Fiz Brown
 | This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (October 2009) |
| Fiz Stape | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coronation Street character | |||||||||||||
| File:FizBrown Corrie.250x265.jpg Fiz Stape in 2009 | |||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jennie McAlpine | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 2001— | ||||||||||||
| First appearance | 22 April 2001 | ||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Jane MacNaught | ||||||||||||
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Fiona "Fiz" Stape (née Brown), is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by actress Jennie McAlpine.
Creation
Background
Fiz initially appeared as a troubled teenager briefly fostered by Roy (David Neilson) and Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh) at the age of 15. She leaves and then returns to Coronation Street, and starts work at the Underworld factory. Later her mother, Cilla (Wendi Peters) and her brother, Chesney (Sam Aston) are introduced when they come to live on the street with Les Battersby-Brown (Bruce Jones). Fiz has a bad history with her mother, who has often left her in care and never put her children first.
Development
Personality and identity
The character first appears onscreen during the episode airing on 22 April 2001.[1] The character of Fiz is a good hearted young woman who has made many puzzling decisions and is often unlucky in love. Actress Jennie McAlpine stated that she would prefer the character to stay unlucky in love because she enjoys portraying the rowing and screaming that comes with it rather than seeing her character living happily ever after.[2] Fiz's personality has taken some rapid transformations over the years. Starting out as a dopey teenage tearaway, she is now responsible for her younger brother, constantly trying to do the right thing by him and sometimes failing. When interviewed about this on the soap opera's official website, McAlpine stated: "I like Fiz, I think she is a good person. I know she does get it wrong sometimes, but she is just trying, she's just trying to get it all right, she doesn't always but she does try."[1] During the same interview she then said: "Oh, Fiz has changed over the years. Luckily she's changed because I don't think I'd be here if she hadn't because she started off being a pretty, pretty bad girl actually, causing loads of trouble for Roy and Hayley."[1]
Storylines
Fiz is initially interested in Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall), but starts dating Kirk Sutherland (Andrew Whyment). Molly Compton (Vicky Binns) briefly puts a stop to their relationship, as Fiz had bullied Molly at school. However, Kirk and Fiz reunite in 2006. On 6 May 2007, Fiz is reacquainted with her first boyfriend, John Stape (Graeme Hawley), who had started work at Weatherfield High School. Fiz leaves Kirk, declining his proposal of marriage and starts a full time relationship with John. In October 2007, her mother leaves the Street to live in Las Vegas, leaving Chesney with Kirk.
When John begins an affair with student Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan), Fiz thinks he is having an affair with Rosie's mother, Sally (Sally Dynevor). However, the affair is revealed on Christmas Day 2007 when John inadvertently mixes up Fiz and Rosie's presents. He tries to reconcile with Fiz but she wants the relationship to end.
While Fiz is away on holiday, Claire Peacock (Julia Haworth) sees the state of Chesney and Kirk's home and calls Social Services. They come and remove Chesney and his dog, Schmeichel, taking him to a foster home and Schmeichel goes to the RSPCA. When Fiz returns, she is shocked to learn what has happened but applies to be Chesney's guardian. Chesney and Schmeichel are allowed to return home after Fiz moves into No. 5. Initially, she clashes with Kirk's girlfriend, Julie Carp (Katy Cavanagh). While she is happy that Kirk has moved on, she is unhappy with Julie's attempts to be Chesney's carer, feeling that it is her job. After a few months, they become friends.
John's return
In late July 2008, Fiz receives numerous mystery phone calls. She discovers that it is ex-boyfriend, John, seeking a reconciliation but she declines his requests. He takes a job with Street Cars in order to be close to her and buys Chesney a bike for his birthday. Fiz and John strike up a close friendship, and she soon agrees to give him another chance. However, Fiz ends things again after she finds out that he is planning to move them to his grandmother's house in the country. Weeks pass, and Fiz hears that John has been involved in a car accident. She rushes to his bedside and admits that she cannot live without him. They rekindle their romance, much to the disapproval of Chesney and Kirk. John then kidnaps Rosie, who he blames for the problems in his relationship, keeping her in the attic of his grandmother's house. In early November 2008, Fiz discovers that John is keeping Rosie prisoner, and he is arrested. John continues to send Fiz cards and letters while he is on remand. John goes to court on 19 January 2009. Fiz attends and sees him sentenced to 2 years in prison (1 year probation).
Trip to South Africa
Soon after John's kidnapping of Rosie is revealed, Fiz gets bad news about Chesney. He and Kirk have gone to South Africa to see Cilla. Fiz's adventures are continued in Coronation Street: Out of Africa. Cilla tells Fiz that Chesney has been in an accident. When Fiz arrives, she was very upset at the sight of Chesney using a wheelchair. She is relieved, yet angry, when they tell her it is a scam to win a Sunshine Families competition with a $500,000 prize. Even worse, Fiz would have to pretend to be a nun, Sister Fiona. Fiz reluctantly agrees when Chesney tells her if they won, Cilla has agreed to return to Weatherfield and be his mum.
