A few weeks ago we reported that disability campaigner and actress Melissa Johns is joining Coronation Street. You can read all about her here.
And now, we are able to share more information about Melissa.
In an interview with Gloucestershire Live she says she will never forget being awoken by a 2.30am phone call from her agent to tell her she was about to tread the cobbles.
“I couldn’t wait to phone my mum and dad and my nan to tell them,” said Melissa who was born with one arm. “My nan just burst into tears. I’ve been blessed with very close family and when we lost my granddad it was the first time we had been touched by such a tragic loss. He really was the biggest Coronation Street fan and my nan told me that before he died he was watching an episode and said ‘We’ll be seeing our Melissa on there one day’ Although she was crying because it was brilliant news, it was also bittersweet because it came too late to tell him.”
Melissa has worked steadily since graduating from the East 17 drama college in London but any visits to the Rovers Return were supposed to be a secret - until she was spotted on set.
Melissa says: "...all I can say is my character is a 5’4” blonde. I told another cast member to hide behind me because nobody would know who I was but all of a sudden my name was everywhere,” she said. “It was crazy."
She says the cast have been brilliant and she hopes her role in Britain’s favourite soap will raise the profile of disabled artistes.
“The rest of the cast have been amazing, really sweet. If they see me struggling to do anything like doing my shoes up they think nothing of getting down on their knees to help me. Shyane Ward is delightful but Connor (McIntyre) who plays Pat Phelan has been my rock from day one. He is one of the nicest people I’ve met in my life.”
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5 comments:
Is this character a regular one or is she only going to be a guest? It's hard to tell with all these new characters as they never really specify in the cast announcements, unless let's say it's Part of a new family or an important part.
Shouldn't it say she was born with one hand. She clearly has two arms in the photo.
Her spider legs fake eyelashes scare me
Would prefer her to be part of a new family or couple instead of yet another pointless singleton
After reading this blog,my first thought was 'what about Izzy'?
She's a disabled character who has not been given any storylines since Gary started dating Sarah nor for that matter Alex hasn't been seen that much since Roy and Cathy broke up and yet another disabled character is being introduced?
I would prefer to see the writers work with who they have now rather than pushing them aside for another new character.
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