Rob Donovan
Rob Donovan is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by Marc Baylis.[1] Introduced as the brother of Carla Connor (Alison King), he made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 9 July 2012.[2][3] It was announced in June 2014 that Baylis would be leaving the role after two years following his involvement in a storyline where Rob was responsible for murdering Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan). Rob departed on 5 November 2014.[4] It was reported in August 2015 that Baylis would be reprising the role as Rob,[5] and he returned to filming in October for a short storyline.[6][5] His return aired on 4 December 2015[7] and he departed a month later, on 4 January 2016. He returned again on 19 April 2017 and departed on 8 May 2017.
Rob Donovan
2012–2017
Episode 7902
9 July 2012
Episode 9160
8 May 2017
Phil Collinson (2012)
Stuart Blackburn (2015)
Kate Oates (2017)
Robert Donovan
Robert Donovan
- Criminal
- Factory Manager
- Businessman
- Pawnbroker
Sharon Donovan
Storylines
2012–2014
Rob arrives in Weatherfield after being in prison and he seeks Carla's help to make a fresh start.[3] When Carla and Peter leave Weatherfield for Los Angeles, Rob steps in to help Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) run the factory. Shortly after Carla and Peter return for Christmas, Carla announces that she is going back to Los Angeles and selling the factory to the highest bidder. Knowing that he cannot find the money to make a bid, Rob falsifies the accounts so the broker gives them a low valuation. When Carla returns for good, Rob and Michelle worry they will be caught out. Carla does find out and sacks Rob, threatening to report him for fraud. Rob goes into business for himself, stealing clients and orders from Underworld. Realising that she cannot beat him, Carla offers Rob's 30% share in the factory, much to Michelle's annoyance. Rob begins dating Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford); they stay at No. 1 Coronation Street with Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) and run a shop, Barlow's Buys, on the site where Barlow's Bookies used to be. After becoming engaged, Rob and Tracy embark on a series of illegal schemes, which are witnessed by Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan). Rob also discovers that Tina is having an affair with Peter behind a pregnant Carla's back. On the night of his engagement party, Rob visits Tina and asks her not to tell Carla about the affair, as it will ruin her happiness. Tina refuses and threatens to expose his scams. Rob chases her up to the balcony of the building yard and pushes her, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto the cobbles below. To Rob's horror, Tina survives the fall, but when she threatens to go to the police, Rob beats her with a metal pipe and she dies in hospital the following week.
Feeling guilty and angry with Peter, Rob plans to frame him for Tina's murder. Peter is sentenced to life imprisonment, but after Carla told the police the truth, Rob flees Weatherfield. He asks Tracy to run away with him, but she calls the police herself. A devastated Rob disowns both Carla and Tracy, and gives himself up to the police. A month later, he is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.
2015–2017
Rob requests a visit from Tracy and tells his unnamed prison cellmate that he plans for revenge on Tracy and Carla of how they disowned him and how they called the police and had him imprisoned. After Tracy's visit, Rob requests a visit from Johnny Connor (Richard Hawley), and reveals that he is the father of Carla, as his mother shared the secret with him years ago.
In April 2017, during the investigation over who pushed Ken Barlow (William Roache) down the stairs, Tracy goes to the old gym, where she meets a figure with a hood over its head, she shouts out at the figure and then the figure steps forward and takes down the hood to reveal Rob. Rob tells her that he has escaped from prison because he ratted on a gang in prison and when he was being transferred to another prison, the van crashed into a river and the police think he is dead. Until Robert is once again finally apprehended and transferred to a different prison.
Reception
Baylis was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Inside Soap Awards. He also received nominations for "Sexiest Male" at the 2013 and 2014 British Soap Awards.[19]
The character's 2017 reintroduction was praised by Laura-Jayne Tyler, writing for Inside Soap, who wrote, "The highlight of Rob's return was what is perhaps the greatest comeback line of all time: 'I suppose a bunk-up is out of the question?'"[20]