Coronation Street Blog: Tanisha Gorey interview: Asha's naked pics go viral

How does Asha feel about Corey, does she really like him?
Yes she’s really into him, originally he went for Amy but then he turned his attentions to Asha so I think it makes her want to prove herself to him that little bit more. She wants to make sure she is the one and cement their relationship.

How does she feel when he asks her to do the strip over a video chat, is it something she wants to do, does it worry her or does she trust Corey?
She is a little bit nervous but I think she does trust him with it, she feels like it could be the next step into their relationship and it would almost solidify it. Obviously she’s nervous about it but she isn’t in total disagreement about it either.

At the party naked pictures of Asha are sent out from Corey’s phone, what’s the first Asha knows about it?
She knows that something weird must have happened at the party but she doesn’t know what it is till she gets home. There’s clearly something brewing, everybody is staring at her and she’s aware that people are being weird with her, then it’s when she gets home that she sees the picture herself in the group chat.

As the pictures go viral how does Asha feel?
Her first feeling is that her life is ruined, then as time goes on it’s the shock of why would he do that to me. It’s a deep betrayal from someone she trusted so much because in her eyes the only person who could have done this is Corey so all guns are blazing for him. It’s absolute despair, shock and disgrace, the fact that everyone at the party knew and had seen it before she did also hits hard.

Do you have any experiences of this happening to people you know?
Yes it happened to people I knew a few times when I was in secondary school and it was an awful thing to watch. Everyone had seen it but then when the police came into school everyone could see that unfolding and how serious it was. No one should ever have to go through that and that’s why it’s great to be shining a light on this issue.

What advice would you offer to teenagers who find themselves in similar situations?
The thing is with these apps people think once something has been sent then a few seconds later it’s gone but it’s not, the person on the receiving end can save anything. My advice is if you don’t want to worry about something getting out there then don’t do it at all. You never really know who else is looking at that phone, who else could be there with that person on the other side of the camera. Just don’t put yourself in that position.

Were you pleased to be given this storyline and this issue to highlight?
Definitely, it’s pushed me as an actress and I’m happy to be given the responsibility of highlighting something that’s so important. I want to do it justice and make sure it’s portrayed in the right way, in the society we live in this happens to someone everyday and people need to see what can happen and what the worst case scenario can do to someone.

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Glenda Young

Author of gritty family sagas with Headline