Robert Darren "Rob" Donovan is the younger brother of Carla Connor who spent time in Strangeways Jail before returning into her life in 2012. He managed Barlow's Buys alongside girlfriend Tracy Barlow. He also acted as a temporary manager of Underworld along with Michelle Connor for a period from July to December 2012 when Carla left Weatherfield with Peter Barlow.
Rob was responsible for the murder of Tina McIntyre, one of Tracy's (many) arch nemeses who had an affair with Rob's brother-in-law, Peter. The truth came out on the day of his wedding, and Rob went on the run from the police. He was later arrested and taken into custody, before being sentenced to twenty-five years in prison.
Prison wouldn't keep Rob down as a year into his sentence he had conducted a revenge scheme involving blackmailing Carla's biological father Johnny Connor and getting revenge on Tracy for shopping him to the police. However his attempts proved fruitless as he only alienated those willing to still give him a chance, leaving him to live out his sentence in loneliness.
In 2017 Rob broke out of prison and was hidden away with the help of Tracy.
Biography
c.1977-2011: Background
Rob's family resided on a run-down council estate. Rob and his sister Carla had a bad upbringing and their mother was a drug dealer. They also had a bad relationship with their abusive stepfather George. Rob and Carla had a good relationship with the Connor family who also resided on the estate, and Rob shared his first kiss with their younger daughter Michelle. When Carla married Michelle's older brother Paul and moved away, Rob found himself on his own to support his mother.
Some time in the early 2000s, Rob's mother got herself into debt with drug dealers. Wanting to help her pay them off, Rob took on the job as a getaway driver in an armed robbery. However he was caught by the police and was sentenced to eight years in Strangeways Jail. During his time in prison he rarely had contact with Carla. When their mother died in June 2011, Rob contacted Carla to inform her.
2011-2012: Release and reunion with Carla
Rob comes to blows with Peter on his arrival on Coronation Street.
He was released in July 2012 and tracked Carla down to her business Underworld in Coronation Street. Rob came across Carla's boyfriend Peter Barlow giving her a hard time, and stepped in and told Peter to stop having a go at his sister. Later on Carla met up with Rob in the Rovers to catch up, but the reunion didn't go well when Rob began to have a go at her for abandoning him and their mother and hardly keeping in contact. He went to stay with Carla's friend and ex-sister-in-law Michelle. Within a few days he'd persuaded Carla to give him a job at Underworld, although lost an order with client Sandy Austin by having a go at her when she complained about the prices, angering Carla. The order was however secured when he won her round when they met a couple of days later.
Rob took control of Underworld when Carla left Weatherfield with boyfriend Peter. Rob continued to run the factory with Michelle until Carla and Peter returned from Los Angeles in December that year. She decided that she wanted to return to America to start afresh and planned to sell Underworld so put the business on the market. Rob knew that he couldn't make the bid, so he doctored the books so that broker Moira Bayley unvalued the business. Carla once again returned to Weatherfield, planning on staying for good and running the factory again, causing Rob and Michelle concern. When Carla discovered what he had done, she sacked him. Angry and feeling betrayed for the work he had put in, Rob set up his own business and began stealing Underworld's clients and contracts. Fed up with his tricks, Carla decided to give Rob his job back, however he wanted a share of the factory. She agreed to give him a 45% share of the business, much to Michelle's dismay.
2013-2014: Teaming up with "Toxic Tracy"
In 2013 Rob started dating Tracy McDonald and gave her a job at Underworld in packing. Prior to their relationship, he had previously dated Eva Price and got her a job as a machinist, but was dumped after being caught cheating with a hotel waitress when he attended a business meeting in Sheffield.
In April, Carla bought the rest of the shares of Barlow's Bookies from Peter's ex-wife Leanne Tilsley hoping to help him to turn the business around when he began having financial problems. She approached Rob for advice, and he planned to modernise the premises and install top of the range TV screens to garner more custom. Peter wasn't happy to discover Rob working in the bookies and having carried out alterations. However, Rob took some delight in winding Peter up about it, as business steadily improved. Peter then devised a plan to get his own back; by being nice to him and playing Rob at his own game, although Peter made Rob work the evening shifts. As Tracy vowed to move in with him, Rob became unsettled and Peter believed that Rob wasn't committed to their relationship.
Rob and Tracy celebrate their new business venture.
