Amy Katherine Barlow (formerly Patience Cropper) is the daughter of Tracy Barlow and Steve McDonald. She was temporarily called Patience by Roy Cropper however; her name was changed back to Amy when it was discovered that she was Steve's daughter.
After Tracy was convicted and sent to prison for killing her boyfriend Charlie Stubbs, Amy went to live with her father. When Steve started a relationship with Becky Granger, Amy had a good relationship with her, and Becky was also the one who told Amy about Tracy being a killer after Amy was bullied at school over it.
When Tracy was released from prison in 2010 due to the forensics guy on her case being investigated for being dodgy, she took Amy back when it was discovered Steve and Becky bought a little boy called Max from Becky's sister Kylie.
Amy is currently in shared custody between Tracy and Steve, and in recent times has developed a devious streak like her mother.
Biography
2004-2010: Early life and mother in prison
After a one-night stand with Steve McDonald, Tracy Barlow became pregnant with Amy. However, one night she drugged Roy Cropper, took him back to her house and shared a bed with him, fooling him into thinking they'd had sex. She later led him on to believing that he was the father of her unborn child. Although Roy was shocked and humiliated at first, after a talk through with wife Hayley, they decided it was a good thing and that they could keep the baby. Tracy offered to sell the baby to Roy for a large sum of money, which Tracy's parents Ken and Deirdre Barlow didn't approve of, and also the fact that the baby would be living with the Croppers. Roy even married Tracy to ensure he got the baby.
Tracy gave birth to a girl in February 2004. She was first called Patience by Roy and Hayley. When Tracy changed her mind and wanted the baby back, she arrived at Steve and Karen McDonald's wedding and demanded her back. It was here that she revealed to everyone who the real father was. The Croppers fled during an argument at the wedding, but Roy later decided to give the baby girl up to Tracy. Tracy was happy and renamed her Amy. Throughout the year, Tracy had a feud with Steve's wife Karen who turned up at Amy's christening and caused a scene by starting a fight with Tracy.
Amy with her parents in 2004.
When Karen won a car in a competition, Steve gave it to Tracy. During Christmas 2004, when Amy was in the back of the car and Tracy was talking to Ken and Deirdre, Karen stole it (although she wasn't aware that Amy was actually in the back seat). She burned the car but made Tracy believe Amy was still in it when it was set on fire. Although it was later revealed Amy was safe and sound with Roy. Steve told Karen to leave and never return.
Steve tried to play happy families with Tracy in 2005 so he could still see Amy. Tracy told Steve that Amy had a fascination with planes and told him to take her to an airport. This was actually a trick and Tracy told the police that Steve was planning on fleeing the country with Amy. Steve was let off and was eventually granted rights to see his daughter later that year.
Tracy started a relationship with builder Charlie Stubbs in early 2006. Tracy decided to move in with Charlie, bringing Amy with her, however Charlie did not want Amy there so Tracy dumped her on Ken and Deirdre. Tracy manipulated Charlie into allowing Amy to stay with them when she lied to him about becoming pregnant and having an abortion. In 2007, Tracy murdered Charlie after discovering his affair with Maria Sutherland, but tried to make out it was self-defence. She was sent down for fifteen years but Steve didn't know how to tell Amy since she was so young. Amy moved in with her father and grandmother, Liz at the Rovers Return Inn.
In February 2008, Alex Neeson was meant to be babysitting Amy, but he dumped her outside where she was almost knocked down by Harry Mason's van.
Steve married fiancée Becky Granger, a rough and tumble girl with a genuine side in 2009 who saw Amy as her own daughter. When Amy began to get picked on by a boy at school for Tracy being a murderer, Becky told her the truth which Steve wasn't happy with the first time round but they agreed that it was time that Amy should now see Tracy. Everyone on coronation street believed Becky was a much better mother to Amy, since no one liked Tracy. Becky and Steve had plans in 2010 to adopt a child when Becky found out she was unable to have children of her own. Around this time, Amy's great-grandmother Blanche had passed away, and Steve and Liz told her the news, which upset Amy and caused her to be in a mood. She began asking Becky about her Nana Blanche, and Becky broke the news to her in a loving and caring way, saying that Blanche was now in a better place with her friends and that they could draw a picture and tie it to a balloon and let it float so Blanche could have it. This made Amy feel better, which impressed Steve and the social worker Dawn Coghill.
Amy reunites with Tracy again when she is released from prison.
2010-: Growing up with Tracy
During Blanche's funeral in May 2010, Tracy was allowed compassionate leave from prison to attend the funeral. Tracy also got a chance to be reunited with Amy, who was initially frightened and reluctant towards her relatively unfamiliar mother. The tension between Tracy and the McDonalds became even worse when a jealous Tracy confronted Amy's stepmother, Becky over her closeness with Amy and eventually attacked her, leading to a hyped-up Tracy to be ushered away from the crematorium by police officers. The situation upset Amy deeply. Back in prison, Tracy tried her best to be a part of Amy's life and she encouraged Becky and Steve to have a word with the warden so she could be moved to an open prison and finally have a bit of her freedom back in exchange for Tracy giving the McDonalds a good reference so they could adopt a baby. Tracy threatened Becky, and said that one word or action and she could easily ruin their adoption plans and they could even lose custody of Amy.
