Friday night’s Coronation Street delivered fireworks as Bernie Winter finally took revenge on Naomi, the woman who targeted her stepdaughter Asha Alahan with racist abuse. But behind the character lies actress Melissa Batchelor, who soap fans may recognise from a string of past roles across rival dramas.

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Naomi’s Cruel Confrontation with Asha

Viewers will remember that Asha, working as a paramedic, once faced a shocking attack from Naomi. The harrowing abuse left Asha shaken, and in recent episodes, fate brought the two face-to-face again at a careers fair.

Naomi denied everything, leaving Asha devastated and in tears. But Bernie, unwilling to let her stepdaughter suffer in silence, took matters into her own hands. As Naomi stepped up to speak, Bernie exposed her true nature by hijacking her presentation in front of the entire audience.

The fallout was explosive. Naomi stormed into the Alahan household, threatening to sue Bernie for defamation. A tense standoff followed, with Naomi pressuring Asha to drop her police complaint in exchange for withdrawing the lawsuit.

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Melissa Batchelor’s Soapland History

While Naomi is quickly becoming one of Weatherfield’s most hated figures, actress Melissa Batchelor is no stranger to soapland. Her career has seen her take on a variety of roles in some of Britain’s most popular shows:

• Emmerdale (2019): Appeared as Erica.

• Doctors (2020): Guest role as Donna Jaywick.

• Hollyoaks (2022): Played Detective Sergeant Amaral.

• EastEnders (2025): Recently appeared as Amelia.

Beyond the soaps, Batchelor has made her mark on other TV hits, including Silent Witness, Code of Silence, I May Destroy You, Top Boy, Benidorm, UGetMe, and Casualty.

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The Fallout in Weatherfield

Naomi’s threats have left the Alahans in crisis. Bernie’s bold stand may have exposed the truth, but the legal battle ahead looks set to test the family further. With Asha torn between her own trauma and protecting her loved ones, Naomi’s presence in Weatherfield promises more drama ahead.