In July 2013, Rob and Tracy took over the bookies' rent-free for six months when Peter couldn't afford to pay out Rob after winning £35,190. As a result, they revamped the premises and reopened as Barlow's Buys. In October, Tracy ripped off Dennis Tanner after he'd pawned Rita's engagement ring and subsequently caused a feud between Tracy and Tina McIntyre, who had offered to buy the ring back for Dennis.
Despite his arguments with Carla, he cared for his sister deep down and didn't want to see her getting hurt. Prior to her wedding to Peter, Rob warned her that she was too good for him but seeing that Peter meant the world to her, he gave her his blessing and wished her the best of luck. Carla asked him to give her away and he accepted.
In January 2014, Rob moved out of his flat in Victoria Court and into 1 Coronation Street with Tracy and her mother Deirdre in a money-saving exercise. The following month, Rob attempted to make more of an effort with his relationship with Tracy especially as he realised that she wanted to spend more time with her daughter Amy. However, through Norris Cole, Tracy soon discovered that Rob had a brief fling with Tina McIntyre, and although he had tried to deny it she kicked him out, much to the relief of a smug Peter. Rob moved into 9a Rosamund Street in the knowledge that his relationship with Tracy was over. Carla attempted to trap Rob into a date with Tina by inviting the pair for dinner at Nick's Bistro only for Tracy and Deirdre to walk in, leading to her causing a scene and subsequently attempting to sell his possessions at their shop. After telling Tracy that he wouldn't be punished for one simple mistake for the rest of his life. Tracy realised that she did in fact love him and having made up, Rob moved back into No.1 and the couple announced their engagement in April 2014.
2014-2015: Killing Tina, downfall and imprisonment
In May, Rob supported his sister after Peter had hit the bottle once again, and discovered that she was pregnant with his child. He started to suspect that Peter was having an affair with Tina, after seeing them meeting secretly on several occasions; Peter acted shiftily when Rob spotted them. When Peter refused to give Rob answers, he decided to ask Carla about the matter. However she suffered pains and Rob rushed her to Weatherfield General. Although it was a false alarm, Rob decided not to tell her about Peter's affair, instead warning him that if he hurt Carla he would kill him.
Rob confronts Tina, leading to disastrous consequences.
Near the end of the month, Rob and Tracy held their engagement party at the Rovers. Unbeknown to Rob, Tracy slipped out of the pub in order to help Tony Stewart deliver stolen goods to his lock-up. The situation gave Rob an opportunity to call round at Tina's flat after seeing that she appeared distraught after walking into the Rovers and overhearing Peter's announcement of his wife's pregnancy. Rob went to check on Tina and tried to assure her that she was better off without Peter. However Tina was enraged and angry, threatening to tell Carla about her affair with Peter, and said that she would report Rob and Tracy to the police for their dodgy dealings. Worried, he chased her onto the balcony of the Builder's Yard where the pair had an altercation. When Tina attempted to leave, Rob pushed her away causing her to fall. Thinking that he had killed her, Rob faked a robbery in the flat, but when he left the property he heard Tina groaning. Despite trying to convince her that she had an accident, Tina still threatened to expose him for his crimes. Desperate, Rob grabbed an iron bar and attacked Tina with it. He returned to No.1, however Carla was later arrested as she had also gone to the flat to confront Tina over the affair. Tina survived the bludgeoning and was taken to hospital.
Over the next few days Rob was guilt-ridden especially as his sister was being accused of the attack and he tried to pin the blame on Peter. He was also angry when he learned that Tracy was delivering stolen goods during that evening. Tina passed away in hospital on 2nd June, and Rob relayed the news to Carla in the Rovers. Over the next few weeks Rob had attempted to lay the blame on Peter, and tried to convince people he was the killer. On the day of Tina's funeral, Rob got into a fight with a drunk Peter by the graveside, which resulted in Peter stating that he and Tina were "even", which helped put suspicions into people's minds that he may have been the killer. Weeks after the event, Peter was arrested and charged on suspicion of Tina's murder and held on remand.
Rob was relieved when Peter was convicted of Tina's murder in October, after spending several months trying to hide his involvement in actually killing her and convincing others that Peter was guilty.
However Carla wasn't convinced that Peter was guilty... this started when Peter ended up in hospital with alcohol poisoning and confessed to Carla that he "believed" she had killed Tina and would cover for her. Rob tried to get Carla to drop the subject, and on the run up to his wedding to Tracy asked her to be "best man" which she accepted.
