Rosie Webster

Rosie Webster is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. The character has been played by two actresses: Emma Collinge from 1990 to 1999, and Helen Flanagan from 2000 to 2012, and from 2017 to 2018.

Rosie is the eldest daughter of Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor), older sister to Sophie Webster (Ashleigh Middleton, Emma Woodward, Brooke Vincent), and older half-sister to Jack Webster and deceased Jake Webster. Throughout her storylines, Rosie has been involved in various conflicts, including a rivalry with younger sister Sophie and being kidnapped by John Stape (Graeme Hawley). Additionally, Rosie has had aspirations of becoming a model, which has been a significant storyline for her character.

Rosie was initially played by child actress Emma Collinge. In January 2000, the press announced that Collinge would be departing the serial "to devote more time to gymnastics." "Budding actress" Helen Flanagan was recast in the role. Nine-year-old Flanagan, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, joined the soap on 23 January 2000. At the time, Flanagan told the media that she was "thrilled" with her casting. Flanagan discovered she had been chosen just a few days before Christmas Eve 1999, but was not permitted to reveal this to anyone for two weeks. In 2000, her mother Julia Flanagan commented, "She was really thrilled to get the part and she was bursting to tell people, but she just couldn't. The Coronation Street people had asked us not to tell anyone, so we had to keep quiet. The hardest bit for Helen was not telling her grandad because he's such a fan of the programme. When he did find out, he was absolutely thrilled. She is loving every minute. She's met most of the cast and is still very excited about it all."

In October 2011, it was announced that Flanagan had decided to leave Coronation Street. While some had speculated that she would quit the series due to panic attacks on set, Flanagan said it was purely her own decision to leave because she had played Rosie for more than half of her life and decided to pursue other projects. Flanagan said that she "disliked" playing Rosie. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Flanagan commented: "When I'm acting, I like things to feel real, and I didn't like Rosie's bitchiness. I didn't enjoy playing that kind of character. She went through a phase of being such a catty girl. As an actress you do the best job you can, but I didn't enjoy it because it didn't feel real. I always said to myself that I was going to leave when I turned 21. For me, the show represents my childhood, and I just couldn't have properly become an adult if I hadn't left."

On 10 July 2016, while appearing on an episode of Loose Women, Flanagan expressed interest in reprising her role as Rosie, but admitted that she would prefer to only appear in a few episodes due to being busy as a mum. On 5 October 2016, it was announced that Flanagan would be reprising her role as Rosie for a short stint in early 2017. Flanagan commented: "I'm so excited to be returning to Coronation Street and being part of the Webster family again." Producer Kate Oates said: "The Websters have missed Rosie and so have we. With Sophie away on holiday with her sister, it seemed like the ideal time to bring Rosie back home with her for a visit. We are delighted that Helen is as keen to explore what Rosie has been up to away from the cobbles as we are." On 9 February 2017, it was announced that Flanagan had extended her contract to play Rosie for the foreseeable future.

In December 2017, during an interview with OK! magazine, Flanagan revealed that she was pregnant with her second child and would take maternity leave at the beginning of 2018. Flanagan left the show in April, indicating an interest in returning to the role at a future, unspecified date.

Between 1990 and 2005, Rosie was portrayed as a typical child with her hair often tied up. However, in 2005, the character underwent a notable change in appearance, adopting a gothic style which included wearing black clothing and makeup, and dyeing her hair jet black. In 2008, Flanagan expressed her dislike for her character's gothic attire in an interview with The Mirror, stating, "I am used to being a goth, having dressed as one for so long as Rosie. It was all so unflattering - really unfeminine, with long black skirts that reached the floor and horrible jackets" Flanagan also commented on Rosie's attitude at the time, stating, "I hate all that goth music, such as Marilyn Manson and HIM, that Rosie seems to like. Her favorite rock band is called Stench of Death - that says it all."

Rosie’s appearance was again changed around 2007 to reflect changes to the character's behaviour. Speaking about her character's new appearance Flanagan said: "I like to look sexy, but not tarty. Luckily, I do pretty well as Rosie – she's a glamorous girl, kind of a sassy secretary, so it's all pencil skirts, which I love, and a lot of low-cut tops. I don't want people looking at my boobs or want to be known for my boobs, but Corrie is a family show so thankfully they never go too far with it." When asked if her character is driven by money, Flanagan said, "I think she's attracted to the power and money. Rosie knows that she can use her womanly wiles to get what she wants. In the long run, she wants a life away from Weatherfield. She wants to be rich when she's older and aspires to be like Carla – gorgeous, sexy and wearing designer clothes," adding "It's not wholly about the money. She's more driven by glamour and power." She also commented that her character, "can be a bit of a bitch but she does have a heart."