Samia Ghadie has "found it tricky" to see her character take a darker turn.
The soap star plays Maria Connor in the show, and the fictional hairdresser has suffered a meltdown after catching her boyfriend Marcus Dent (Charlie Condou) with Todd Grimshaw (Bruno Langley).
Asked about the change, Samia told the Daily Mirror newspaper's We Love TV magazine: "I have found it tricky, to be honest, because Maria is usually so nice. She has always been a victim.
"But I can understand why she's had a breakdown - years ago she had a stillbirth, her husband Liam was murdered and then she got engaged to his killer.
"I think the situation with Marcus was the straw that broke the camel's back."
Maria's downward spiral has seen her get close to former lover Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall), convincing her they should be together as she stalks him and sends messages - which she tricks him into believing are from his abusive ex Kirsty Soames (Natalie Gumede).
Asked if her character has had a breakdown, Samia responded: "Yes. There's no other explanation for it.
"In her head it makes sense that Tyrone loves her and if they hadn't split up known of this would have happened ... It might be true but you can't go back in time, can you?
"She thought she had it all with Marcus. Now her world has fallen apart and she's looking back at all the good times."

Ricky Gervais says Derek is "a superhero".
The comedian has explained he "looks up to" the titular character from his popular sitcom, insisting he doesn't listen to those who criticise him for portraying a man with learning difficulties.
He told The Sun newspaper's TV Magazine: "You can't let the criticism affect you. All my feedback comes from Twitter.I love it when my show affects someone - whether it makes them laugh or cry.
"Anyway, I've never considered Derek to have Down's syndrome or to be autistic. And even if he is, what's wrong with such a positive role model?
"I look up to Derek, he's better than everyone because he's the nicest person in the world."
The 'Muppets Most Wanted' star also confirmed 'Derek' will return for a third series because there are still members of the public who are only just understanding the character.
He said: "Yes [there will be a third series], there's still people just 'getting' it.
"It look me three goes at presenting the Golden Globes before people got that I was telling jokes rather than trying to ruin careers.
"'Derek' is an acquired taste, but every show I've done has been like landing at Normandy with bullets hitting."

Imogen Poots looks up to women who challenge themselves in film.
'The Look of Love' actress - who is currently starring alongside 'Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul in 'A Long Way Down' and 'Need For Speed' - admires actresses such as Kristen Scott Thomas and Shirley Henderson for their ability to adapt to unusual roles.
She told BANG Showbiz: "These incredible women who really challenge themselves again and again, they're like chameleons, they adapt.
"They are a huge inspiration and they inspire me to be the most terrific actress I can be."
The blonde beauty - who made her first major film appearance in 2008 post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror '28 Days Later' alongside Robert Carlyle, Jeremy Renner and Idris Elba - says she's planning on taking some time off before her next project, which she's already lined up.
She added: "I'm doing a film called 'Beautiful Ruins' based on the Jess Walter novel with Todd Field directing, I'm very excited about that."

Dolly Parton has to be careful because her family has a history of depression.
The '9 to 5' hitmaker has revealed she is just as insecure as anybody else, and dismissed the idea she is "happy all the time", admitting to periods of feeling "sad-hearted and melancholy".
Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, she said: "Depression runs in my family on both sides and I have to be wary.
"It's usually brought on by something that's going on in the family and if there are problems sometimes it's a lot for one little person to carry ... People are always saying to me I'm happy all the time.
"But nobody is happy all the time. I am a tender-hearted person and I feel everything to the ninth degree. Every once in a while I just feel you know ... sad-hearted and melancholy. There are times when you just don't want to get up"
Although healthy in in relatively good spirits now, Dolly admitted 30 years ago when she was overweight following a partial hysterectomy, struggling with her business and upset she could never have children.
She admitted: "It was a really bad time and it took two years just trying to get my physical weight and hormones in order. That was the first moment in my life that I slowed down.
"But sometimes God just has to smack you down. He was almost saying, 'Sit your pretty little ass down because we have to deal with some stuff.' "

Olly Murs has broken his nose during a soccer match.
The 'Troublemaker' singer was elbowed in the face during a heated match, and the 29-year-old star is convinced it has caused real damage after he left covered in blood.
He told the Daily Star newspaper: "My nose is bleeding quite a lot after someone swung elbows during football.
"I think my nose could actually be broken, it's definitely really bad."
He also took to Twitter to joke about the incident with Ricky Finnigan, who it seems caused the injury.
He tweeted: "Oi @rickyfinnigan my nose is bleeding now... After your swinging elbows at footy!! Think my nose is broken #YouRobinThickeWannabe (sic)"
Meanwhile, a passerby who saw the incident said it "looked painful", and while the brave star "tried to laugh it off" and persevere, he was clearly finding it difficult.
The insider added: "It looked painful. One of the other players hit him hard in the noise with his elbow. Olly got up straight away and tried to laugh it off but there was a lot of blood.
"He carried on playing but you could see he was struggling. I wouldn't be surprised if he needs surgery as it definitely looked broken."

Gwyneth Paltrow has been using a healer's "tool box" to get over her split from Chris Martin.
The actress and her husband announced their break-up after 10 years of marriage late last month, and she has revealed to fans what she is trying in an effort to "deal with every kind of pain imaginable".
Writing on her lifestyle website GOOP.com, she said: "Osteopath and healer Vicky Vlachonis has helped me deal with every kind of pain imaginable over the course of our decade-long relationship (joint, muscle, postnatal, emotional, and otherwise).
"On April 22, access to her philosophies and methods for mitigating pain become accessible to all in the pages of her first book, 'The Body Doesn't Lie' ... that I follow religiously."
Gwyneth and Chris revealed news of their split on her website in March, in a post entitled 'Conscious Uncoupling'.
The statement read: "It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate.
"We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate.
"We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been."

Robert Pattinson is "borderline obsessed" with 'The X Factor'.
The Hollywood hunk has admitted he can't get enough of Simon Cowell's talent shows, even though he knows the singing competition doesn't fit in with his own "musical beliefs".
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: "I know 'The X Factor' goes against my musical beliefs and I shouldn't love it - but I do, I really do!
"I am borderline obsessed with Simon Cowell shows and spend my nights in bed watching them on my tablet."
Later this year, both the media mogul and former judge Cheryl Cole will make their return to the panel, and Robert can't wait to see them reunited on the show.
He added: "I am very excited about his return to the UK 'X Factor' with Cheryl Cole."
Meanwhile, the star suggested he prefers a quiet night in rather than the glitz and glamour of the showbiz world, claiming he doesn't buy into the idea of partying in Los Angeles.
He insisted; "Everybody assumes because you live in LA that every night you are at cool parties or the opening of something or other but my reality is very different."

Kym Marsh is dating the ex-boyfriend of Stephanie Waring.
The 'Coronation Street' actress - who is said to have split from Matt Baker three weeks ago - has reportedly been on a couple of dates with the 'Hollyoaks' star's former beau Dan Hooper following their break-up in January.
An insider told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "She is gutted. Stephanie was heartbroken when Dan ended the relationship and thought they may get back together.
"Until he told her he wanted to split, she was unaware of any problems. She was hoping to announce an engagement. Now, to learn he has moved on so swiftly - it has hit her hard.
"She has spoken to both Dan and Kym but neither of them believe they are doing anything wrong. In their eyes, they are single and have just started dating."
Meanwhile, a friend of Kym's has claimed the soap star - who plays Michelle Connor in 'Corrie' - and Dan have "grown close" and want to see where it leads.
The source said: "They've grown close in recent weeks. They've been on two dates and are looking forward to spending more time together. But it's early days."