Rob confesses that he killed Tina.
A week after Peter's conviction, Rob celebrated his stag night with Carla and she began to work out the truth behind Tina's attack. Deducing that Rob and Tracy's stories didn't add up, she confronted Rob believing he was covering for Tracy and that she'd killed Tina. Determined and frustrated, Rob told Carla that Tracy was innocent and admitted that she was out delivering dodgy goods with Tony. Not letting things settle, Carla could see that Rob was haunted and scared, working out he was the killer, which he eventually confessed to. Rob told Carla that Tina was determined to send him back to prison, and that she sought to destroy Carla's happiness. When Carla attempted to leave the flat, Rob locked the door and took her phone, but seeing that Carla was terrified of him, gave back the phone and a sorrowful Rob told her that he would never hurt her. Carla told Rob to hand himself in, however Rob told her that they should keep it a secret as he had more to live for, and that if Peter was released he would most likely relapse and drink himself to death.
On the day of the wedding Carla called the police. Taking Rob into a separate room, a tearful Carla revealed that the police would be there any minute. Distraught and betrayed, Rob made a run for it (not before telling Tracy he was sorry) and later in the day booked himself at the Woodland Park Guest House, upset at how his life had fallen apart. He contacted Tracy by payphone and she later arrived to meet him. Although angry at his actions and how things were falling apart, she eventually softened and they decided to run away together.
Rob is arrested.
Tracy met Rob at an abandoned warehouse, but the place was surrounded by police and Rob came to the realisation that she had called them. Stunned and distraught Rob allowed himself to be arrested. Despite a tearful Tracy's pleas that she didn't have a choice, Rob told her that she always had a choice. He was then taken away by police, leaving behind a broken Tracy. Rob later confessed to killing Tina and was charged with her murder. He refused to allow Carla or Tracy to contact him. A month following his arrest, Rob was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison, which was for killing Tina and also allowing Peter to be wrongfully convicted of the crime.
2015-2016: Making contact
2015: Rob reunites with Tracy, however he has an ulterior motive in mind.
A year into his imprisonment, Rob read an article in the newspaper about Johnny Connor's involvement with Underworld. He sent out a visiting order to Tracy, and revealed to his cellmate Ian Rigby how he had been unable to move on from his sister and ex's involvement in his incarceration. Tracy turned up to visit Rob and wondered why he had chosen to contact her after such time, however Rob confessed to being angry at first but could never stop loving her. Rob also falsely claimed that he didn't blame her for him being sent to prison, and before Tracy left he asked if she would come to visit him again, to which she agreed. Tracy also failed to mention that she was in a relationship with Robert Preston. It was clear at this point that Rob showed no love or care for Carla as he had done before, and didn't seem bothered that she was involved in a fire at her flat several months prior (which was indirectly caused by Tracy herself), showing that his time in prison had transformed him into a bitter and envious man.
Rob blackmails Johnny.
Rob sent out another visiting order the following week - this time to Johnny - which caused confusion as neither he or Carla could work out why Rob would want to see him. When Johnny did turn up the next day, Rob revealed that he knew Johnny was Carla's biological father, as his mother had told him years ago and that Carla was born nine months after a one-night-stand between them. Rob offered to remain silent on condition that Johnny paid him £10,000. When asked by Johnny why he was targeting him, Rob revealed that he was "bored". Before Johnny left, he let slip that Tracy was in a relationship with her ex-husband Robert.
Tracy continued to visit Rob, where he told her that he could be getting released due to corruption from the officer in his case. Tracy relished at the suggestion that she could have a future with Rob, again failing to mention that she was in a relationship with Robert.
Rob used a secret mobile phone to contact Robert, where he informed him that he would be sending him a visiting order. Robert agreed to visit Rob, where Rob told him of Tracy's planned infidelity. Robert was at first skeptical, but Rob was able to prove that Tracy had been visiting him.
Tracy visited Rob a final time where he revealed that his potential release was a lie and he was actually manipulating her as revenge for ruining his life. Tracy attempted to physically attack him but she was dragged away.
Johnny, not wanting to succumb to Rob's blackmail, informed Carla himself that he was her real father. Johnny phoned Rob and told him his plan had failed. Carla later visited Rob who tried to carry on his blackmail by threatening to tell Johnny's son Aidan and daughter Kate about the one-night stand with Carla's mother. The plan once again failed when Carla decided to tell them herself. Before leaving Rob, Carla told him that when he is released to never come looking for her.
