Shona and Jodie’s Coronation Street sisters twist had fans talking – but are Julia Goulding and Olivia Frances Brown related off screen?
Coronation Street viewers were left doing a double take last week when it was confirmed that Jodie is actually Shona’s sister – with the pair even caught up in the very same Corriedale car crash. Small world, eh?
Long before the show made it official, plenty of fans were already convinced there had to be a family link. After all, the resemblance between Shona and Jodie is hard to miss. But, are the actresses who play them related in real life too?
Jodie and Shona are sisters in Coronation Street
Jodie first arrived on our screens during the Corrie/Emmerdale crossover, when she was discovered tied up in the back of a van driven by Emmerdale’s Graham Foster. Yes, ‘dead’ Graham Foster.
After managing to break free, Jodie fled through the woods before eventually making it to hospital. There, fate stepped in once again, as she crossed paths with Shona, who had also been caught up in the crash and was in labour at the time.
Noticing the coincidence straight away, Jodie soon reintroduced herself and acknowledged the strange turn of events that had brought the sisters together once more.
With nowhere else to go, Jodie has since ended up staying at the Platts’ house. David realised she was having a panic attack and quickly worked out that she was homeless. Keen to stop Shona’s sister sleeping rough, he invited Jodie to stay – planning to explain everything to Shona later.
Upcoming scenes will see Shona questioning the bruises on Jodie’s wrists. Jodie admits she was in an abusive relationship – but viewers will be left wondering whether she’s being completely honest about her past.
Are Jodie and Shona actresses related in off-screen?
On screen, the casting of Coronation Street newcomer Olivia Frances Brown alongside long-standing favourite Julia Goulding has certainly raised eyebrows.
The pair look strikingly similar, and fans have been buzzing online, desperate to know whether the resemblance runs deeper than clever casting.
But despite appearances, there’s no off-screen family connection here. Olivia Frances Brown and Julia Goulding are not related in real life. It’s simply a case of spot-on casting by the Corrie team.
So there you have it. Sisters in Weatherfield, strangers off set – though we’re not the only ones who were completely fooled.
Read more: Coronation Street fans predict Debbie is Carl’s real mum in surprising twist
Coronation Street usually airs Monday-Friday at 8.30pm on ITV.
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