Stars of the ITV soap, both past and present, were quick to support Michelle as she welcomed a baby girl with her husband Mark Wright

Michelle Keegan has been flooded with messages after she announced the birth of her first child, with some of those from her former Coronation Street co-stars.

This week, the actress announced she had begun her biggest role to date as she became a mother to a sweet baby girl, Palma. Michelle welcomed her daughter on March 6, before announcing the news on social media on Wednesday (March 12).

Michelle and husband Mark Wright revealed the happy news alongside a black and white photo of the couple holding their newborn’s tiny hand on Instagram. They also confirmed her name as they wrote in the caption on Instagram: “Together we have a new love to share … Our little girl. Palma Elizabeth Wright… 06.03.25.”

Michelle, 37, and her presenter partner Mark – who married in 2015 – revealed in December 2024 that they were expecting a baby together.

At the time, they shared a photo of Michelle cradling her baby bump in a white outfit while her husband, also 37, walked towards her. Alongside a baby emoji, they wrote: “2025 is going to be a special one for us…”

After announcing their daughter’s arrival, Michelle’s former Corrie co-stars were among those to send their messages of love and congratulations.

Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow) said: “Congratulations.” Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) commented: “Congratulations. Welcome Palma.” Jane Danson (Leanne Battersy) shared: “Huge congratulations. It’s the best.”

(Image: Michelle Keegan Instagram)

Fellow former Corrie stars were also sharing comments. Angela Lonsdale (Emma Watts) replied: “Awe Darling Huge congratulations to you all x.” Hayley Tammadon (Andrea Beckett) said: “Congratulations lovely!” Nikki Sanderson (Candice Stowe) shared: “Congratulations.”

Lucy-Jo Hudson (Katy Harris) posted: “Beautiful name, and I can only imagine she is a little stunner. Congrats babe to you and mark.” Sacha Parkinson (Sian Powers) added: “Oh my goodness!! Congratulations guyss!”

While it’s been over 10 years since Michelle’s Corrie exit, she’s still very much part of history on the Cobbles, with her role of TIna McIntyre shooting her to fame.

Michelle grew up in Greater Manchester with her parents, Michael Keegan and Jackie Turner, and her younger brother Andrew. She attended St Patrick’s RC High School in Eccles and later the Manchester School of Acting, where fellow Coronation Street alumni Suranne Jones also studied.

But before landing the role in Weatherfield, Michelle’s first jobs included working at Selfridges in the Trafford Centre on a make-up counter, having worked at various stores from the age of 15 to 20, and at Manchester Airport as a check-in agent.

It wasn’t too long after that she was offered the part of Tina McIntyre in Corrie in only her second-ever audition in 2007. And, as we now know, she accepted the role, beating around 900 other people who auditioned, and made her debut on-screen in 2008.

Tina made her ITV soap debut when she had a chance encounter with David Platt while her character was visiting the Rosamund Street Medical Centre.

During an interview on stage in Manchester last year GLAMOUR’s Empowerment Summit, Michelle was asked if there was anyone in particular she supported as a young actress. “Everyone, but there’s a story I always tell about Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt – she’s a legend, by the way,” Michelle began in her reply.

Michelle joined Corrie in 2007 as Tina McIntyre(Image: ITV)

She continued: “She’s so lovely. [The advice came] before my first ever emotional storyline on the soap. It was quite a heavy, heavy, heavy storyline, and the script said that I had to cry. I was new to acting, especially TV acting – Corrie was my first ever job – and I remember getting the script, and halfway through the script, it said Tina began to cry.

“I remember my anxiety in that moment – I built it up so much. I was like ‘I can’t do this. I can’t cry. I’m a crap actor. I shouldn’t be doing this job’ It built up so much in my head before Helen pulled me aside. She went ‘Listen, you don’t have to cry, so if you don’t feel it in that moment, you don’t have to cry. You don’t have to prove anything. You do what you think your character would do in that moment. If your character doesn’t want to cry, you don’t have to cry’. That weight off my shoulders just went.”

Seven years after arriving on the Street, Tina was pushed off the balcony of the Builder’s Yard and beaten unconscious by Rob Donovan in an attempt to silence her over his dodgy dealing, and later died in hospital, leading to Michelle’s exit in 2014.

Talking to The Observer, The Guardian’s Sunday paper, Michelle opened up about leaving Corrie and how people ‘judge her’ due to her soap past. “It was just such a level of love when you walked into that place,” she told the publication of Coronation Street. It was the best job, the best people. It was a really hard decision to go. I could have stayed there my whole life.” She continued: “I feel very protective of it and very proud. It comes with a sense of warmth. I hear the music and I’m home.”

But as she prepared to leave, she became aware that not everybody felt the same way. “In the industry, there’s a lot of snobbery surrounding soaps,” Michelle said. “But I feel like it’s the best learning experience, working with three different directors in one day, bouncing between different storylines – one minute I was crying over a death, then I was giving birth – it is such a unique experience…”

However, Tina had some key words of support. “Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley [Cropper], was leaving around the same time. And she said, ‘Killing off Tina is the best thing that could have happened to you. Because it’ll make you fight harder and make you work harder, and focus you.’ And she was right.”

But despite her success, Michelle recently shared the hidden battle she faces. Speaking to The Sun, she said: “When I first started on Corrie, and I’ve still got it a little bit now: imposter syndrome. I know a lot of people talk about it. I was only 19 and it was my second-ever audition. I went into the audition and I had not an inkling I was gonna get the job.

“I purely went to see what it was like in an audition room and meet directors and stuff – I didn’t think for a second I was going to get the job. When I did get the job, it was like: ‘Okay, what the hell do I do now?’ I remember walking into the green room and seeing certain chairs, and I was like: ‘Am I allowed to sit in a chair, or is that someone’s chair?’ I didn’t know… I was the outsider, I didn’t understand where I fitted in at all.”