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Jacqueline Denise Welch (born 22 May 1958) is an English actress who portrays Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road.

Early life[]

Born and brought up in the North East of England, Welch is the daughter of Vin and Ann Welch. She has a younger sister, Debbie.

Personal life[]

With her former husband, actor Tim Healy (who also appeared in Waterloo Road as Dave Miller in Series 4, who had a minor romance with her character), Denise has two sons, including The 1975 lead singer Matty Healy, who himself made several cameos in Series 3 and 4. She is now married to Lincoln Townley, and they currently live in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Career[]

Welch's first television appearance was in the Tyne Tees Television production Barriers in January 1982. A few years later, she starred in ITV's hit drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, following this with starring roles in Byker Grove, Spender, Soldier Soldier, and a guest role in The Bill. Welch gained wider notability in February 1997, when she was cast as Natalie Horrocks in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street. After departing the show in December 2000, she guest-starred in Where the Heart Is, Holby City, Doctors, and appeared regularly in Down to Earth.

Between March 2006 and October 2010, Welch starred as French teacher Steph Haydock, who was one of the show's most prominent characters in the first five series of Waterloo Road. She left the show without intending to return for the sixth series, but eventually decided to come back for two episodes. In November 2024, It was announced that Welch would reprise her role of Steph for the sixteenth series of Waterloo Road in 2025.

She later made made appearances in various television series, including Benidorm, Casualty, Boy Meets Girl, EastEnders, Class Dismissed and Emmerdale. From January 2021 to January 2022, Welch portrayed Trish Minniver in Channel 4's Hollyoaks, having previously appeared in its spin-off Hollyoaks: In the City as D.C.I. Fisher.

External links[]

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