Leanne Powell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Leanne Powell
Brookside character
Portrayed byVickie Gates
Duration1992–1993, 1997, 2000–2003
First appearance29 January 1992
Last appearance26 April 2003
Introduced byPaul Marquess (2000)
ClassificationFormer; regular
Profile
OccupationStudent
Prostitute
Barmaid
Cashier

Leanne Powell is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Vickie Gates. The character debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 29 January 1992.

Casting[]

Gates was sixteen when she joined the cast of Brookside in 1992.[1] In January 2001, Gates signed a new one-year contract to remain on the show.[1]

Development[]

Leanne was introduced into the series in 1992.[2] She was a school friend of Katie Rogers (Diane Burke) who she became a bad influence on. Leanne uses Katie in an attempt to seduce her sister Sammy Rogers' (Rachael Lindsay) boyfriend, Owen Daniels (Danny McCall).[3] Leanne continues to pester Owen. The storyline was created by Brookside's executive producer Mal Young. He believed that the show needed to include more teenage stories, such as peer pressure to have sex.[4] Gates left the series in 1993 but agreed to reprise the role in 1996.[5] Gates loved playing the "evil part" of Leanne and did not want to play a "nice" version of her. Gates added that "she's great, nice and feisty and I wouldn't like to play her any other way." Gates found it difficult to concentrate when portraying Leanne's nasty personality. To aid her performance, Gates stated "I use an age-old saying - If you think you are beautiful you will come across as beautiful... so I just reverse that!"[1] Gates characterised Leanne as a dishonest women incapable of even being honest with herself. She added that Leanne is "mad, bad and feisty."[1] Gates told a reporter from The Sunday People that playing Leanne "has left me with the worst frown lines imaginable because I had to walk around all week being vile and pulling faces."[6]

In December 1992, Brookside broadcast a new story for Leanne which explored the issue of teenage pregnancy. Leanne is shocked to discover that she is pregnant and becomes determined to have an abortion.[7] DD Dixon (Irene Marot) discovers that Leanne is pregnant and Leanne threatens to commit suicide if she informs her parents.[8] DD ignores her husbands advice and helps Leanne to arrange a termination in secret.[9]

In 1997, Leanne returns to the area and it is revealed that she is now a prostitute. Leanne and her friends use Bar Brookie as a place to find custom. The bar belongs to Leanne's friend Jacqui Dixon (Alex Fletcher), so Leanne keeps their activity a secret.[10] Leanne meets pensioner David Crosbie (John Burgess) in the bar and begins talking to him. Unbeknownst to Leanne, David is gay. Burgess told Helen Childs from Inside Soap that "David and Leanne seem to have a lot in common" because Leanne lies to him. She claims to have been born in Germany and used to live at the Dixon house, where David now lives. Leanne asks David if she can come over to see the house once again, which he agrees to. Leanne then propositions David for sex, Burgess said that his character was "absolutely appalled" by her behaviour.[10] She then begins to blackmail David, threatening to tell his neighbours that he took her back to his home for sex. Burgess added "he almost weakens" but then he reveals that he is gay and no one will believe her. David then has to decide whether or not to tell Jacqui about Leanne using Bar Brookie for prostitution or save himself any further embarrassment.[10]

Jacqui feels betrayed when she discovers Leanne is a prostitute and has been using her bar. Fletcher told Childs that Jacqui is emotional because her friend betrayed her trust.[11] She explained that "Jacqui never guessed what Leanne was up to. Leanne kept making sexual innuendoes, but then she's always been like that! Jacqui is gutted when she finds out what's she's done. She's upset, angry and hurt."[11] Leanne later returned and tries to buy a drink in Bar Brookie. Jacqui confronts Leanne and tries to throw her out. Leanne retaliates by spraying acid into Jacqui's eyes. The incident leaves Jacqui with temporary blindness and Leanne is arrested for assault.[11] Leanne is sentenced to three years in prison for her crime.[12]

In 2000, Brookside producer Paul Marquess reintroduced the character and her brother Lance Powell (Mickey Poppins).[13][14] Marquess has previously worked with Gates on the soap opera Springhill and was impressed by her work. Marquess reintroduced Leanne alongside two other former characters Bev McLoughlin (Sarah White) and Nisha Batra (Sunetra Sarker). The producer's decision proved popular as all three characters proved to be more successful than their original stints in the show.[15]

In January 2001, Gates stated that she wanted to remain in the show for years. She revealed "I think there are lots more things Leanne can do. So as long as I'm enjoying it I hope to stay."[1] Gates also announced that writers were planning a new romance story for Leanne. She noted that the character had been single for a long time, dating back to before she was sent to prison.[1] Marquess revealed that he had planned "some cracking Leanne stories" for the year ahead. He revealed that "she is going to make life difficult for a lot of people, and believe it or not she is going to find love."[16] Leanne's new romance was developed with Christy Murray (Glyn Pritchard). The pair begin a sexual relationship in March 2001.[17]

