Coronation Street fans were taken aback upon discovering that Jane Hazlegrove, who portrays Bernie Winter on the show, is married to a renowned soap star.
Jane made her debut on the ITV soap in 2019 as the estranged mother of Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) and Paul (Peter Ash), quickly becoming a fan favourite.
Bernie’s character has been at the centre of several major plotlines over the years. In 2023, Paul was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), and tragically passed away in September 2024, with Bernie by his side in heart-wrenching scenes, Leicester Mercury reports.
Additionally, Bernie was surprised when her long-lost son Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) showed up last year. Bernie’s romantic relationship with Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) has also been a hot topic among viewers.
Before joining Corrie, Jane had roles in Silent Witness, The Bill, and Doctors. She also portrayed Kathleen ‘Dixie’ Dixon in BBC’s Casualty from 2006 to 2016.
However, fans have recently been astounded to learn about her famous spouse. Off-screen, Jane is happily married to fellow soap star Isobel Middleton. The couple tied the knot in 2015 and have been together for over 28 years.
Isobel, an actress herself, is no stranger to the small screen and has played three characters in Emmerdale over the years. She portrayed Dr Lane in 2014, followed by a barrister during Simon McManus’ 2018 trial.
And in 2020, she took on the role of Jean Rawson on the soap. Isobel Steele has quite the resume, not limited to playing Liv Flaherty on Emmerdale.
The actress cut her teeth in the world of soaps back in 2002 as Sadie Banks on the BBC’s EastEnders, before leaping into big-screen magic with a role in 2009’s Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
In 2022, she stepped onto the cobbles of ITV’s Coronation Street as Persephone Braxton, a feminist author arriving for a book launch at Roy’s Rolls.
Fans have been utterly gobsmacked to discover that Isobel is married to fellow actress Jane Hazlegrove, who plays Bernie on Corrie.
A snap of the pair shared on a Coronation Street Facebook fan page incited a wave of surprised reactions, with one fan posting: “Picture of Jane Hazlegrove (Bernie from Corrie) with real-life wife, Isobel.”
Intrigued comments quickly followed, with one person asking: “I recognise Isobel… she’s an actress too? .”
Another filled in the gaps: “She was in Mr. Bates and Emmerdale,” prompting the realisation from another fan: “I thought I recognised her! ” The sentiment was echoed by yet another admirer who exclaimed: “How incredible! What a lovely couple.”