Karen Henthorn

Karen Henthorn is a British character actress who played Julie Haye in BBC soap EastEnders from 1997 to 1998 and 2025 to present, and later Teresa Bryant in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street.^[1][2] She appeared in the role briefly in 2007 and became a regular character in 2008. In late 2008, she left the show but returned on 13 April 2009; she then departed the show in 2010.

Karen Henthorn
Born	Oldham, Lancashire, England
Occupation	Actress
Known for	Coronation Street Shameless EastEnders

Henthorn was born in Oldham, Lancashire. Her roles before Coronation Street include parts in series such as The Booze Cruise,^[3] in which she played Cath Bolton; Doctors; and Heartbeat.^[3] She also played Marissa Platting (a social worker in series 2) in the television series Shameless.^[3]

She taught screen acting on the BA (Hons) Acting course at Italia Conti Academy in Clapham and Manchester School of Theatre.^{[when?][citation needed]}

She appeared on Sky One's comedy series Trollied.^[3] She also played a schools' inspector in the 2010s CBBC series Young Dracula, and plays Janet Macy on the BBC Three series In the Flesh.^{[citation needed]}

In 2013, she appeared in the touring National Theatre production of War Horse.^[3]

In 2022, she starred in the Channel 5 programme The Teacher alongside Sheridan Smith and Kelvin Fletcher. The following year, she appeared in series 12 episode 4 of ITV's Vera as Jill Falstone; in the first episode of Channel 5's The Good Ship Murder as Maureen Weaver; and in the second series of BBC One prison drama Time.^[4]

In 2024, she appeared as Emily in the BBC One drama The Listeners.^[5]

On 26 June 2025, it was announced that Henthorn would return to EastEnders as Julie Haye later that summer, after 27 years away from the role.^[6]