Kym Marsh is set to relive the tragic death of her son in a new ‘Coronation Street’ storyline.
The 40-year-old actress was left heartbroken in 2009 when her son Archie died moments after being born prematurely at just 21 weeks old, and will now have to go through the emotional turmoil once again as her character on the ITV soap Michelle Connor is set to be hit with a miscarriage plot.
Michelle will lose Ruairi at 23 weeks in an emotional episode which will air in early January.
Speaking about her decision to agree to the plot, Kym – who also has 21-year-old son David and 19-year-old daughter Emily with former partner Dave Cunliffe, as well as five-year-old daughter Polly with former husband Jamie Lomas – said: "I thought long and hard before agreeing to take on the challenge of this storyline. It is a cause very close to my heart having lost my beautiful Archie.
"I have had to go to some very dark places in my mind while filming these heartbreaking scenes, but my family, friends and colleagues have been incredible. Losing a child is something that never leaves you so to revisit those feelings has been challenging.
"’Coronation Street’ ensured that I had a counsellor on set at all times, but for me the best tonic after a hugely emotional day was to go home to my kids and be reminded of how lucky I am to have them."
And bosses of the ITV soap are doing everything they can to make the plot – which will also see Kym’s on-screen husband Simon Gregson, who plays Steve McDonald, endure emotional turmoil – believable, enlisting the help of stillbirth charity Sands for the episode.
Kym added in a statement: "I felt it was an important story to tell to raise awareness of something which affects thousands of women every year. I am very proud."
Kym Marsh to relive baby death for Coronation Street plot
