Former Coronation Street star Victoria Entwistle who played Janice Battersby, looks unrecognisable 13 years after leaving the cobbles following a 14-year stint in the soap
Thirteen years since her departure from Coronation Street, Victoria Entwistle, famed for her role as the no-nonsense factory worker Janice Battersby, has fans stunned with a dramatic transformation leaving her almost unrecognisable.
The now-56 year old actress spent an impressive 14 years on the cobbles portraying the iconic character alongside her screen husband Les Battersby, his daughter Leanne, and Janice’s daughter Toyah – earning their reputation as the “family from hell” when they first appeared in 1997. Les and Janice’s tumultuous relationship, filled with drama and love, became a staple for viewers. But in the storyline, she eventually left Les (played by Bruce Jones) for his mate Dennis Stringer, while Les moved on swiftly, shacking up with barmaid Cilla Brown, her son Chesney, and their cherished dog Schmeichel, reports the Irish Mirror.
The Battersby family were iconic on Coronation Street (Image: PA Archive/PA Photos)
Following various romantic entanglements, Janice ultimately met Trevor Dean, and though things were bumpy initially, friendship blossomed. A year later, in a surprising twist, when Trevor told her he was embarking on a world trip, an unemployed Janice made the spontaneous decision to join him, leading to Vicky’s last appearance on Coronation Street in 2011. Since then, the startling change in her appearance has left supporters gobsmacked. Transitioning from her trademark glamorous blonde curls to a stylish, edgy shortcut, she exhibits a chic new look.
The soap legend has also been captured enjoying the simple pleasures of life, like walking along the beach, cherishing her time post-ITV’s hit soap. Vicky made quite the splash with her dramatic transformation, shedding three stone and dropping from a size 16 to a trim size six. She even unveiled her very own fitness DVD, Vicky’s WOW! Weight Off Workout, back in 2006.
But after getting fed up with the trials of acting post-Corrie life and seemingly endless auditions that went without recognition, Vicky voiced out on Twitter about contemplating retirement: “Just had a few Zoom auditions. Half of me thinks I’m lucky.. the other half thinks.. any feedback cocky bs! ! ” “It’s just cost me £80 in petrol. Most of the time they don’t even acknowledge you even turned up! ! The respect has flown from this industry! I gonna retire!” she said.
Although she took a step back, Vicky hasn’t entirely left the limelight. She shone on the West End as Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables in 2013, enjoyed a stint in Celebrity Big Brother alongside Bruce Jones, and turned up in Father Brown and Ackley Bridge, not to mention her Holby City appearance in 2019. Janice’s absence from Coronation Street has been felt, and though Vicky no longer tunes in, we wonder if we might see her once more on those famous cobbles. Could a comeback be on the cards?
