Public backing has astonished Corrie’s Andrea

Corrie star Hayley Tamaddon hopes Andrea’s romantic woes could help others struggling in love.

This week sees Andrea’s double life exposed when Lloyd (Craig Charles) comes to terms with finding she’s already married.

It’s been emotional stuff but Hayley says the public’s backing has astonished her.

“They’ve been brilliant,” she confides. “There will be people out there in the real world who have been in this position themselves and know how things can spiral and come crashing down.

“I hope it might help people in some ways. It’s showing that if you’re not happy in yourself then you’re not in the right place and that honesty is the best way, even when it’s scary.”

Husband Neil begs Andrea to give him another chance tomorrow but she tells him it’s over. When he spots her with Steve he gets the wrong end of the stick and a confrontation sees Lloyd step in to say he’s actually the “other man” and that Andrea has been lying to them both.

“She’s absolutely devastated,” admits Hayley. “Andrea is very, very scared that she’s lost Lloyd. That’s really eating her up.

“There are a lot of tears and a lot of emotional moments between her and Lloyd.

“I think seeing Lloyd feel so betrayed by her is hurting her the most.

“She’s trying desperately to get him back. That’s Andrea’s priority.”

But she says Andrea is truly caught in the middle.

“She never wanted to hurt Neil either. He’s a good man and a big softie. Andrea was just tired of being lonely and him working away all the time.

“It wasn’t really a marriage. I think Andrea knew that he would hang around and beg her to give their marriage another go. She always knew he wouldn’t go quietly and he’d put up a fight for her.”

Hayley has become a viewers’ favourite since joining Corrie and signed an extended contract earlier this year. She also showed her fan appeal by reaching the latter stages of the final series of Dancing On Ice.

But while things couldn’t be tougher between Andrea and Lloyd, Hayley says it really is a barrel of laughs with Craig.

“He’s a great friend of mine,” she confides. “We have so much fun and a brother/sister relationship where we can have a laugh and mess around but also be serious as well. It’s great.”

So, could Andrea go from two loves to none?

“Yes. I think she certainly feels as though she’s got no chance of winning Lloyd back and she doesn’t want to go back to her marriage.”