Amy Katherine Barlow (formerly Patience Cropper) is the daughter of Tracy Barlow and Steve McDonald. She has two half-brothers; Ruairi McDonald who was stillborn and Oliver Battersby.
Shortly after her birth in 2004, Amy was sold by Tracy to Roy Cropper, the believed father, who named her Patience; however, he returned her to Tracy when she admitted Steve was the real father and the baby's name was changed to Amy.
After Tracy was convicted and sent to prison for killing her boyfriend Charlie Stubbs in 2007, 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 forensic evidence being discredited, she took Amy back when it was discovered Steve and Becky bought a little boy called Max from Becky's sister Kylie. Amy's parents began a relationship in 2011 and later married, but they separated on their wedding day.
In 2014, Amy began to develop a devious streak like her mother. She lied to Tracy about threats of violence from her babysitter Maddie Heath and would argue with her cousin Simon Barlow. In 2015, Amy was rescued from a fire at Victoria Court by Kal Nazir who perished, but she quickly recovered from the incident.
Amy is currently in shared custody between Tracy and Steve.
Biography
2004-2010: Early life and mother in prison
After a one-night stand with Steve McDonald in 2003, Tracy Barlow became pregnant. 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 believe that he was the father of her unborn child. Although Roy was shocked and humiliated at first, after a talk through with his 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 and Roy even married Tracy to ensure he got the baby. Tracy's parents, Ken and Deirdre Barlow, did not approve of Tracy wanting to give the baby to the Croppers, with Tracy's grandmother Blanche Hunt being particularly disgusted, as she believed the Croppers were "loonies".
Tracy gave birth to a girl in February 2004. Although Tracy had admitted to Steve that he was the real father, he told her to give her daughter to the Croppers, as he didn't want anything to do with her. Tracy sold the baby to Roy and Hayley for £25,000, with the Croppers choosing to name the child Patience. When Tracy changed her mind and wanted the baby back, she arrived at Steve and Karen McDonald's wedding and demanded the Croppers hand her over. It was here that she revealed to everyone, including Karen, who the real father was. The Croppers fled during an argument at the wedding and refused to return the baby to Tracy, also telling Tracy's family, to their horror, that the baby had been sold to them, not given. After a talk with Ken, Roy conceded defeat and returned Patience to Tracy. The Croppers were devastated but Tracy was thrilled. Tracy renamed her daughter Amy. Throughout the year, Steve gradually accepted his role as Amy's father, while his wife Karen resented her. Tracy also had a feud with Karen during this time, with Karen turning up to Amy's christening and causing a scene by fighting with Tracy.
Amy with her parents in 2004.
When Steve won a car in a competition (with the help of Karen), he gave it to Tracy. During Christmas 2004, when Tracy had briefly left Amy in the back of the car, Karen stole it, although she didn't realise at first that Amy was actually in the back seat. She burned the car and made Tracy believe Amy was still in it when it was set on fire, leading Tracy to go on a rampage against Karen. Although it was later revealed Amy was safe and sound with Roy, Steve was furious with Karen for making him believe Amy had been killed. He told Karen to leave and never return.
In 2005, Steve tried to start a relationship with Tracy so he could see more of Amy and gain partial custody of her. Tracy eventually saw through his acts and wanted revenge. 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 continued to fight for parental rights, but this was further made difficult when Tracy lied to the courts that Steve was physically abusive. The courts saw through Tracy's acts and Steve 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 sent her to live with 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 unsuccessfully 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 full-time with her father and paternal grandmother, Liz McDonald, 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. In 2009, Steve married Becky Granger, a rough and tumble girl with a genuine side who saw Amy as her own daughter. When Amy began to get picked on by a boy at school over 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 the 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, which upset her. When a social worker was visiting over the adoption plans, Becky explained Blanche's death in a loving and caring way which made Amy feel better, impressing the social worker.
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 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.
