Coronation Street fans were taken aback when they learned the real name of Coronation Street star Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah Habeeb (née Battersby) on the ITV soap. The revelation came courtesy of a hilarious behind-the-scenes story shared by her co-star Ben Price, who plays Nick Tilsley, during a podcast interview.

Georgia Taylor has been a fixture on the cobbles for years, first arriving as Toyah in 1997 when she was just 17 years old. As part of the “family from hell” alongside Les and Janice Battersby, Toyah made an unforgettable mark on the show. After leaving the show in 2003 following her character’s dramatic heartbreak, Georgia took on various acting roles before returning to Coronation Street in 2016. Her return was explosive, with Toyah re-entering Weatherfield to stir up the drama—particularly when she left her husband Toby Chapman for Peter Barlow, Leanne’s ex-husband.

Over the past nine years, Toyah has had her fair share of ups and downs on the show, from complicated love triangles to her affair with her sister’s partner, Nick Tilsley, which has led to a current relationship and a shared business venture at the Bistro.

The Hilarious ‘Claire’ Confusion

In a recent episode of On the Sofa, a podcast hosted by Ben Price, Jack P Shepherd, and Colson Smith, Ben shared a funny story about a recent filming day. While miming a scene at the Bistro, he jokingly “sacked” some of the staff in character to make Georgia laugh. The hilarious moment turned into confusion when Ben accidentally referred to Georgia as “Claire,” causing fans to take notice.

One fan quickly asked, “Who’s Claire? Toyah is played by Georgia Taylor,” to which another fan replied, “Her real name is Claire x.” A third fan expressed their surprise, saying, “I had absolutely no idea!”

It turns out, Georgia’s birth name is actually Claire Jackson. However, when she started her career on Coronation Street, she had to register with the actors’ union, Equity. At the time, there were already too many actors named Claire, so she chose a different name. Georgia, which she liked, and Taylor, after her late grandfather, became her new stage name.

Georgia Reflects on Her Name Change

Speaking with The Mirror, Georgia Taylor explained the story behind her decision to change her name. “It’s not that I planned this to happen,” she said. “But when I started with Coronation Street, I had to register with Equity, and at the time, there seemed to be a hell of a lot of Claires. So, I had to think of something else.”

She continued, “I couldn’t tell you where I got Georgia from, other than I liked it, but my grandad’s surname was Taylor, and he passed away not long before I got the part.”

Though she didn’t anticipate the long-term confusion, Georgia now embraces her new name, laughing off the mix-ups that have occurred over the years. “At this point, I’ll pretty much answer to anything!” she joked.

Fans can catch Georgia as Toyah Habeeb on Coronation Street, where she continues to make waves in Weatherfield’s drama-filled landscape.

What’s Next for Toyah?

With so much turmoil around her character’s life in the soap, fans can only wonder what the future holds for Toyah Habeeb. Will her love life stabilize with Nick? Or will further drama continue to unfold on the cobbles? Stay tuned for more Coronation Street updates!

Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8 pm.