Coronation Street’s Maria Windass is no stranger to heartache, but watching her son Liam develop suicidal feelings after being bullied has left her close to breaking point.
Watching over her son day and night is also taking its toll on Maria’s own mental health, not to mention her relationship with husband Gary Windass.
Samia Longchambon, 41, who plays her, says, “Maria’s devastated by what Liam’s been through. Finding out he was being bullied was really tough, but then to realise it’s pushed him to think about ending his life has been absolutely crushing.
As much as it’s had an impact on Liam’s mental health, it’s starting to impact her mental health too.” Samia can relate to Maria’s heartache as her daughter Freya, 14, is the same age as her on-screen son.