Writers often created comedy storylines for Leanne. In December 2002, she was pitted against local businessman Ron Dixon (Vince Earl) as they start their own rival market stands.[18] Earl told a reporter from the Liverpool Echo that Leanne sets her own stall up to challenge Ron. He thinks he has the monopoly on the bus stop and "there's a lot of humour and tension when they operate a price war with some daft creative sales pitches."[18] A Mersey TV publicist revealed that Leanne enlists Christy to help her win the feud and he dresses up as Santa to rival Ron's festive attire.[18]

Reception[]

Some viewers found it difficult to distinguish Gates' portrayal of nasty Leanne from reality. Gates used to received fan mail from viewers telling her that they hated her but loved Lance. At the time, Gates quipped "I think they're scared of me!"[1] While interviewed by Maxine Gordon from The Press recalled one occasion where a female fan approached her asking her to be nasty to her, like Leanne would behave. Gordon also branded Leanne a "bad-girl barmaid".[19] Similarly, a reporter from The Observer called Leanne a "bad girl" type of character.[13] A reporter from The Sunday People described her as the "Brookside superbitch".[20] A Teesside Gazette journalist enjoyed Leanne and Bev's scenes. They observed that "Leanne Powell, the close's original bad girl has provided some quality dialogue this week and the return of Bev has brought out the best in her...so to speak. The two are like a pair of bulldogs in a bar."[21] Merle Brown from the Daily Record branded Leanne as "horrendous, but at the same time, brilliant".[22]

Helen Childs (Inside Soap) branded the character "the Parade's own scarlet woman".[11] Jim Shelley writing for The Guardian branded her "lying Leanne" and criticised Brookside's writing. Shelley added "it's no wonder Professor Phil and his mates can create character as full of lying rubbish as Leanne. They wouldn't know anything even vaguely truthful or realistic if it hit them over the 'ed."[23] The Guardian's Gareth McLean branded Leanne and Lance "troglodytes of the lowest order".[24] Their colleague Rupert Smith bemoaned the on-screen intimacy between Leanne and Christy, predicting they gave a "perfunctory performance".[17]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Brookside - Vickie Gates (Leanne)". Channel 4. 31 January 2001. Archived from the original on 20 September 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Leanne Powell played by: Vickie Gates". Brookside.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  3. ^ Tibballs 1992, p.67.
  4. ^ Tibballs 1992, p.23.
  5. ^ "Vickie Gates character: Leanne Powell". Brookside.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Star chat: Why I never want children". Daily Mirror. (Reach plc). 20 February 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  7. ^ Tibballs 1995, p.164.
  8. ^ Tibballs 1995, p.165.
  9. ^ Tibballs 1995, p.166.
  10. ^ a b c Childs, Helen (3–16 May 1997). "Awfully kind, but I'm gay!". Inside Soap. (Attic Futura UK Ltd) (74): 30.
  11. ^ a b c d Childs, Helen (31 May – 13 June 1997). "Jacqui is blinded in bar rage". Inside Soap. (Attic Futura UK Ltd) (76): 12, 13.
  12. ^ Kibble-White 2002, p.157.
  13. ^ a b "Close encounters". The Guardian. (Guardian Media Group). 29 October 2000. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  14. ^ McLean, Gareth (18 February 2002). "Cornershop to copshop". The Guardian. p. 79. Retrieved 13 March 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free to read
  15. ^ Kibble-White 2002, p.140.
  16. ^ "Brookside - Paul Marquess". Channel 4. 20 December 2000. Archived from the original on 27 March 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  17. ^ a b Smith, Rupert (17 March 2001). "Give! Give! Give!". The Guardian. p. 48. Retrieved 13 March 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free to read
  18. ^ a b c "The Claus are out on Brookside". Liverpool Echo. (Reach plc). 17 December 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  19. ^ Gordon, Maxine (31 October 2000). "Brookie bond: Five characters and one fatal fall... but who killed Susannah?". The Press. (Newsquest). Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  20. ^ People, Sunday (25 September 2004). "Bill girl gets the bullet". Daily Mirror. (Reach plc). Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Soap bitch". TeessideLive. (Reach plc). 7 March 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  22. ^ Brown, Merle (9 September 2000). "Soap watch; It's all action on Street of shame". Daily Record. (Trinity Mirror via The Free Library). Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  23. ^ Shelley, Jim (3 February 2001). "Much ado about nothing". The Guardian. p. 108. Retrieved 13 March 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free to read
  24. ^ McLean, Gareth (1 March 2001). "Just close friends". The Guardian. p. 58. Retrieved 13 March 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free to read
Bibliography
  • Tibballs, Geoff (1992). Brookside - The First Ten Years. Boxtree. ISBN 1-85283-197-9.
  • Tibballs, Geoff (1995). Brookside - The Early Years. Boxtree. ISBN 0-7522-1051-3.
  • Kibble-White, Graham (2002). Phil Redmond's 20 Years of Brookside. Carlton Books. ISBN 1-84222-764-5.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""