On Friday, April 19 Coronation Street will welcome back a character who hasn’t been seen on the ITV show since 2022. Welsh actress Kimberly Hart-Simpson returns to the show as Nicky Wheatley, a love interest of Daniel Barlow.
In June 2020 Nicky was introduced after Daniel tragically lost his wife Sinead to cancer. In an attempt to get Daniel out the house, his nephew Adam Barlow encouraged him to go to a drinks reception for solicitors, which is where he met Nicky.
The pair formed a connection but Daniel didn’t realise that Nicky was a sex worker, so was shocked when she asked about payment. He stormed off, but days later he changed his mind and called Nicky and met her in a hotel room. It was here that he opened up to her about Sinead’s death.
READ MORE: The Apprentice winner Rachel Woolford's gym - what it's really like and how much it costs
READ MORE: Strictly’s Vito Coppola shares sweet Ellie Leach update ahead of new venture
Daniel continued to see Nicky and it was revealed that he was paying her to dress in Sinead’s clothes. After he discovered she was a sex worker, Adam told Nicky to stay away from Daniel, and she demanded that he paid her to do so. Nicky later came back to see Daniel, and they decided to be proper friends, with no payment involved.
The pair ended up sleeping together but Nicky overheard Daniel telling Kirk Sutherland that he’d never replace Sinead with "some sex worker", leaving her devastated. Following this Nicky was attacked by another customer, which resulted in her and Daniel making up. Want less ads? Download WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android
Daniel gave Nicky £5,000 to make a new life for her and her daughter, and take a job at her aunt’s B&B. She left the cobbles shortly after, but first gave him back some of the money to spend on his son Bertie.
Nicky was last seen on-screen in 2022 when she applied to be a teaching assistant at Daniel’s school. Her return caused tension between Daniel and his then girlfriend Daisy Midgeley, who was jealous of the pair’s relationship. Nicky got offered the job, and she and Daniel began working closely to organise a school trip to Edinburgh. Daisy found out that Nicky used to be a sex worker, and so did Max Turner, who shared old images of her with his friends – and Nicky was subsequently fired from her job.
Nicky was later honest with Daniel about her feelings for him, but he turned her down, saying he was in love with Daisy. She moved out soon after and left the Street, saying that she was going to Spain to look after her friend’s house for a few months.
Nicky's return to Coronation Street is just one of the storylines going on. Elsewhere concern continues for Roy Cropper, who has been charged for the murder of Lauren Bolton - but fans aren't exactly thrilled with that story.
Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX. You can keep up to date with the latest TV and showbiz news by signing up to the newsletter here.