In late 2010, Becky bought her nephew Max from her half-sister Kylie Turner and he moved in with them. Over Christmas 2010, Tracy was released from prison and after finding out from Amy about Max being bought she took Amy away from the McDonalds, threatening to tell the police about Max. Amy moved in with the Barlows.
In April 2011, Tracy was accused of poisoning Amy when she became ill. It was later revealed that Amy was actually lactose intolerant. Tracy started seducing Steve, taking him and Amy on a trip to Blackpool, where Amy briefly ran off during an argument. Amy started drinking milk on purpose so that her parents would stop feuding. Tracy briefly moved to London with Amy, but returned when she discovered she was pregnant with twins from a one night stand with Steve. However, she later miscarried.
In 2013, Ken and Deirdre complained that Tracy was neglectful of Amy, due to Tracy's relationship with new boyfriend Rob Donovan. As Tracy's relationship with Rob became more intense, Tracy relinquished the care of Amy, with majority custody given to Steve McDonald, living with her grandmother Deirdre Barlow for the rest of the time.
In August 2014 Amy had begun to grow bitter over her cousin Simon getting constant attention after his father Peter was wrongfully arrested for murdering Tina McIntyre. Whilst being babysat by Maddie Heath and Sophie Webster, Amy grew annoyed at their pandering to Simon and had snuck out with the family dog Eccles and went to Barlow's Buys to tell her mother that Maddie had threatened to slap her. This enraged Tracy, who then warned a confused Maddie to not come near Amy again. A couple of weeks later however, Amy was again looked after by Maddie and Sophie along with Simon and Eccles. Again growing envy, Amy untied Eccles from outside The Kabin and allowed her to escape, although she was later found and brought home.
In September, Amy came to blows with Simon at No.1 when Tracy allowed Simon to feed Eccles. Amy took the dog into the backyard and blocked the door. When Simon managed to get the door open Amy had cut her hand, and wanting to get back at Simon claimed that Eccles had bit her. This annoyed Tracy who told Deirdre to put Eccles down, although Deirdre had deduced that Amy was trying to get attention. Eccles was later snatched by Maddie and Sophie after Simon was worried that Tracy was going to kill Eccles. She was later retrieved by Ken, and Amy eventually confessed to lying about Eccles biting her stating that she'd felt left out because of Simon getting constant attention. Ken and Deirdre however assured Amy that she was still important to them.
Amy, Leanne and Kal trapped in the Victoria Court blaze.
In May 2015, Amy along with Carla Connor became trapped inside 12 Victoria Court after Tracy unintentionally started a fire there after leaving a lit candle near a lampshade. Carla was rescued whilst Leanne Tilsley and her partner Kal Nazir went inside to rescue Amy, but the trio became trapped when the roof caved in and blocked the door. Fortunately, the fire brigade arrived and got Amy and Leanne down a ladder to safety. However a gas cannister caught fire, causing a explosion to happen, killing Kal. Despite being rescued Amy showed little care about Kal's death, only feeling pleased and somewhat excited at the fact she was rescued from a fire.
In September 2015, Amy started attending Weatherfield High. That November, she was physically attacked by Simon after she made fun of him over his troubles with his stepmum Leanne. In May 2016 she disowned Tracy after she had ruined the wedding of Nick Tilsley and Carla Connor. However in July Amy decided to forgive Tracy, but on the condition some of her demands were met with one of them being a raise in pocket money.
Other information
- Amy has grown up with a number of stepmothers. Stepmother number one, Karen Phillips, resented her presence but second stepmother Becky Granger saw Amy as her own. By the time her third stepmother, Michelle Connor entered her life, Amy was resentful at first but they eventually bonded.
- In May 2011 it was discovered that Amy is lactose intolerant.
- In December 2014 Amy pretended (with the encouragement of her mother) that she was able to speak to dead people in a bid to wind Norris Cole up.
Background information
- Amy is played by Elle Mulvaney who has had the role since May 2010. She took over from Amber Chadwick when producers wanted a better actress for upcoming storylines.
- Amy has been played by a total of eight actresses during her time in the show:
- Holly Bowyer as a newborn (February 2004)
- Rebecca Pike for most of her infancy (March 2004 - July 2005)
- Brief stints during late infancy by Louisa Morris (July - September 2005) and Rachel & Sarah Corker (September 2005)
- Madison Hampson as a toddler (September 2005 - March 2006)
- Amber Chadwick took over in April 2006 when the character was two years old. She would play the role for the next four years until she was replaced with Mulvaney.
- Amy is the character with the most actors playing the part in the show, with Peter Barlow coming in second as he was played by 7 actors.
- Elle has been the most successful actress to play Amy, being nominated for "Best Young Actor" in the Inside Soap Awards three years' running.