Coronation Street Blog: Dolly-Rose Campbell interview: Gemma's struggle with quads

How has Gemma been feeling?

She has struggled from the start looking after four babies but he thought that was just normal, who wouldn’t struggle with that many babies? But things get really bad this week, she is starting to have awful dreams where she is putting the babies in danger and it is really starting to affect her.

What happens when the health visitor comes to see her?

She is really upset because the health visitor tells her that Llio has lost weight and she needs to increase her milk. This is something that can easily happen but for Gemma it is just another indication that she is a bad mother and that she is not coping.

How does she react?

She holds it together but when the health visitor has gone she breaks down and as the babies start crying she goes outside to gather herself and deal with them but the door slams shut and locks her out!

How does she feel when Bernie arrives?

She has never been more pleased to see her mum, Bernie takes control of the situation and breaks down the door. The children are fine inside, Gemma is hysterical and tells her mum she hasn't been able to sleep at all. Bernie tries to calm her down and offers to move in, but Bernie knows there's more to this and wants Gemma to see a doctor.

Is she happy to go to the doctor?

She doesn’t feel that she needs to but Bernie tells her that she will tell Chesney about what's been happening if she doesn’t go. Even in the surgery it is really left to Bernie to tell Dr Gaddas about her worries about Gemma and what Gemma has told her. Gemma tries to play it down as tiredness and this causes a row between her and Bernie.

How important is it to show Gemma going through these struggles?

It is really important, it would have been easy just to have lots of comedy with Gemma and the quads but that would have been unrealistic if we didn't show the struggles she is having. As the story develops it becomes clear to Gemma that this is more than just the baby blues and tiredness and she will be forced to come to terms with the fact that she is ill and needs help.

Glenda Young

Author of gritty, family saga novels with Headline