Teresa Bryant (previously Morton and Denmark), is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Karen Henthorn, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 28 March 2007.

Casting and personality

Teresa was described as having a "twisted" personality by The Sun's Jen Blackburn, as well as being "the black widow of Weatherfield". Covering Teresa's interference with Jerry's medication, msn.co.uk similarly described her as "evil". Henthorn, however, has refuted this aspect of her character, stating that; "Teresa's far too wrapped up in herself to think through the consequences of what she's doing, because that would mean she'd have to take some responsibility for her actions! But she doesn't mean any real harm – she's just buying herself more time." Expanding on this, she added; "It's interesting to play Teresa this way, because – believe it or not – she does actually care for Jerry, and doesn't like the fact that she's making him ill. She's still being selfish though. I've never been a baddie before, so it's fantastic bringing Teresa to life. I think of her more as confused and a bit lost than evil – but she's playing a dangerous game, messing with Jerry's health like this..."

Arrival and storylines

Teresa first appeared on 28 March 2007, as the ex-wife of Jerry Morton. She mistreated her children Kayleigh and Finlay, resulting in Jerry taking them back to Weatherfield.

She returned to the Street in May 2008, following Jerry's heart attack. In June 2008, she conned Lloyd Mullaney into thinking that Finlay was his son, and took advantage of Lloyd. Her con was eventually revealed to Jerry after Lloyd told Mel. Jerry responded by throwing Teresa out, though he later let an insistent Teresa stay a little longer, much to Mel's dismay. Teresa revealed that her ex-boyfriend Gary Denmark, Finlay's father, used to beat her, and it was discovered he was now in prison. On June 25 2008, Teresa began a brief feud with the Websters after she attacked Rosie at David Platt's house party when she made jibes about Jerry's weight.

In June 2008 it was announced that Teresa would plot to poison Jerry with an overdose of Warfarin tablets, which may result in Jerry having another heart attack or even death.

Tension relaxed when Mel went on a holiday with cop mate Abi Sharpe, but when Mel returned she was angry that Teresa was still living at No. 6 and Teresa manipulated Jerry's mate he planned Teresa to move into, into lying that the flat needed rewiring, by protesting that Jerry was increasingly unwell and pale, so Jerry had let her move back in, Mel soon discovered Teresa's lie and the two had an argument. Mel later gave Jerry an ultimatum – Teresa moves out or she does, resulting in Mel going to stay at Abi's, later that episode, Jerry collapsed and banged his head on the coffee table leaving him with a bleeding ear. Teresa later confessed to Jerry whilst he was in hospital.

In September 2008, Teresa helped Mel get revenge for her as she was involved being attacked and by hurting Abi Sharpe by a vicious girl gang when she gave one of the girls a blow to the head with a heel of her shoe. Earlier that night, Mel and Teresa reconciled and settled their differences. However, when Mel discovered that Teresa had plotted to poison Jerry, they yet again fell out and Mel arrested Teresa for attempted murder. The police later released her after Jerry denied that she had tried to kill him. Teresa then turned up at No.6 that night begging for forgiveness but Jerry and the kids ordered her to leave. In October 2008, Darryl brought a drunken Teresa back to the house much to the disgruntlement of Mel who packed her things and left home unable to be under the same roof as her mother. Teresa caused Tina McIntyre to quit her job at the kebab shop and began working there herself alongside Darryl.

Prior to her departure on 8 December 2008, Teresa caused the Windasses, the new family whom Jerry agreed to rent No. 6 to, trouble when they couldn't move in as Teresa had barricaded herself in the house all day. She refused to move out after her and son Darryl had been evicted from their home. This caused the family's son Gary to smash the door window to get to Teresa. However, when they got into the house, they discovered that feisty Teresa had handcuffed herself to the oven and cupboard door, causing Gary to rip out the doors and throw her out of the house. She left the street on 8 December 2008 following her and Darryl's eviction from their house at 6 Coronation Street.

2009 return

Teresa returned to the Street on 13 April 2009. She turned up at Roys Rolls extremely drunk wanting to see Darryl as it was his birthday. However, she was quickly ejected by Anna Windass. Later, Dev Alahan said that she could stay in the flat above the corner shop as she had nowhere to live, on the condition that Darryl would stay there with her. She subsequently got her old job back at the takeaway much to the disapproval of Minnie Chandra who didn't want to work with her. She tried to get an extra job at Rita's Kabin after Rita sold her share to Norris, but Norris rejected her without even giving her an interview, so she blasted him in the street calling him a snob and a slaphead. Teresa was happy when she discovered Dev had paid her son Darryl to move to Spain and break up with his daughter Amber, because he didn't think Darryl was good enough for her. Teresa happily told Amber what her dad had done and Amber broke up with Darryl and left for Oxford University angry with Dev. Darryl threw Teresa out for this and the next day Lloyd found her asleep in his taxi. She later had an argument with Liz in the street, and when Liz and Lloyd also had an argument, he and Teresa went back to his place and had sex. Teresa went to the corner shop the next morning and spoke of what happened with Lloyd in front of Liz's friend Michelle, while Dev – who never gives credit – discovered that Teresa had a tab. On her way back she saw Lloyd drive away. He later got back together with Liz and told her he had slept with someone that night but didn't say who. Michelle soon told her, and a fight broke out in the pub between Liz and Teresa. Whilst attempting to punch Liz, Teresa accidentally punched Lloyd. Teresa then went to the corner shop and drank a bottle without paying; Dev sacked and evicted her, however Umed allowed her to sleep in the back of the shop - just as long as Dev didn't find out.

Earlier at Claire's street party, Teresa and Umed had worked together on making curry. Umed, who believes Teresa has a good heart, and wants to introduce curry to the kebab shop, gave her a job at making curry in the kebab shop, and managed to get Lloyd to make up with her and give her a place to stay – Teresa had previously tried to apologise for Lloyd to Liz, but this resulted in another exchange of insults.

References