Kate Brooks, from Merseyside, joined the ITV soap in 2024.
Kate Brooks, a Liverpool-born producer who joined Coronation Street in 2024, previously worked on rival soap Emmerdale. The 42-year-old has been behind some of the show’s most memorable and hard-hitting storylines over the past year.
Fans have witnessed a rollercoaster of drama, including Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) being diagnosed with dementia, Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) being killed by sinister neighbour Mick Michaelis, and Rob Donovan making a shocking return to surprise Carla Connor at the start of the year.
The cobbles have also seen several departures recently, such as Charlotte Jordan (Daisy Midgeley), Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw), and Sally Ann-Matthews (Jenny Connor). Upcoming exits include Channique Sterling-Brown (Dee Bailey) and Daniel Brocklebank (Billy Mayhew).
Kate continues to drive the gripping storylines that uphold Coronation Street’s legacy, which has been entertaining audiences since 1960.
Outside of work, Kate met her now-wife, actress Michelle Hardwick, while working on Emmerdale. The couple went public with their relationship on National Coming Out Day in 2018.
The actress is best known for her roles as hospital receptionist Lizzie Hopkirk in ITV’s The Royal and Vanessa Woodfield in Emmerdale. She has been part of the fictional village since 2012, introduced as Frank Clayton’s (Michael Praed) daughter and half-sister to Tracy Metcalfe (Amy Walsh).
In September 2019, she married Kate Brooks in Memphis, Tennessee, at Graceland, both dressed in white. Sharing a photo from the wedding, Kate wrote: “In over 100 degrees heat, on Tuesday 10th September, I became Mrs Brooks.”
This year marks six years since their wedding. Michelle Hardwick recently shared throwback wedding photos and memories on Instagram, celebrating their anniversary. She captioned the post: “6 years ago today I was lucky enough to say ‘I do’ to my soulmate. Happy anniversary to my beautiful wife, the one who brings the fun, the calm, the abundance of love to everything we do. I adore you Brooksy. Here’s to many more adventures with our gorgeous little gang. We love you.”
Family, friends, and fans joined in the celebrations, with Coronation Street’s Sydney Martin commenting, “Happy anniversary ❤️” and Emmerdale’s Amy Wyatt actress Natalia Ann Jamieson writing, “Wow 6 years! Congrats you gorgeous pair.”
The couple have two children, son Teddy (born October 2020) and daughter Betty (born 2022).
Recently, Kate Brooks spoke to the ECHO and other outlets, teasing exciting upcoming storylines on Coronation Street. ITV has also confirmed a special crossover episode uniting Coronation Street and Emmerdale, dubbed “Corridale”, with filming already underway.
The special crossover episode, “Corridale,” will bring Weatherfield residents together with their Yorkshire counterparts in an hour-long, drama-packed story. It’s set to air on ITV, STV, ITVX, and YouTube in early 2026, kicking off the new soap power hour schedule, with 30-minute episodes airing every weekday.
At a recent Coronation Street press event, Kate Brooks shared her excitement about the episode, saying filming is going “brilliantly” with excellent scripts and direction. She added that the actors are enjoying the experience because it’s different and unique, working with colleagues they haven’t collaborated with before, creating a lively and infectious atmosphere on set.
Kate imagined her mother watching the episode, predicting she’d be thrilled to see two favourite soaps and all their characters interacting in such a major, must-watch event.
While she couldn’t reveal plot details, Kate said the episode highlights what makes both soaps special, combining their unique appeal with universal entertainment, promising a soap-tastic treat for fans. She also praised the cast for their hard work and noted the logistical challenges of coordinating the production behind the scenes.