Coronation Street actress Georgia Taylor has played Toyah Battersby on the ITV soap for 25 years, but many fans had no idea that Georgia was not her real name

Coronation Street icon Georgia Taylor has left fans gobsmacked after they found out her real name.

The star, known for her role as Toyah Battersby on the beloved ITV soap, became a household name when she arrived in 1997 as part of the infamous Battersby family, including her screen sister Leanne, played by Jane Danson.

Over the years, Toyah has been at the centre of some jaw-dropping plots; from her harrowing rape ordeal to coping with the heartbreaking loss of her hubby Imran Habeeb, actor Charlie De Melo – drama seems to follow her wherever she goes on the cobbles.

It’s been a particularly gruelling year for Toyah who dealt with an ovarian cancer diagnosis while grappling with Leanne entangled in cult chaos. Amidst it all, sparks flew between her and Leanne’s other half, Nick Tilsey (Ben Price), leading to a sneaky romance that blew up into scandalous Weatherfield showdowns.

But just when you thought things couldn’t get more intense, the plot took another twist: Leanne turned the tables by trying to pin everything on Toyah and Nick – though, they managed to clear their names.

Now, as Toyah and Nick keep the flame alive, spiralling Leanne is another story. Off-screen, fans have recently stumbled upon a stunner – Toyah portrayer Georgia Taylor isn’t really Georgia at all!

On a dedicated Corrie fan page on Facebook, snaps of the actress were shared with the caption: “Georgia Taylor, born Claire Marie Jackson, best known for playing Toyah.”, reports Leicestershire Live.

Georgia’s real name has shocked fans(Image: ITV)

This nugget of trivia has Corrie devotees’ jaws dropping, with one fan posting: “Wait Georgia Taylor’s real name is Claire? Mind blown.” Fans were left gobsmacked after discovering that their beloved star’s name isn’t actually Georgia. One fan confessed on social media: “I’ve been a fan for years and had no idea her name wasn’t Georgia lol.” Another was equally surprised, chiming in with: “That’s new information to me as well.”

In a candid chat with the Mirror back in 2021, Georgia spilled the beans on her real name, saying: “It’s not that I planned this to happen. But when I started with Coronation Street I had to register with Equity, the actors’ union, and at the time there seemed to be a hell of a lot of Claires so I had to think of something else.

“I couldn’t tell you where I got Georgia from, other than I liked it, but my grandad’s surname was Taylor and he passed away not long before I got the part.

“As a teenager, I didn’t really think the consequences through of opting for a completely different name, but it’s meant there’s been quite a bit of confusion over the years. At this point, I’ll pretty much answer to anything!”

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX