Jez Quigley

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Evil-doer
Full Name	Gerald Francis Quigley
Alias	Jez Quigley
Origin	Coronation Street
Occupation	Drug Lord
Powers / Skills	Intelligence Deception Brute strength
Hobby	Terrorizing Steve McDonald.
Goals	Kill Tony Horrocks (succeeded). Beat up Steve McDonald for testifying against him (succeeded). Kill Steve McDonald (failed).
Crimes	Drug dealing Harassment Blackmail Assault Death threats Murder Grievous bodily harmConspiracy Extortion Perjury
Type of Villain	Psychopathic Drug Dealer

“	Steven James McDonald - come on down!	„
	~ Jez Quigley's sinister quote to Steve McDonald as he relishes in terrorizing the latter.

Jez Quigley is a fictional character and major antagonist of the British soap opera Coronation Street, appearing as the starter villain at the start of the new millennium.

He was portrayed by Lee Boardman.

History

Jez Quigley frst came to Weatherfield in June 1997 as an acquaintance of local resident Steve McDonald, who is looking for a job to settle his family's financial futures; Steve requested Jez for help but was turned down in the end.

Over the years, it soon transpired that Jez is a notorious gangster who specializes in drug dealing and extortion. He leads a gang of vicious drug dealers who gradually begin causing trouble in Weatherfield. At one point in 1998, Steve's neighbour Tony Horrocks gets into trouble with the gang and attempts to go into hiding; however, Tony is tracked down and his stepfather Des Barnes is killed while defending Tony from the gang. It is then Tony leaves Weatherfield to ensure his family's safety, but Jez tracks him down and kills him off-screen - brutally beating Tony to death and burying his body in a building site in February 1999.

In December 1999, Jez resurfaces and gets reacquainted with Steve. It soon turns out that their "mutual" associate Lee Sankey has been jailed for drug dealing, and Jez has subsquently taken over his batch to expand his criminal gang. He soon targets Steve's friend Leanne Battersby and supplies her with cocaine, turning Leanne into a drug addict in the process. Leanne attempts to hide her addiction by getting a job at The Rovers Return Inn public house as a barmaid, only for Jez to find out about it; he later confronts Leanne and threatens her into keeping quiet about their secret.

Not long afterwards, Jez sent his thugs to break in the pub and steal cash. They nearly succeeded until Leanne caught them out and forced Jez's gang to leave. However, when Jez found out what Leanne had done, he arranged for her to get beaten up in retaliation. Leanne then left Weatherfield in order to get away from Jez and his gang.

By 2000, Jez has started to take advantage of his newfound acquaintanceship with Steve. This began when Steve borrowed money from Jez to set up his cab company called "Street Cars", after which Jez began tormenting Steve with the debt he is owed. It is then Tony's body was found and his mother, Natalie Barnes, was devastated to learn that Jez had murdered her son. Natalie then confronted Jez over her son's murder and vowed to get justice even when Jez threatened her. Steve then decided to report Jez to the police, leading to Jez getting arrested and charged for Tony's murder.

At Jez's trial, Steve testified against Jez in court. But in the end Jez was found not guilty due to lack of evidence. When Jez was released, he had already learned that Steve had grassed him up to the authories and sought retribution for this matter. Jez lured Steve in a car park and had him assaulted before leaving the scene. Steve was hospitalised thanks to Jez's revenge, but ultimately Jez's actions would cost him dearly.

This is because Steve's estranged father, Jim McDonald, and also the street's local hardman. When Jim learned what happened to Steve, he set out to confront Jez and get revenge. Jim tracked Jez down at his hideout and confronted him for putting Steve in hospital. Jez attempts to threaten Jim, but that doesn't work as Jim goads Jez into lashing out. However, Jim easily fends off Jez and brutally beats him up; Jez is later hospitalised thanks to Jim's revenge.

In a matter of convienance, Jez was admitted to the same hospital where Steve was recovering from his injuries. When Jez found out, he resolved to kill Steve in revenge for his father's actions. He confronted Steve at his bedside and prepared to kill him, but in that moment Jez's spleen reputured and he collapsed to the ground in pain; Jez later died from the impact as a result. It soon became clear that Jim had unwittingly killed Jez for this and he eventually confessed to the crime; Jim was sent to prison for eight years over manslaughter, but was released in 2007 for good behaviour.

Following Jez's death, his mother Margi mourned the death of her son.

Trivia

• Lee Boardman (the actor who played Jez Quigley) was nominated for some awards for his character's performance and reign of terror storyline.
• He made a total of 40 appearences throughout his time on the show.