Charlotte Hoyle was the unstable former teaching colleague of John Stape. In 2010 she was involved in helping him cover up the death of Colin Fishwick, which led to her later blackmailing John and wanting a relationship with him. She was later murdered by John to prevent her telling Fiz the truth.
She was played by Becky Hindley.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Charlotte Hoyle had worked at Weatherfield High and was a colleague of John Stape and Colin Fishwick. John later left the school due to his affair with pupil Rosie Webster, whom Charlotte liked to refer to as "Dozy Plebster". John would later to go onto kidnap Rosie and imprison her in his deceased grandmother's attic. Charlotte and the rest of John's former colleagues found the incident amusing, although quickly moved passed it and didn't have much sympathy for Rosie.
2010[]
Reunion with John[]
In April 2010 Charlotte along with John and other colleagues were invited by Colin to his leaving party. Regardless of John's past, it was old news to his former teaching colleagues and Charlotte wasn't fussed by what John had done, and still referred to Rosie as Dozy Plebster.
Two months later Charlotte and a shocked John crossed paths at a teaching conference. Although John claimed to be working for the examination board, Charlotte noticed Colin's name on the attendees list and later found out John had stolen Colin's identity to teach again. But Charlotte seemed to take the news well, revealing she enjoyed the new "exciting" John as she previously found him boring and took him out for a drink.
Covering up Colin's death[]
Charlotte kept turning up at the street, which annoyed John's wife Fiz who demanded John gives up his teaching job. Colin returned to the United Kingdom, and John found himself forced to admit to his deception. Although Colin seemed to take it on the chin, he later turned up battered and bruised at John's home Number 5 Coronation Street, which was at the hands of a man whose wife Colin had an affair with. Charlotte was present when Colin tried to extort money from John, but he collapsed and died. Charlotte was shocked and thought they should call the police, but John instead got her to help him wrap Colin's corpse in a blanket and sneak it through the ginnel at night. They hid the body in the ruins of the destroyed Underworld factory, hoping to get it later. But the wrapped body was buried in concrete by oblivious workmen.
Growing tired of Charlotte, Fiz confronted her at her home and smashed the room up, threatening her to stay away. A terrified Charlotte complied, and Fiz subsequently left.
Mental breakdown, stalking John, and murder[]
In November 2010 John began receiving mysterious letters claiming they knew what happened to Colin. He confronted Charlotte over the incident thinking it was her, until she presented him with a letter sent for her. However Charlotte was responsible, and this was just a ruse to make John think someone else was onto them. When John discovered her deceit, Charlotte blackmailed John to spend time with him, and go by the name "Colin". Wanting to stay out of prison John bitterly agreed. Charlotte introduced "Colin" to her parents, who were glad their daughter found someone. The plan got out of hand when Charlotte wanted John to leave Fiz and come live with her. He "agreed", but didn't tell Fiz.
Near the start of December 2010, Charlotte confronted John at his house whilst Fiz was attending the stag night party of Leanne Battersby at the Rovers Return Inn. When Charlotte believed John wasn't going to tell Fiz, she threatened to go to the pub and tell her what John has been up to. In a moment of panic and fury, John hit Charlotte over the back of the head with a hammer, knocking her out. John was close to calling the emergency services feeling it was the end of the road for him, but conveniently the Joinery bar down the road exploded, causing a tram to derail and crash into the street. During the panic, John took advantage of the situation and snuck Charlotte's corpse down the ginnel and dumped it near the crash sight, giving the idea she was a victim of the crash. She was recovered, and John panicked when a police officer reported in Charlotte was alive. He went to the hospital, intending to unplug her life support machine, but stopped when her parents arrived. It was later revealed Charlotte had severe brain damage and wouldn't be able to do anything again, so her parents made a heartbreaking decision to turn off her life support, with John agreeing to it.
Aftermath[]
John later went onto claim another victim a month later, which was Colin's mother Joy Fishwick. After John was later exposed as a killer and went on the run, Fiz was accused of being an accomplice and put on trial for being an accessory to the murders of Colin, Charlotte and Joy. She was later released when John arrived back in Weatherfield and after being put on his deathbed confessed Fiz had nothing to do with it. Charlotte's parents had initially tried to pin the blame on Fiz, as they were desperate for justice for their daughter. Due to the revelation that Charlotte wasn't killed in the tram crash, a tribute wasn't paid to her in December 2011 on the first anniversary of the incident.
In 2022 it is revealed that deputy headmaster of Weatherfield High Orla Crawshaw was a friend of Charlotte Hoyle. At this point John Stape's daughter Hope Stape grew into a villain and threatened her school with a hammer. When Orla had her suspended, Hope claimed this was only done because she was friends with Charlotte.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Charlotte is the third character played by Becky Hindley to be employed at Weatherfield High. First she played deputy head Mrs Smith in 2006, then an Exam Invigilator in 2007.
Memorable Info[]
Appearances: 9-11 Apr 2010, 16 Jun-9 Aug 2010, 1 Nov-10 Dec 2010