‘My cancer scare was terrifying’
CORRIE star Samia Ghadie reveals all about her breast-cancer fright, ‘turning’ gay men straight and freaking out about hitting the big 3-0
Cancer scare... Corrie star Samia admits that finding a lump near her breast bone was "terrifying"
David Venni
Last Updated: 04th October 2012
FOR her role as Corrie’s yummy mummy Maria, Samia Ghadie has certainly been through the mill.
She’s endured the heartbreak of giving birth to a stillborn baby, fallen in love with her husband’s killer and managed to escape an attempted sexual assault at the hands of evil Frank Foster.
But even by her standards, Maria Connor has a challenging time this week, when she finds a lump in her breast.
Taking a break from filming to chat to TV Magazine, Samia admits the storyline – screening in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – struck a chord.
“I can completely relate to it because a similar thing happened to me when I had Freya [her three-year-old daughter with ex-husband Matthew Smith],” Samia explains.
“I found a small lump near my breast bone, like a hard little pea. I went to the doctor and he said: ‘I want you to get that checked out immediately.’ It was terrifying.
“Luckily, I got an appointment with a specialist that same night. I was tested and found out that it was just a result of my hormones being all over the place as I was breastfeeding. Thankfully I was fine.
“I can totally empathise with what Maria goes through while waiting for her results.
I would urge any woman to regularly check their breasts and if they find a lump, to go to their doctor immediately.”
Sadly Samia has had personal experience of the disease in her own family too – her father, Joseph, died from cancer of the oesophagus in 2009.
“It’s tricky to tackle any subject so close to so many people’s hearts because you don’t want to offend or patronise anyone,” she says. “You’ve got to give it a lot more thought than other storylines.
“So while my dad’s cancer was different to this, cancer does affect pretty much everyone. It’s a sensitive subject and you want to get it right.”
Maria’s life-changing week begins when, too frightened to get her lump checked out, she confides her fears to Marcus instead of Jason.
'Ave a Maria... Gay Marcus moves in for a kiss from his confidant and close pal
AMY BRAMMALL/ITV
It’s all a bit awkward, seeing as she and Jason are meant to be moving in together and taking their relationship to the next level.
Maria does eventually tell Jason about her health scare.
But it’s Marcus she speaks to first when she finds out her biopsy test results, with genuinely shocking consequences – they kiss, despite the fact Marcus is meant to be besotted with his new boyfriend Aiden.
“Well, it’s all a bit dramatic,” Samia smiles. “But I’ve loved every minute of filming. It’s always nice to have something to really get your teeth into.
Jase in the pack... Jason and Maria agree to live together - but can she and Marcus forget about their snog?
AMY BRAMMALL/ITV
“The Maria and Marcus storyline has been bubbling away for about a year, so neither Charlie [Condou, who plays Marcus] nor I were surprised when we read it, although I didn’t actually know about the breast-cancer scare until a couple of weeks before filming.”
Samia admits that Maria’s kiss and subsequent relationship with openly-gay character Marcus is bound to cause controversy.
“We’re suggesting a gay man can ‘turn’ straight. I hope it does get viewers talking. I want people to be chatting about it during their tea breaks at work.
“Kissing Charlie was a bit bizarre, like kissing your friend – it feels a bit wrong!” she says. “Obviously you’re just acting, but I was more nervous about this kiss than others because of the enormity of what happens.
“It’s a gay man kissing a woman and it’s pivotal to the whole storyline, so we both wanted to get it right.”
I Will... Samia with boyfriend Will Thorpe
Getty Images
Happily for Samia, her boyfriend, former Corrie star Will Thorp, 35, has no qualms about her kissing other men.
“We both know it’s just part of the job,” she says. “There are no feelings behind it, you’re just pretending to kiss someone.”
Though the pretty actress may look the picture of confidence, Samia does confess that she still stressed out about turning 30 in July.
Early years... Maria arrived in Weatherfield in 2000
“Freak out? I had a complete meltdown,” she laughs. “I had this idea that if I turned 30 I’d have to have my hair cut.
“My hairdresser came round on a morning when I was feeling particularly grumpy and I said to myself: ‘You’re turning 30. Grow up and cut your hair!’ It was a proper pre-midlife crisis.
“I love my new hair though and Freya approves, which is all that matters. Anyway, I turned 30 and the world didn’t end. I’ve not suddenly transformed into Joan Rivers. I survived.”
At such a milestone age, surely Samia is considering her career options – so can she ever see herself leaving Coronation Street?
“Can you picture 60-year-old Maria hobbling on the cobbles in her miniskirt and heels? That’d be a right laugh, wouldn’t it?” she smiles.
“I’m happy here, but you can’t predict the future. When Dad died, I realised life isn’t forever. You’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got, so I try not to look too far ahead and appreciate everything I have.”
sun.co.uk/sol/homepage/tvmagazine/TVmagsoaps/4556275/My-cancer-scare-was-terrifying.html#ixzz28vySthg7
