Coronation Street’s Nick and Leanne: The history of their relationship

Nick Tilsley and Leanne Battersby in Coronation Street rival Ken and Deirdre Barlow for the amount of times a soap couple have split up and got back together.

Their romance has gone from meeting as teens and defying their parents wishes to get married, to affairs, violence, baby drama and lots and lots of secrets.

Now they seem happy and settled as they are – running the Bistro together and caring for Nick’s son, Sam.

But is their romance the real deal ?

Here is the history of Nick and Leanne’s relationship from its beginning almost 30 years ago!

Young love!

Nick and Leanne first met when Nick (who was played by Adam Rickitt back then) returned from a stint living in Canada with his Uncle Stephen in 1997.

Yes, that Uncle Stephen! Obviously that was before he was a serial killer (at least, we think so!)

Nick fell for 16-year-old Leanne (Jane Danson) and lost his virginity to her, but Gail didn’t approve of the relationship (of course she didn’t!) so they kept things a secret.

Eloping!

Things intensified in only the way a teen relationship can, and Nick proposed to Leanne. They eloped to Gretna Green before breaking the news to a horrified Gail. They then rented a room off Ashley Peacocke at number 4 Coronation Street determined to prove their independence.

Leanne gave up her hairdressing course to work in Rita’s Kabin, while Nick was at college studying. During a lecture his father’s killer Darren Whateley did a talk about prison life and Nick, realising who the man was, wanted revenge.

When he found out Darren was due parole, Nick started writing to him in Leanne’s name. He mentioned this error of judgement when Sam was writing to Harvey – his mum’s murderer.

Darren was released and turned up to see Leanne. Nick arrived to rescue her in the nick of time and Darren was sent back to prison for breaking his parole conditions.

Falling apart

The strain on Nick and Leanne’s relationship was huge after the incident and so was the financial pressure – it turned out a wage from the Kabin wasn’t enough to pay their bills, so Nick started modelling for art teacher Miranda Peters.

Leanne suspected him of cheating and accused him as much in front of Miranda, and refused to attend his 18th birthday party.

However, when Nick was attacked by Leanne’s half-brother Greg Kelly, Leanne returned to Nick and told him she was pregnant.

Encouraged by Miranda, Nick demanded Leanne have an abortion and she reluctantly did so, but was upset when he told everyone she had lost their baby.

Moving on

Leanne told Nick she no longer loved him. He returned to Canada alone in 1999.

Nick came back in 2002 and started a relationship with Maria Connor (nee Sutherland – Samia Longchambon), and they moved to Canada together, but they didn’t work out and she returned alone.

Nick followed her back to Weatherfield in 2003 and was involved in the Street’s first gay kiss when sister Sarah Platt’s (Tina O’Brien) boyfriend Todd Grimshaw (Bruno Langley) kissed him.

Nick and Maria rekindled things, but when Leanne, who had departed the cobbles in 2000, returned in 2004 she decided to cause trouble – wanting revenge on Nick, and to punish Maria for sleeping with Leanne’s sister Toyah’s boyfriend.

Leanne lured Nick to her flat, took a picture of them together, and sent it to Maria, who dumped Nick. He departed once again for a job in Nottingham.

Return to Weatherfield

Nick (now played by Ben Price) returned in 2009 to stop Gail marrying Joe McIntyre, but Leanne was in a relationship with Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) at this point.

Peter and Leanne had been about to open a bar, but his alcoholism was a huge problem and Nick ended up taking over the premises under the viaduct and opening The Joinery, convincing Leanne to become his bar manager.

The Joinery opened in November 2010 and Leanne and Nick began an affair. But the tram crash in December 2010 saw Leanne marry Peter on his deathbed, only for him to survive.

Backwards and forwards

Leanne ended things with Nick, committed to her marriage, and nursed Peter through his rehabilitation.

However, Nick wasn’t happy and began trying to manipulate Peter into drinking again.

As Peter and Leanne planned a marriage blessing for February 14, 2011, Tracy discovered Nick’s affair with Leanne and told Peter. At the wedding, he revealed all and demanded a divorce.

Leanne decided to leave, but Ken persuaded Peter to give things another go and he caught her at the station, bringing her back to Weatherfield.

It wasn’t meant to be however, as Peter began an affair with Carla Connor (Alison King) and it ended his marriage to Leanne for good.

Still with us?!

Back together?

Leanne and Nick resumed their relationship in June 2012, but jealous Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley), who had been with Nick prior to this, set Nick up by suggesting he proposed to Leanne, knowing her half-sister would say no.

Although she did say no – just as Eva thought – Leanne soon realised she did love Nick and proposed to him in the Rovers.

They planned their wedding for Christmas Day 2012, but Peter and Carla returned to the Street a few days before, sparking old feelings for Leanne.

On the morning of her wedding to Nick, Leanne visited Peter, who had been left by Carla, and said she was prepared to give their relationship another go. But Carla reappeared and Leanne decided to marry Nick.

Spiteful Eva revealed the truth about why Leanne was late to her wedding during the ceremony, so Nick called the whole thing off and slept with his brother David’s wife, Kylie Platt (Paula Lane).

Who’s the daddy?

Leanne decided to leave, but her plans made Nick realise he loved her and he asked her to stay. They eventually married on January 11, 2013.

But Kylie soon found out she was pregnant and didn’t know who the daddy was.

Meanwhile, David (Jack P Shepherd) had found out about his wife’s one-night stand with his brother and was punishing Nick with a hate campaign.

Nick figured out who was behind it all, and confessed everything to David while they were in the car together, who impulsively undid Nick’s seat belt and grabbed the steering wheel, causing their van to crash into a truck.

The accident left Nick in a coma for nearly two months. When he woke up, he was brain damaged, but Kylie had given birth while he was in the coma, and when she showed him pictures of her daughter, Lily, Nick repeated “mine”.

Nick blackmailed David into taking a DNA test, which proved David was Lily’s dad.

However, the truth came out at Lily’s christening, including the fact that David had tried to kill Nick. Kylie dumped David, and Leanne left Nick.

’

’

’

’’’’

–

–

’

’