Cheryl Gray was a resident of Victoria Street from 2010 to 2011 and lived on Coronation Street during the latter year. She was also the girlfriend of Lloyd Mullaney as well as a mother to Russ and estranged wife of Chris.
Cheryl met up with Leanne Battersby for the first time in three years in April 2010, and Leanne asked her to come along to the Rovers Return Inn, where Leanne proposed to her partner Peter Barlow. Cheryl was delighted to see Leanne again, and was impressed that she had followed through with her intention to get a more respectable job. In the Rovers, Cheryl flirted with taxi driver Lloyd Mullaney and also attracted the attentions of barman Ciaran McCarthy. Lloyd later drove Cheryl to a street close to her work, but accidentally left her mobile phone in the cab. When Lloyd found it, he drove to where he had dropped Cheryl off, hoping to see her again and return the phone, and was shocked to see her enter a lap dancing club.
Cheryl was standoffish with Lloyd when she realised he had found out her secret but she soon got over it as she had become friends with him. Lloyd wasn't put off by her profession and bargained with her club to secure his firm Street Cars a contract. His interest in Cheryl didn't go unnoticed by his partner Teresa Bryant, who eventually packed her bags and left Weatherfield when she realised her relationship with Lloyd had run its course. Cheryl was surprised when Lloyd tried to kiss her, and gave him the brush-off, embarrassing them both. On their next meeting, Cheryl and Russ were collected by Lloyd, and Cheryl admitted to him that she was married with a son.
Lloyd saw Cheryl with a bruise on her face and punched her boss thinking he was responsible, and Mal subsequently sacked her. Cheryl explained to Lloyd that Chris was violent towards her, and that she wanted to leave him. As they left, Chris saw and tried to stop them. Cheryl and Russ moved in with Lloyd, and as they grew closer she eventually slept with Lloyd, but afterwards claimed it was a mistake. Cheryl was given a job in Prima Doner by Sunita Alahan, and was horrified when Chris started working at Underworld and he agreed to quit in order to help their relationship. Cheryl later started a relationship with Lloyd. Cheryl argued with Leanne when Peter's son Simon hit Russ, and insisted that Russ wasn't bullying him at school, and Leanne later apologised to Cheryl when she realised this was the case. She also told Leanne she was wrong and forgave her. Leanne later offered Cheryl a job at The Joinery bar which she was opening with Nick Tilsley. On 6th December 2010 Cheryl was working when the Joinery exploded, destroying the viaduct above and sending a tram crashing onto the street. She was later rescued and brought out of the wreckage alive and reunited with Russ. When the Joinery re-opened as a Bistro, Cheryl continued to work there. Nick realised he needed a manager so Cheryl applied for the position and eventually got it after the selected candidate dropped out. Cheryl and Lloyd moved into 13 Coronation Street with Russ after successfully putting an offer in. Cheryl later found out that Chris was suffering symptoms of brain tumour and decided to support him. Lloyd initially thought Cheryl was having an affair with him and confronted her. When she told him the truth, she suggested that Chris move in with them while he fought his illness. Lloyd reluctantly agreed but felt increasingly pushed out. Over time, Chris was determined to win Cheryl back again and gradually she began to fall for him, despite him secretly knowing that his treatment for the tumour had been a success. In October 2011, the pair kissed and subsequently slept together while Lloyd was away at work. Cheryl was guilt-ridden because of her infedelity but admitted to Chris that she had fallen in love with him once again. Chris then continually pressured her to dump Lloyd and moved out of No.13 and into No.12, claiming he couldn't bear to see her and Lloyd together. He eventually told Lloyd about the affair himself, causing him to have a breakdown. Cheryl and Russ moved out of No.13 and in with Chris, and when they arrived at Lloyd's to collect some furniture, Lloyd lost his temper and dragged a sofa onto the Street and set it alight. He then attacked Chris, causing him to fall over and smack his head on the pavement, knocking him unconscious. In hospital, Cheryl asked the doctor if the injury had affected his tumour, but the doctor said it had receded for weeks, forcing Chris to admit that he had been lying. She immediately broke up with him and begged Lloyd to take her back but he pushed her away. She then left the street with Russ.
Background information
- The character of Cheryl was introduced as a love interest for Lloyd Mullaney.
- Cheryl was written out after producer Phil Collinson decided not to renew the actor's contract.
First and last lines
"Leanne! I thought it was you." (First line)
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"Don't hold your breath." (Final line, to estranged husband Chris)