Russell T Davies’s new Channel 4 drama Tip Toe is already receiving rave reviews from critics.
The series stars Alan Cumming as Leo, a gay bar owner, and David Morrissey as electrician Clive – two warring neighbours on a Mancunian backstreet. It’s basically Coronation Street in a post-watershed slot.
However, this late night scheduling allows for a much darker story than anything that could ever play out on the cobbles. Tip Toe explores how communities are becoming alienated and confrontational towards one another, with Davies saying that the problem isn’t only relevant to LGBTQ+ people.
Aside from Cumming and Morrissey, the thriller’s cast is littered with numerous recognisable faces, many of whom found fame in soap land.
In fact, Davies himself was a Corrie storyliner back in 1993, and wrote the script for Jack and Vera Duckworth spin-off Viva Las Vegas! four years later.
Here’s a look at everyone in Tip Toe who has had a soap role…
Elizabeth Berrington plays Stephanie
Berrington plays Stephanie, Leo’s close friend who has a number of divisive opinions.
Her first soap role was as Avril Stone in an episode of The Bill that aired in 1996, followed by another guest part in Casualty two years later.
She’d later return to the ITV police drama in 2001, before playing the regular role of Ruby Fry in series five and six of Waterloo Road.
In 2016, Berrington was also Nic Katchevski in five episodes of Doctors.
Pooky Quesnel plays Marie
Marie is Clive’s wife of many years, though the two have grown distant and are trapped in a loveless marriage.
After a guest role in Doctors (somewhere she’d return to on another two occasions), Quensel was a regular in axed Channel 5 soap Family Affairs between 2001 and 2002.
She then had further guest appearances in The Bill and Holby City, before playing recurring character Rachel Branning in EastEnders.
After this, Quensel starred in Casualty and as Geography teacher Olga Fitzgerald in the tenth series of Waterloo Road.
Joseph Evans plays Saul
Saul is Clive’s eldest son, who has followed him into the family business… but has a secret side hustle of his own as an OnlyFans model.
One of his first parts was as Jackson Hodge in Coronation Street, taking over the role from Rhys Cadman to coincide with Ellie Leach’s exit from the serial drama in 2023.
Iz Hesketh plays Zee
Hesketh plays Zee, a trans woman who works for Leo at Spit & Polish.
In 2024, she played troubled Kitty Draper in Hollyoaks, a girl who stole her deceased friend’s identity following a car crash.
Denise Welch plays Diane
Famed for her part within the Loose Women panel, Welch is the only actress to be awarded with a ‘CHEE’. This fictional trophy was created by fans to honour stars who have appeared in all four major British soaps; Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, EastEnders and Emmerdale.
For three years she was Natalie Barnes in Corrie, which followed a recurring role as Polly Bell in Byker Grove.
She then starred in Holby City, Doctors and Hollyoaks: In the City, before taking on the part of rowdy French teacher Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road. Welch played Steph between series one and six, before returning this year.
After returning to Doctors and Holby City, and appearing in Casualty, she played Alison Slater in EastEnders and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks.
At the end of 2024, she was Heidi, a member of the jury during Tom King’s trial in Emmerdale.
Gabriel Clark plays Mikey
Mikey is a bartender at Spit & Polish.
Clark found fame as Ollie Morgan in Hollyoaks, taking over the role from Aedan Duckworth in 2020. He departed three years later.
Andy Moss plays Eddie
In the first episode, Eddie could be seen running out of Leo’s house with his laptop after a one-night stand.
Leo rushed after him, locking himself out of his house in the process, which kickstarts the drama that unfolds over the following episodes.
Moss played Hollyoaks’ Rhys Ashworth between 2005 and 2012. He played the same role in a series of spin-offs, and reprised his Rhys role as a ghostly apparition in 2014.
He’s since appeared in Casualty and Doctors.
Dominic Holmes plays Regime
Regime is the regular drag queen to perform at Spit & Polish, whose day job as a teacher puts them in jeopardy later in the series.
Holmes played Daniel Osbourne in Coronation Street in 2007, before the role was recast to Rob Mallard nine years later.
Lily Best plays Beryl
Introduced in episode three, Beryl is a zany friend of Zee, who helps her choose her new name.
Best played the regular role of Lizzie Chen-Williams in Hollyoaks between 2021 and 2024.
Tip Toe continues tonight (Monday 8 June) on Channel 4 at 9pm, or can be streamed in its entirety online.
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