ITV Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver found birth mum after co-star's five word bombshell

Coronation Street favourite Sue Cleaver found her long-lost birth mum after her co-star made a bombshell comment. The actress, known and loved for playing the sassy Street Cars switch operator Eileen Grimshaw on the cobbles, was adopted at just 10 days old.

It would be years later in 1986, when one of her co-workers’ comments would bring her face-to-face with her biological mother. The 61-year-old ITV soap star had just landed a minor role in the play Oedipus at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.

Fellow actor Michael N Harbour was taken aback when he first saw her, so much so, that he said to the stage manager: “Oh my God, she's the spitting image of my wife when I met her”, as reported by The Mirror.

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Despite the age difference, Sue and 41-year-old Michael quickly became close friends. In her new memoir A Work in Progress, Sue penned: "I was completely obsessed with him and fascinated by his stories about his family, I wasn't sure why."

During a Sunday lunch gathering with the cast, Michael teased the I'm a Celebrity star about her northern accent before asking about her birthplace and date of birth. When she revealed that she was actually born in Barnet, Greater London, not the north, and that her birthday was September 2, 1963, Michael immediately phoned his wife Lesley, declaring: "I've found her."

It eventually became apparent Sue's biological mother Lesley Sizer Grieve had given her up for adoption as a 17-year-old single mum, five years prior to meeting Michael.

Originally named Claire Grieve at birth, Sue was adopted by a young couple, Fred and John Cleaver, and grew up with their five-year-old son Paul. Lesley and Michael went on to have two daughters who were unaware they had a half-sister.

However, Michael recognised the striking resemblance between his wife and Sue, along with matching dates, and realised that Sue was indeed their eldest child. Michael revealed the truth to Sue, saying: 'You are my wife's daughter,' and arranged for her to meet Lesley in a hotel.

Sue said: “The walk to the door felt like it went on forever. I felt such a mixture of anticipation, excitement, fear and adrenaline. We embraced and just talked and talked until 5am.

"It was almost like a love story. The first two weeks were very heady; we had to be around each other, we had to call each other. She never ever felt like my mum. My mum who brought me up is (my) mum. But there was a definite attachment."

Lesley died at the beginning of the pandemic, but Sue added: "I've got two lovely half-sisters. I'm close to them and I see Kate, the youngest one, quite a bit. My mum and dad were so welcoming; Lesley came to my father's funeral. It's very much like [we're] part of a bigger family; it's been lovely."

In another twist of fate, Sue also found out Corrie actress Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt, used to share a flat with Lesley. Sue added: “She knew that Lesley had this child [she'd given up]," and added a familial twist revealing, "And Helen is Godmother to one of my half-sisters.”

Released on Thursday, her memoir delves into the emotional journey, as she reflects: "I've only ever had one mum and she was so warm and generous. There was no jealousy; she welcomed Lesley with open arms and told her she could visit anytime."