Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Social media can be toxic... I quit Facebook and it was a weight off my shoulders
The moral is ‘Think twice before you post something nasty’ MELANIE ON HER CORRIE CHARACTER’S NIGHTMARE
to say ‘You can’t come in today, Melanie’. But I put my fob on the door, get in and I think ‘Oh my God, I’m working on Corrie!’”
At 59 Melanie has chalked up 37 years on our screens, having made her debut in two episodes of Juliet Bravo back in 1984. Yet, surprisingly, she’s still affected by nerves, even more so as she’s got older. She explains: “Last
week in Roy’s Rolls, one of the guys moved the boom quickly above my head in the middle of the scene. I got such a fright I nearly leapt out of my chair and almost had a heart attack.
“I’m terrified of everything and I hate it. I do meditation and I walk; I’m continually trying to calm myself down. I don’t know what it is.
“It’s only happened as I’ve got older. It’s one of the reasons I moved out of
I think it’s a young person’s city. The last few times I went back it was just too loud and busy.
“I like being quiet and in a way I’ve enjoyed a few things about the lockdown.
“I like my own company. I enjoy being on my own or just with my husband. We’re like peas in a pod and do everything together.
“I’m at my happiest out walking when I can see a lot of sky – then I’m in heaven.”
Melanie, married to writer and TV producer Jimmy Daly, has two adult daughters from her previous marriage to actor Sean Bean.
Both have young children but the pandemic has meant that Melanie has been unable to see them. She says: “It’s been heart-breaking, I haven’t seen them since the end of August.
“We’ve got all the Christmas presents in bags waiting to go.
“I’ve got two grandchildren in Portsmouth with one daughter and two in Australia with my eldest who’s emigrated there.
It’s a bit of a nightmare that they are so far away but I have to think that as long as they are healthy and happy I’ve got be happy for them.” Melanie, who grew up in the North East, turns 60 next year. She grins: “I’m going to pretend it’s not happening.”
Refreshingly down-to-earth, it’s not surprising she has made a career specialising in careworn, workingclass earth mothers. “I’ve played ganglondon.
WINNING SMILE
At British Soap Awards in 2019 sters and witches but generally I’ve played more regular people,” she agrees. “It’s the same with Corrie.
“Cathy is a normal lady just trying to make her way in life. She’s flawed but very decent.”
Having spent most of her adult life on TV, Melanie is inevitably recognised wherever she goes. She takes it in her stride although there was one time when it left her lost for words.
“The most bizarre place I’ve been recognised was during an intimate examination at the doctors,” she laughs. “The lady who was doing it asked me if I was an actress because I looked familiar!
“It is so weird when things like that happen. I never went back!”
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