Amy reunites with Tracy again when she is released from prison.
Becky's half-sister Kylie Turner gave Steve and Becky a bad reference, making them unable to adopt, but she offered to sell her young son Max Turner to them. Becky agreed to the purchase and Max moved in with the McDonalds as Amy's younger brother. Over Christmas 2010, Tracy was released from prison when the forensics investigator on her case was discovered to have created fraudulent evidence. When Amy told Tracy that Max had been bought, not adopted, Tracy took Amy away from the McDonalds, threatening to tell the police about Max. Amy moved back in with the Barlows. Steve was able to keep partial custody over Amy by tricking Tracy into believing that he would give her the manager job the Rovers.
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. Amy's parents married in January 2012 but separated on the wedding day when Steve learned that Tracy had lied about Becky causing her miscarriage by pushing her down a flight of stairs.
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, she temporarily relinquished the care of Amy, with majority custody given to Steve, living with Deirdre 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 went out with the family dog Eccles 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 and 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. Eventually, the fire brigade arrived and got Amy and Leanne down a ladder to safety. However, a gas cannister caught fire, causing an 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 stepmother Leanne. In May 2016, Tracy spitefully ruined the wedding of Nick Tilsley and Carla Connor by telling Nick that Carla had slept with Tracy's then-boyfriend (and former husband) Robert Preston. Tracy's joy at causing the newly married couple's separation was short-lived when a furious Amy disowned her for her behaviour, choosing to move in full-time with Steve. 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.
In late-2016, Amy was thrilled to learn that her stepmother Michelle Connor and Steve were expecting a baby, but in January 2017 Michelle gave birth prematurely to a stillborn son whom they named Ruairi McDonald. A month later, Leanne Battersby gave birth to a son called Oliver and Steve confessed that he was Oliver's biological father, having had a one-night-stand with Leanne. Amy was disgusted that Steve had cheated on Michelle and also upset that Michelle had left Steve over the incident.
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 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.
- In 2015, Ken persuaded Amy to start learning to play the violin, but the noise it created caused a great deal of annoyance to the rest of Amy's family.
Background information
Amy had a large number of recasts in her early life. Top (l-r): Holly Bowyer, Rebecca Pike, Louisa Morris. Bottom (l-r): Rachel/Sarah Corker, Madison Hampson, Amber Chadwick.
- Amy was born on 9th February 2004 with babies Holly Bowyer and Rebecca Pike jointly playing the role. A third baby, Amber Chadwick, also appeared briefly in that month for three episodes. Bowyer departed at the end of March 2004, while Pike continued to play Amy until June 2005. Louisa Morris took over the role in the same month as Pike's departure. She would play the role for three months until September 2005, although on 29th August and 7th September the role was instead played by Rachel & Sarah Corker. Morris was replaced by Madison Hampson in late-September.
- Hampson played the role until March 2006. Later that month it was reported in the news that her parents had taken her out of the part because they believed she was finding it "too harrowing", however Coronation Street bosses denied the claims, insisting that they followed "very strict guidelines" regarding child welfare and that Hampson was instead taken out because it was common for young child actors to be replaced.
- Following Hampson's withdrawal, Amber Chadwick made a return to the role, becoming a regular cast member for the first time. She took over in late-March 2006 and played Amy for four years until April 2010. Shortly before Chadwick's final appearance, it was reported that Amy was to be recast as producers wanted an older and more capable actress to play the role in time for her on-screen mother Tracy's return. It was also revealed that producers had been planning to replace Chadwick for a while, but her parents had persuaded them not to.
Elle Mulvaney as Amy in 2010, shortly after taking over the role.
- Elle Mulvaney, a student of the Carol Godby Theatre Workshop, was announced to be the next actress to play Amy. Mulvaney debuted on-screen in May 2010 and remains with the programme to the present day.
- 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.
First and last lines
"Mama!" (First line, to mum Tracy)