but I'm very excited. I'm in two minds, I don't know whether I'll regret my decision or not but as it's come closer I know it's what I need to do. But it's a sad place to leave because everyone's like a family and everyone's so close". She added: "But I only live round the corner so I'll be popping in every day".

Reception

The Sophie and Sian romantic lesbian storyline has intrigued the viewing audience of Coronation Street. In a poll taken by Inside Soap in autumn 2010, the two girls came top of the poll: 44% of the polls respondents wanted Sophie and Sian married in 2011 in a (white) wedding storyline.

In April 2010, Sian's lesbian storyline received positive feedback from the After Ellen website, detailing news, reviews & commentary on lesbian and bisexual women in entertainment and the media. Praising the way the sensitive storyline was handled they stated, 'so far the storyline has been written positively and without titillation and the actresses have played the characters with conviction. Actress Brooke Vincent
Brooke Vincent
Brooke Levi Vincent is an actress in the British soap opera Coronation Street. She joined the soap in 2004, taking over from Emma Woodward in the role of Sophie Webster.- Career :...

’s sorrow over Sian’s initial rejection was particularly touching. Sources tell us that their relationship will be a long-term commitment by the programme, which already has a long term gay male and long-term transgendered male-to-female character.'.

Brooke Vincent revealed that herself and Parkinson are just like sisters. She told Diva Magazine: "We used to cuddle up in the car," she said. "We'd pull up and get dropped off by my mum and I'd go upstairs and Brooke'd be downstairs sat in my mum's car being sarky like a 30-year-old woman". Vincent added: "We're like sisters. It's mad because when Sacha came onto Corrie we kind of realised why we'd been friends all them years ago. Because we didn't see each other for a bit, did we? We were on our way to KFC at dinner, before, and Sacha said, 'Will we still know each other when we're 30?' and I was like, 'It's mad, I hope so'".
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