Yesterday, I was chatting to my mate Emma the other day; she works in telly production, and she goes, “Do you know who actually writes the stories for Coronation Street?” Of course, I didn’t have a clue. Turns out it’s not just one person with a massive imagination. There’s a whole team of storyliners behind the scenes, and one of them was Hanni Treweek, Coronation Street’s secret weapon for two crucial years.

Made me realise how little we know about the people who actually create the drama we’re glued to every night.

Introduction to Hanni Treweek

Most people know Hanni as Jack P. Shepherd’s wife now, but that’s selling her short, isn’t it? Before she became tabloid fodder for marrying David Platt, she was one of the people actually deciding what happened to David Platt. Bit of a career change from storyliner to fashion influencer, but there you go.

Hanni worked behind the scenes at Coronation Street for years. Not as an actress; she only appeared on screen once, alongside Nick Grimshaw, in 2013 at the Rovers jukebox. Proper blink-and-you’ll miss-it cameo. Her real work was making sure the stories we watched every episode actually made sense.

Her Role in Coronation Street’s Script Team

Here’s where it gets interesting. Hanni Treweek‘s Coronation Street connection goes back to 2016, when she started as a researcher. That’s the people who fact-check everything, find locations, and make sure storylines don’t contradict what happened five years ago. 

Sounds dead boring until you realise how mental it would be if characters kept forgetting they had kids or changing their jobs every week.

Then in December 2018, she got promoted to storyliner. That’s a massive step up. Storyliners are basically the architects of soap dramas, as they decide which character does what, when, and why. Between December 2018 and November 2020, she had a hand in 535 episodes. That’s nearly two years of solid storylining work.

Think about what was happening in Corrie during that time. Proper mental storylines weren’t there? The Underworld factory roof collapse, Yasmeen and Geoff’s coercive control storyline, and loads of David Platt drama (awkward, considering she was dating the actor). All had input from people like Hanni.

Impact on Coronation Street’s Direction

Now here’s the thing about storyliners; they don’t just write dialogue. They shape entire character arcs and decide how storylines develop over months or even years. During Hanni’s time, Corrie tackled some proper heavy subjects. The Geoff and Yasmeen domestic abuse storyline was massive; it won awards and everything.

Of course, we can’t say which specific bits were down to Hanni. Storylining is teamwork, and they don’t usually credit individual storyliners for specific episodes. But she was there during some of Corrie’s most talked-about periods, so she definitely had input.

What I find mad is how storytellers have to think so far ahead. They’re planning Christmas episodes in summer, working out who’s going to be pregnant, divorced, or murdered months before it happens on screen.

Behind-the-Scenes Challenges

Imagine trying to keep 60 years of Coronation Street continuity straight. That’s like remembering every conversation you’ve had since you were five. One wrong move and suddenly Ken Barlow‘s got a secret son he’s never mentioned, or the Rovers Return has mysteriously gained an extra room.

Plus, you’ve got to keep millions of viewers interested without making everything completely bonkers. Too boring, and people switch off. Too dramatic, and suddenly you’re basically a superhero show set in Manchester.

Hanni would’ve been dealing with all that pressure while dating one of the show’s main stars. Talk about mixing business with pleasure. Must’ve been weird going home and having Jack ask, “So what terrible thing happens to David next week?”

Industry Recognition and Collaboration

The thing about storylining work is you don’t often get individual credit. It’s proper teamwork having writers, producers, and storyliners all working together to create the episodes we see. But 535 episodes are a serious contribution to British television.

During her time, Coronation Street maintained its position as one of Britain’s most-watched soaps. The show kept winning awards and dealing with important social issues. That doesn’t happen by accident, as it takes skilled people behind the scenes making smart decisions about story direction.

Hanni worked alongside some of Corrie’s most experienced writers and producers. Learning from people who’ve been crafting soap storylines for decades must’ve been a proper valuable experience.

Contribution to British Television

Here’s what really gets me: Coronation Street has been running since 1960. That’s longer than most people have been alive. Keeping a show like that fresh and relevant takes serious skill from everyone involved, including the storyliners.

During Hanni’s time, the show tackled domestic abuse, mental health, and economic struggles – all the stuff real families deal with. That’s what makes Corrie special, isn’t it? It might be set in a fictional street, but the problems are real.

The storylines from 2018-2020 are still being talked about now. The Yasmeen and Geoff storyline, especially proper, important television that actually helped people recognise coercive control in their own relationships.

Life After Storylining

Hanni left storylining in November 2020 and moved into fashion influencing. From deciding Ken Barlow’s love life to flogging designer clothes on Instagram, which is not your typical career progression, but good on her for branching out.

She’s got 30,000 Instagram followers now and works with fashion brands. Plus, she married Jack in July 2025, at Manchester Cathedral, a proper posh do by all accounts. Not bad for someone who started in the Corrie press office.

The fact that she successfully transitioned from behind-the-scenes telly work to social media influence shows she’s got proper business sense. Not everyone can make that jump work.

Makes you wonder what other storytellers are up to these days. Probably still trying to figure out which Platt family member should have the next mental breakdown.