Remember this character from Weatherfield history?
The beloved Roy Cropper (David Neilson) and his late wife Hayley (Julie Hesmondhalgh) were foster parents during their happy marriage, as viewers will recall.
Along with taking care of people like Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) and Chesney Brown (Sam Aston), Roy and Hayley also provided less formal care for a young child named Wayne Hayes (Gary Damer, Adam Barlow), who came from a troubled background.
After being with the Croppers for a while, Wayne went back to Weatherfield and met Roy there. But what happened to Wayne, and why did he come back?
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about the character’s gloomy beginning and ultimately heartwarming happy ending.
What happened to Wayne Hayes in Coronation Street?
Gary Damer portrayed Wayne when he was a youngster. After escaping a children’s home and robbing the café, Wayne ended up in Roy and Hayley’s life. However, when the owners realized that Wayne had only stolen food, they stepped in to assist him and provided shelter. Later, Wayne was picked up by Alex, his mother Sheila’s partner. Although Alex put on a charm offensive in front of the Croppers, Wayne defeated him in a private setting.
Roy and Hayley tried to record a confession from Alex after noticing Wayne’s anxiety. Alex quickly realized what they were doing and offered to sell Wayne to them for a sizable sum.They finally consented, but Wayne’s mother Sheila showed up to give them their money back. Sheila was hurt, and Roy and Hayley surmised that Sheila had also been abused by Alex. Sheila realized that her son would be better off in Roy and Hayley’s care and left Wayne with them because she was too afraid to leave Alex.
But when Alex came back, Roy and Hayley had to take Wayne on the run out of fear for his safety due to their unofficial foster care arrangement. The moment they realized their error and decided to turn themselves in, Hayley’s friend called the police. When Hayley violated her bail terms to visit Wayne, she was sent to prison; fortunately, Sheila had the wherewithal to stand up to Alex, who was eventually apprehended and taken from their lives. Hayley was consequently freed, and Sheila thanked Roy and her for everything they had done for Wayne as they embarked on a new life.
Wayne showed up in his capacity as a health and safety officer in 2019. Not to be confused with the character of the same name, he was then portrayed by actor Adam Barlow. Roy was overjoyed to see Wayne after being instantly recognized by him. Before learning of Hayley’s tragic passing, Wayne thanked Roy for everything he and Hayley had done for him. Although Wayne acknowledged he had wanted to stop by earlier, he didn’t want to bother anyone.
Wayne spent some time assisting Roy in locating a family heirloom in addition to looking into the roof collapse at Underworld. Wayne wished Roy a fond farewell after finishing his work, and their touching reunion warmed our hearts.
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