Julie Hesmondhalgh was born in Accrington in Lancashire and currently lives within a short drive of Simon Armitage's shed over the hills. She has won many awards for her acting performances and is well-known for having played Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street for years - until something Simon did made her rethink what she was doing and take the bold step to leave. Regular TV roles in series such as Cucumber, Happy Valley and Broadchurch followed along with being able to take on work in theatres such as The Royal Exchange in Manchester. Their lively conversation passes from the business of writing, through a discussion of accents, to treading the boards, and starting a theatre company. Produced by Susan Roberts