I was bullied at school. Bruises fade but words are more painful...they have a lasting effect
Shock storyline draws in parents and youngsters
HARROWING bullying plotlines have Coronation Street viewers gripped, but actress Samia Longchambon admits she didn’t need to do much research.
She knows what it’s like, because she was bullied herself throughout primary and secondary school.
“There’s that saying: ‘Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words will never hurt me,’” the 41-yearold, who plays Maria Connor, says.
“But they do. Bruises can fade, but words are so much more painful. They have massive lasting effects on people.”
In the ITV soap, Maria’s son Liam, played by Charlie Wrenshall, has been bombarded with online abuse and threatened with a knife – prompting him to consider ending his own life.
It’s something no parent ever wants to think they might have to endure, which explains why viewers have applauded the storyline.
Samia’s portrayal of Maria’s emotional breakdown has struck a chord with parents who have posted clips online, leading to some going viral on Gen Z favourite TikTok, of all places.
“I just need to draw on my own experiences of life,” Samia reflects. “I got bullied as a kid myself and I’ve got two children.
“I was bullied throughout my childhood. I was bullied a bit in primary school, and then at high school as well.”
It was her daughter Freya, 14, who let Samia know she was going viral. “Apparently on TikTok it just blew up – teenagers saying they were watching Corrie and they’ve not watched it before,” she says.
“Freya came downstairs yesterday and said her phone was going mad with messages from her friends, who don’t normally watch Corrie.
“The storyline has been hard, because she is 14, the same age as Charlie, who plays Liam. And also, I’ve got a son and the thought that either of them could go through something like that is awful. But the message seems to be getting out there.
“It’s important to talk to people, to not bottle things up. As much as people are scared of being a snitch, or that kind of stigma attached to that, the
It’s not nice to think about, but it might help kids going through it
SAMIA LONGCHAMBON ON BULLYING STORYLINE
bigger picture is that you need to tell an adult, you need to tell your friends, you need to just keep talking.”
But considering her own past, it’s been difficult for Samia to film. “It’s not a nice thing to think about and when we’re acting it and making ourselves cry it is exhausting, because your body doesn’t know it’s not real,” she explains.
“But it’s good to think [it] might help kids who are going through it.”
Samia lives in Cheshire with her
husband, French Dancing on Ice professional Sylvain Longchambon, their son Yves, eight, and Freya, from her marriage to property developer Matt Smith, which ended in 2011.
The couple met skating together on 2013’s Dancing On Ice and married in 2016, a year after having Yves.
Samia grew up in Eccles, Greater Manchester, with her dad Joseph, a French Lebanese shop owner, and her mum Patsy, an actress and singer.
She has played hairdresser Maria since 2000, joining the show when she was just 17. But she actually began her cobbles career several years earlier, appearing as an extra at the age of eight, having begun drama classes when she was six.
After appearing on Cracker at 11, she landed a regular role on the CITV series Children’s Ward and also a part alongside Ray Winstone and Robert Carlyle in the 2000 film There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble.
She has since spent more than two decades on the cobbles. The stability of working in the same place every day suits her down to the ground, especially for her mental health.
“I’m not spontaneous!” she laughs. “I’ve lived with anxiety my entire life because I hate uncertainty.
“It’s been 24 years now at Coronation Street, so I feel at this point if I say: ‘Oh yes, I’d like to go off and do this or that,’ I’d be lying to myself !
“The reason I’ve stayed so long is because it’s such a lovely job. It’s a job where I get to spend time at home with the kids and act all year.
“And there are busy periods where I’ve got a storyline to get my teeth into, which can really make a difference to people’s lives. That’s all I can ask for, really.”
Samia has taken short breaks from the show to do other things. She won the third series of Cooking with the Stars last year and shone on the ice 11 years ago, while performing under her maiden name Samia Ghadie.
“Cooking with the Stars was incredible, because I’ve always loved cooking, but if something took my fancy I might be interested,” she muses. “A few years ago, I would have said: ‘Oh, I’d never do I’m a Celebrity…’ but now I think ‘never, say never.’ “Life’s short and if I’m in the right headspace and the right opportunity comes my way at the right time, maybe I would.” Samia credits daily yoga with helping control her anxiety.
She adds: “I also do a couple of runs every week. I started doing it just for health benefits, but actually I love it. We’ve got a treadmill in the garage and a TV, so I put on a boxset and run for half an hour and clear my head.”
And with Samia a child star from a very early age, there are signs both her kids might follow in her footsteps.
“They’re both quite dramatic, I’m not going to lie!” she laughs.
If you or a loved one need help, visit www.itv.com/coronationstreet