Manchester Evening News

Corrie star reveals harassment nightmare News

ACTRESS FLOODED WITH MESSAGES OF SUPPORT AFTER DEFIANT TWEETS

- By KATIE FITZPATRIC­K and DAMON WILKINSON name.surname@trinitymir­ror.com @bylinetwit­ter

CORONATION Street star Nicola Thorp has posted a series of defiant tweets about sexual harassment in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Nicola, who plays the ITV soap’s Nicola Rubinstein, was flooded with messages of support after speaking out on social media about some of her life experience­s.

The Blackpool actress tweeted: “**** you to the director who got 21 y/o me to audition before him in a bikini then blow up a balloon til it burst in my face for a coffee ad.”

And after being flooded with messages of support the actress, writer and women’s equality campaigner from Blackpool went on to share another three posts about other ordeals, leaving fans feeling ‘heartbroke­n’ and praising her for speaking out.

She said: “**** you to the broadcaste­r who called me about a ‘potential project’ at 1am then told me he had wanted to sleep with me when he met me.”

Nicola then recalled being ‘trapped’ in a toilet cubicle by a restaurant manager as a teenager, saying: “**** you to the restaurant manager who trapped 18 y/o me in a toilet cubicle and wouldn’t let me out unless I kissed him.”

And in another tweet she blasted: “**** you to the married director who harassed me with messages asking if I had feelings for him and threatened me when I told him I didn’t.”

The M.E.N. has approached Nicola who previously spearheade­d a campaign over dress code in the workplace after complainin­g how she had been told to wear high heels while working as a temp receptioni­st between acting jobs - for further comment about her experience­s.

But her outburst attracted support from many people using the social media platform in a week where revelation­s about the alleged behaviour of Hollywood executive Weinstein have flooded in.

Yesterday, Hollyoaks actress Lysette Anthony alleged she had been raped by the movie mogul at her London home in the late 80s.

Scotland Yard had previously said it had received an allegation of sexual assault without naming the producer.

But Anthony, 54, told The Sunday Times she met Weinstein when she starred in 1982 sci-fi film Krull and the alleged assault occurred a few years later.

She said it was a ‘pathetic, revolting’ attack that had left her ‘disgusted and embarrasse­d.’ However, within minutes of the story being published Anthony was forced to defend herself against online trolls. One Twitter user responded to the actress by tweeting: “She just after attention and hoping for a few more jobs out of it,” to which Anthony replied: “I have a LONG contract on HOLLYOAKS..but don’t let a few facts get in your way.” And Anthony, who has played Marnie Nightingal­e in Hollyoaks since February 2016, tweeted: “My profile was doing just fine, thanks,” after @Jill_Fellows4 tweeted: “Don’t tweet paper splashes of yourself! Weinstein’s slick lawyers will latch onto anything & argue you’re just trying to raise your profile,”

The Metropolit­an Police said it had been passed an allegation of sexual assault by Merseyside Police.

Weinstein has not responded specifical­ly to the accusation. However, his spokesman strenuousl­y denied that the Hollywood mogul had ever had ‘non-consensual sex’ with anyone.

Police in the US are also investigat­ing allegation­s.

Police investigat­e fresh Weinstein claims – Page 19

**** you to the married director who harassed me with messages asking if I had feelings for him Nicola Thorp

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 ??  ?? Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp
Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp
 ??  ?? Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein

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