Shelley King is "so proud" of the impact her ‘Coronation Street’ storyline has had on other people.
The 64-year-old actress stars as Yasmeen Nazir in the ITV soap, and has praised the show for shining a light on people who are victims of manipulative and controlling relationships through Yasmeen’s relationship with her husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew).
When asked if she feels a sense of responsibility over the storyline, she said: "Yes, definitely. The thing about ‘Corrie’ is the huge number of people it reaches. It is so valuable and I am so proud of what we are doing."
Shelley has spoken to survivors of coercive control since taking on the heavy plot and also has "regular" contact with Women’s Aid, and says she "appreciates" the "care" that ‘Corrie’ bosses put into the show.
Asked if meeting the survivor helped inform her role, she explained: "It really made me appreciate the care that has been taken here at ‘Coronation Street’ to understand, and to let the time span play out properly. The lady I spoke to told me about her own experiences, which weren’t unlike Yasmeen’s. We are also in regular touch with charity Women’s Aid."
Ultimately, Shelley hopes Yasmeen’s storyline can help other women going through similar struggles realise they’re not "alone".
Speaking to Inside Soaps magazine, she said: "Many people have come up to me and said they know someone, or they are someone, who has been through this. They think that what they see with Geoff and Yasmeen allows them to feel some sort of recognition, and they don’t feel isolated. They want to speak to me about it. Hopefully they don’t feel alone any more."
Shelley King is ‘proud’ of her Coronation Street storyline