Other information
- His number at Highfield Prison is HIG35902.
- Rob won't be eligible for parole until at least 2039, in which he will be at least 62 years old.
Background information
Introduction
Prior to his debut, a brother named "Darren" was referenced by Carla following her arrival in 2006, and also in interviews by cast members and producers, some of who had expressed interest in seeing her brother. In November 2008, actress Alison King (who plays Carla) also expressed interest in seeing Darren being introduced and speaking of her fictitious relative said "I think she's got a brother who's absolutely brilliant with her. I think he'll be stunningly charming, but a complete minger inside. He'll be as rough as old boots because Carla's mum was rough too. Carla's from a really rough family, but she's tried to put all that behind her." She continued "It'd be good to have someone there like Darren who wants to sponge off her or embarrass her all the time. Or maybe he just loves her to death and idolises the ground she walks on? I also think Carla could have a sister that she's not spoken to for years."[1] Kim Crowther discussed the possibility of introducing Carla's brother to Coronation Street with her team, although this didn't come to pass during her time as producer.
In March 2012 it was announced that a casting process was being made for Carla's brother with a number of actors being set out, one of them being Jamie Lomas (who at the time was dating Kym Marsh who plays Michelle Connor). Marc Baylis's casting was announced in May and on joining the soap he said "I feel incredibly honoured to be joining the very talented cast of Coronation Street. Rob is an exciting character to play and I am hoping he is going to ruffle a few Weatherfield feathers". Rob made his debut in July 2012, five-and-a-half years after Carla was first introduced.
Darren's name change to "Rob" caused some confusion among fans who were left to wonder if Carla had another brother. According to an interview given to DigitalSpy by producer Phil Collinson, Darren is Rob's middle name. [2].
Storylines
Promo photo of Marc Baylis as Rob Donovan, taken in 2014 as part of the "Who Killed Tina?" campaign.
In 2014, Rob was involved in a major storyline in which he brutally attacked Tina McIntyre. A few weeks prior to the airing of the episode, the true culprit was kept under wraps and Rob was listed as one of four suspects along with Carla Connor, Peter Barlow and Tracy Barlow. Rob was unveiled as the attacker on 27th May 2014 when he inadvertently caused Tina to fall from the balcony of her flat, which was then followed by a shock attack which aired during the following episode.
Departure and brief return
In June 2014 Baylis confirmed that he would be leaving the show.[3] In the months following Tina's murder, Peter Barlow was wrongfully imprisoned for the crime which would leave fans to wonder which one of the men would be found guilty of the heinous crime. Although Peter was found guilty of killing Tina on 20th October, Rob confessed to Carla the following week on 27th. Rob's arrest and departure was aired in Episode 8506 on 5th November.
Prior to the character's exit, Baylis stated he would be open to returning to Coronation Street.[4] After the character's exit was aired, Baylis praised the scenes and stated that he was glad Rob "Went out with a bang".[5]
In August 2015 it was announced that Marc Baylis would be returning to the role later in the year for an "exciting storyline".[1] Baylis returned to filming in October, with the character's return scene airing on 4th December 2015, thirteen months after his last on-screen appearance.[2] The character appeared for a month, making his final appearance on 4th January 2016, at the end of his brief storyline.
Other information
When Luke Strong (Craig Kelly) was introduced to Coronation Street in 2009 as a link to Carla's past (and in order to fill in when Alison King went on maternity leave) some fans were wrongly left with the impression that he was her brother "Darren".[6]
Before his arrival there seemed to be changes in Rob prison status. In June 2011 when their mother died it seemed to be implied that Rob was out of prison. Carla stated that she didn't invite her family to her wedding to Tony Gordon - "even her brother", which seemed to suggest that Rob was out of prison in 2008. However his arrival maintained that he was newly released in July 2012.
Quotes
"Did you speak to your mother like that?" (First line, to Peter Barlow)
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"Shut up!" (before pushing Tina McIntyre of a balcony)
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"You'll die gobby too!" (before attacking Tina McIntyre)
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"You had a choice. Like Carla had a choice, always a choice. Why did you do it?" (to Tracy Barlow before being arrested)
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"I know you Carla... you're putting on a brave face, but this will eat away at you. I just wish I could be there to watch it happen." (Final line)