Whilst in Africa, Fiz falls for a former British soldier, Alex (Theo Landey), who is working as a security guard. He asks her to stay in South Africa with him as he cannot go home for fear of being court-martialled. Fiz agrees to stay in South Africa providing Cilla returns to Weatherfield with Chesney. Unfortunately, Cilla has no intention of keeping her promise. When Chesney overhears her true plans, he ruins the prize ceremony by telling everyone that Cilla has lied. They are disqualified, and Cilla vanishes. A heartbroken Fiz has no choice but to say goodbye to Alex, attempting unsuccessfully, to convince them both that it was only a holiday romance anyway. After one final kiss with Alex, Fiz returns to her life on the Street.
Home schooling Chesney
In April 2009, Fiz discovers that Chesney is playing truant from school as he is being bullied by Kenzie Judd (Jack Cooper). She is about to attack Kenzie when she sees him scrap with Chesney but Mr. Griffin, the principal, intervenes - taking Fiz, Chesney and Kenzie to his office. Fiz is disgusted when the principal doesn't scold Kenzie for his behaviour and admits that he is dating Kenzie's mother, outraging Fiz and she announces that Chesney is going to be home-schooled. Struggling with the course material as they can't afford a private tutor, Fiz turns to old flame John for help, behind Chesney's back. However, Chesney finds out, and refuses to talk to her. Subsequently, John tells her not to visit him again.
Engagement and the Wedding
On June 22, 2009, Fiz decides that she loves John and wants to marry him. She holds up a large sheet with "JOHN STAPE MARRY ME" on it. She is allowed inside the prison, after talking about him being on suicide watch. Fiz and John's meeting comes to an end and the prison officers have to physically pull John away. As he is dragged away, Fiz asks him if he will marry her or not. John says "Of course I will!" and shouts, "I love you, Fiz Brown!" as he is dragged to his cell. On July 13 2009, John sends Fiz his grandmother's engagement ring in the post, complete with a visiting order. She sees him and he places the engagement ring on her finger.[3]
Fiz and John marry on September 28, 2009. The wedding is held inside the prison chapel but Fiz can't go through with the ceremony. She breaks down in tears, revealing that every resident of Coronation Street is against them marrying and tells a stunned John that she can't marry him without Chesney’s support. John does his best to persuade Fiz to go ahead regardless but she won't, walking out and collapsing in tears outside the prison gates. Just as it seems Fiz’s big day is doomed, Chesney arrives with Roy and Hayley. He apologises to Fiz and he is there when Fiz and John marry in the prison chapel.
Life as Mrs Stape
Fiz is shocked to hear of the letters that John has written to the Street residents, informing them that he will soon be released and asks for their backing to live there with Fiz. Certain Street residents are angry, particularly Sally Webster, Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) and Blanche Hunt (Maggie Jones), that he would even consider such a thing and Sally organises a protest meeting in the Rovers. Fiz crashes the meeting and after Sally makes her speech, Fiz makes one of her own, reminding them that John has shown remorse and compensated Rosie for her ordeal with £150,000, much to Sally's annoyance. A few residents write back, giving John their support and so he joins Fiz and Chesney at number 5 Coronation Street on his release from prison.
Sally, furious that he has moved back to the street, paints the windows black that night. Fiz, furious, wants to phone the police - particularly after Sally admits what she has done in front of witnesses - but John refuses. He and Fiz spend the day scraping the paint off and accepts Graeme Proctor (Craig Gazey)'s help in repainting the upstairs of the house to match. Rosie doesn't seem to care that he is living across the street until, swindled out of her compensation by Luke Strong (Craig Kelly), tells John that she has decided to return to college and study to be a doctor. She asks him for £50,000 to fund this and is stunned when he refuses so she tries blackmailing him, claiming that he had grabbed her and locked her into Roy's Rolls, where he is now working. Sally and Kevin call the police and John is arrested but released pending further enquiries. That night in the pub, he challenges Rosie about her version of events and when unable to answer his questions, she reveals that she has lied. Furious, Kevin makes her apologise the next day and withdraw her statement to the police. Sally also apologises and asks them not to press charges. John agrees but Fiz is clearly annoyed. The Stapes and the Websters both agree to stay out of each others way.
In April 2010, John meets one of his ex-teacher colleagues, Colin Fishwick (David Crellin), in the cafe, who invites him and Fiz to his leaving party before he emigrates to Canada. While there, Colin makes it clear to John that he wants out of teaching. John thinks up a plan for him to start teaching again, by stealing Colin's identity as he has a clean CRB. Fiz is initially incredulous when John tells her about his plans but she then agrees to go along with his plan and both agree to keep the truth from Chesney.
In August 2010, after an argument with John, Fiz leaves for a holiday on her own. On 18 August 2010 Fiz returns from her holiday and announces that she is 12 weeks pregnant with their first child. The couple make up and John promises to never lie to her again.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Webmaster (2007). "Coronation Street - Cast & Characters - Fiz Brown". ITV.com. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
- ^ Kris Green & Simon Reynolds (28 October 2008). "Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Brown, Corrie)". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
- ^ Kris Green (13 July 2009). "Coronation Street - Spoiler - John gives Fiz an engagement ring". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
External links
- Profile of Fiz Brown at ITV soaps
- Profile of Fiz Brown at What's on TV