‘Coronation Street’ actor Chris Harper couldn’t read his lines out loud for the Bethany Platt grooming storyline because of their graphic nature.
The 39-year-old actor plays abuser Nathan Curtis in the soap and took to Twitter on Monday (20.02.17) to admit that he was unable to practice on the way into the ITV studios like he does every day because the sex abuse plot is "heating up" and he felt uncomfortable reading them out.
Taking to the micro-blogging site, he wrote: "Walking into @itvcorrie normally fine to run lines out loud on my hands-free. Not today. Things are heating up #Bethany #control (sic)"
It comes after the disturbing scenes show on Friday (17.02.17), which saw schoolgirl Bethany (Lucy Fallon) lose her virginity to Nathan after his partner in crime Mel got her drunk at a nightclub.
The story is to become even more unbearable as young Bethany becomes victim to a sex-ring and pervert Nathan shows his even darker side.
Chris – who prepared for the plot with the help of the charity NSPCC – recently insisted he hopes the harrowing storyline will shed light on the issue and help more victims of paedophiles to come forward.
He explained: "Nothing can desensitise you to what survivors of sexual exploitation have gone through. It’s the most important storyline I’ve ever had.
"It’s massively important I get this right for them. We want to reach out to people to let them know help is out there, and to tell abusers they can’t get away with it.
"Half the problem is getting people to come forward. It’s been said that for every one person reporting abuse, another seven don’t."
Chris also said the upcoming plot could serve as an eye-opener for some TV viewers.
He added: "The stereotype is of this older man with a sticky suit, bad hair and bad teeth.
"But often the reality is very different. The perpetrators could be any age, any colour or class, and so can the people affected."
Coronation Street grooming plot to get darker
