Corrie star recalls own bullying ordeal as she films 'horrible' Liam Connor plot
Coronation Street's Samia Longchambon revealed all on filming the "difficult" Liam Connor bullying storyline, as she urged people to speak out ahead of the plot taking a devastating turn.
The Maria Connor actress discussed the "horrible" scenes involved in the ITV soap's big storyline, with upcoming episodes seeing her character making a worrying discovery as young Liam contemplates taking his own life. Samia spoke of her own experiences of bullying from childhood, as she shared her hopes for the sad plot which is set to continue in the coming weeks and months.
But as concerns grow for Liam's wellbeing, with it revealed he has been searching online about suicide following months of in-person and online harassment from bully Mason Radcliffe and his pals, as things escalate once more. Events reach a point where Maria discovers the true depths of his despair and her world is torn apart.
Spoilers for heartbreaking scenes ahead reveal that Liam will search online for ways to end his life, as his ordeal worsens at the hands of Mason and the group, including Dylan Wilson. Maria realises the awful extent of the abuse her son is facing on social media, with her fearing for Liam's safety - but she can't prepare herself for what her son is considering as he struggles to cope with what's happening to him.
Speaking to The Mirror and other press, actress Samia shared her character's fears that history will repeat itself after close friend Aidan Connor, a relative of Liam's, ended his life in 2018. Samia also touched on her character's as well as her own experiences with bullying as she urged anyone being targeted to speak out.
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Coronation Street actress Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria Connor on the ITV soap, discussed the 'horrible' Liam Connor bullying storyline (ITV)She said: "Maria is really paranoid, and understandably so, given that Liam is from the Connor family and we have all been through similar when Aidan Connor committed suicide, so I don’t think she will be able to leave Liam alone without fearing the worst.
"This is going to be an ongoing issue for Liam. We are considering all options from homeschooling to counselling. Of course when it comes to mental health, there’s unfortunately a massively long waiting list. I think the great thing about this storyline is that we are doing it in real time. We aren’t rushing this at all and doing everything as it would happen."
The actress added: "To think that her own son is considering doing that, especially after what she went through with Aidan when Aidan committed suicide. Aidan was part of the family... she won't let Liam out of her sight. She does get really paranoid understandably, because it has been extremely close to home that, you know, a family member has ended her life before."
On filming the storyline, she went on: "It's really emotional. Charlie's [Wrenshall] just been incredible. He's only 14 and it's lovely because he's played him since he was three. So we do have a really close relationship. I've known him pretty much all of his life, which makes those scenes easier and at the same time we do have an emotional connection to each other.
Maria's son Liam is being bullied (ITV)"It's hard because my daughter is 14, the same age as Charlie. I've got a son and to think that any of them, you know, could go through something like that and any child in the whole country, you hear of it on the news when kids have ended their life because of bullying and it's a real thing. As a parent it's horrible."
On her own experiences of being bullied as a child, Samia shared her advice. She said: "If I'm completely honest, I was bullied throughout my childhood at different times. I was bullied a little bit in primary school and then I was bullied at high school as well.
"I can go off how it was for me, and I think that it's important to talk to people, to not bottle things up and to tell [someone]. As much as people are scared of being a snitch or you know, that kind of stigma that's attached to that, the bigger picture is that you just need to tell an adult, you need to tell your friends, you need to just keep talking."
Her character Maria suffered online trolling in a past storyline too leaving her devastated, and Samia revealed Maria will use this ordeal to advise her son. She said: "She just says to him, 'I remember when I was going through it with the online trolling and I thought that it would never get better, but it does. You need to know that it's not gonna be forever and talk to us and don't keep this kind of thing to yourself, because we can help and it will pass'."
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch
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