Natasha Blakeman was a hairdresser at Audrey Roberts' hair salon. She came to Weatherfield as the salon she'd previously worked at had burnt down. She was hired by Audrey because fellow hairdresser Maria Connor had given birth to a stillborn baby and needed time off, and was initially seen making small-talk in the salon. In December 2008, she informed Audrey that her sister-in-law had just given birth to her niece, Electra. She spotted a good business opportunity in opening the salon for late night trading hours during the week, an idea to which Audrey agreed.