Coronation Street fans were left speechless this week when Lily Platt showed up as a new actress. The youngest of David’s children has been recast, after Brooke Malonie spent nine years as the ITV soap character from 2016 until 2025. She was previously played by Betsie and Emmie Taylor from 2014-2016, and by Ava and Lilly Bushell as a baby in 2013 and 2014.
Now, however, Grace Ashcroft-Gardner, 13, has stepped into the role. Though viewers at home were baffled by the quiet change, Grace has shared her excitement on social media, writing on Instagram: “I am so excited to share my news that I have joined the cast of Coronation Street playing the role of Lily Platt!
“It’s been a brilliant few months since my first audition, which wouldn’t have happened without the fantastic Stagebox team (who I can’t thank enough!)
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“The whole Corrie team, the cast and crew have been absolutely amazing, I couldn’t have asked for more support during my first few weeks filming on the cobbles.” She had support from her co-stars, including David Platt actor Jack P Shepherd, who wrote: “Yay! Great to have you as part of the family Grace.”
Though not much is known about the young actress outside of her new role, Grace is a keen dancer and performer. But she’s faced more than her fair share of tragedy, too. In 2020, her older sister Scarlett was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was just 12.
Scarlett underwent a nine-and-a-half-hour operation to remove a craniopharyngioma, which was the size of a golf ball, through her nose. The benign tumour affected the pituitary gland and hormones, and was causing severe headaches.
Her parents Andrew and Kathryn took her for tests, where an MRI scan confirmed a brain tumour. Her dad Andrew said: “It was the size of a golf ball and had been pressing down on her brain and eyes, affecting her eyesight.
“It was right against her optic nerve so when they did the operation there was a danger her eyesight could have been permanently affected.” Thankfully things went well, and Scarlett made it home in time to celebrate her 13th birthday at the time. She later received proton beam radiotherapy to ensure no pieces of the tumour remained, according to The Lancashire Telegraph.
