Irene "Renee" Roberts (also Bradshaw) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Madge Hindle.

While Podmore envisioned Renee as a feisty character, Hindle decided to play down the persona and make her likeable; she believed that no one would visit her shop otherwise.

Writers eventually decided that the Roberts' marriage had failed, and wrote her out; Renee was killed off in a car accident.

Podmore has maintained that he made the correct decision, citing Renee's exit as establishing Alf as a memorable character.

In early 1976, Bill Podmore replaced Susi Hush as Coronation Street's executive producer.

He originally planned the character of Renee to be independent, fun and feisty – an ideal to spar with pub landlady Annie Walker (Doris Speed) over alcohol sales.

[1] Podmore told Daran Little in his book "The Coronation Street story" that "without a more mature shop staff, the nitty gritty of conversation and tittle-tattle were never going to bounce around its walls.

"[1] In an interview with a Daily Mirror reporter, Podmore stated that Renee was introduced to lighten up the tone of the show's stories.

She previously starred in Nearest and Dearest which Podmore directed and he contacted Hindle offering her the role.

Hindle told a Daily Mirror reporter that she had grown up in a "two-up two-down house" and could relate to her character.

Renee creates trouble when she wrongly accuses Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) of reporting her but Tricia admits that she is the culprit.

In the lead up to Renee's exit, she agrees to move to Grange-Over-Sands to run their village Post Office for a "new start".

On the way home Renee stalls at a set of traffic lights, so Alf exits the car to take the wheel.

[15] Paul Byrne and Steve Dennis of the Daily Record reported that Mosley was "flooded" with cards from viewers after Renee's death.

"[18] Renee visits her brother, Terry Bradshaw (Bob Mason) and notices that the Corner Shop is for sale.

She purchases the Corner Shop and opens it as "Renee Bradshaw", evicting Gail Potter (Helen Worth), Tricia Hopkins (Kathy Jones) and Elsie Tanner (Pat Phoenix) from the upstairs flat.

She begins a feud with Annie Walker (Doris Speed) from the Rovers Return over the acquisition of an alcohol licence.

Renee's fiancé Harry McClean (Richard Moore) arrives to visit and accuses her of buying the shop to trap him and ends their engagement.

[18] A Daily Record columnist chose the episode that Alf proposes to Renee as their "drama choice" in a "pick of the day" feature.

[20] A reporter from Inside Soap described her as Coronation Street's "much loved shopkeeper" and added that she had a shocking death.