John Legend thinks reality TV is "dangerous" for a relationship.
The 'All Of Me' singer, who is friends with Kanye West and fiancée Kim Kardashian, has ruled out starring in a show similar to 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' with his wife Chrissy Teigan because he thinks it's unhealthy.
John exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "We don't want to put our relationship on television, I think we share enough as it is. I think there are all kinds of unscripted television and I think Chrissy's keen to do the right kind, but not the, 'Let's watch John and Chrissy be married' kind, it's not really healthy for our relationship."
The 35-year-old star, who insists he doesn't give rapper Kanye advice about his social life, respects his decision to appear in the E! reality show for his engagement episode but thinks the family, including eight-month-old daughter North, are better off not having their every move caught on camera.
He said: "I don't know what Kanye is doing with the show. To this point, he's made minor appearances but it's not been all about their relationship. It's really hard to do that on television and I think it's dangerous for a relationship."

Beyonce and Sir Paul McCartney have been working out together.
The two global superstars were spotted together at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles, and the pair have had a number of sessions together "joking like old pals" as they look to stay in shape.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Jaws of guests dropped when they saw them together. They strolled in laughing and joking like old pals and hopped on the treadmill.
"Paul had a remarkably good pace. Beyonce then got off to join her trainer, who was trying to get Paul to join in. The pair then moved on to the studio where they stretched and did some gentle Pilates.
"People think it was a coincidence but it isn't the first time they have been to the gym together."
It is said the unlikely pair were both at the hotel for Coachella Festival, which the Beatles legend attended with his wife Nancy Shevell.
Meanwhile, Beyonce - who is married to rapper Jay Z - has recently insisted that "women should own their sexuality".
She said: I'd like to believe that my music opened up that conversation. There is unbelievable power in ownership, and women should own their sexuality.
"There is a double standard when it comes to sexuality that still persists. Men are free and women are not. That is crazy. The old lessons of submissiveness and fragility made us victims.
Women are so much more than that. You can be a businesswoman, a mother, an artist, and a feminist - whatever you want to be - and still be a sexual being. It's not mutually exclusive."

Dolly Parton says Miley Cyrus wanted to "murder" Hannah Montana.
The country icon admitted she was concerned when he goddaughter told her she was planning a dramatic reinvention to move away from being known as the Disney Channel character which made her famous.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, she said: "As a little girl she was great, but then she started to grow up. And people didn't want her to grow up - they got mad at her.
"Well, that's how everyone has been with Miley. One day she'd had enough and told me, 'I need to murder Hannah Montana in order for people to accept who I really am'.
"I think she felt she had to make that severe a change. And she obviously did. I was very worried - I was holding my breath, hoping that people didn't totally crucify her."
However, the 'Jolene' hitmaker has given a warning to the 'Wrecking Ball' singer, insisting at some point the audience will draw the line themselves and could turn on her if she goes too far with her risque performances.
She added: "I'm hoping that she holds it in the road and doesn't do so many things that are that bizarre.
"I don't think the crowd would be so forgiving again if she did anything else that was really offensive. I don't want it to overshadow her talent."

Russell Brand has admitted he has avoided paying for public transport.
The comedian revealed he has skipped having to buy train tickets because he "couldn't be bothered" with queuing up before traveling.
Speaking at a recording of a podcast in east London, he said: "From someone that's gone from no wealth to wealth, I know that money doesn't make me happier.
"Like I jumped the train yesterday when I had to go to Chelmsford. I could have got a ticket but I couldn't be bothered with the rigmarole of getting one.
"I realised all I had to do was get over a barrier so I did that and then slid out the other end behind someone."
Although a spokesman for Greater Anglia - the company which runs the route from London the Chelmsford - declined to comment on Russell skipping the £14.90 rail fair, they did say they take the issue "very seriously".
They said: "We take fare evasion very serously as it is in the interest of everyone that travels."
Russell is said to be worth £15 million, and recently confirmed he is releasing his own collection of children's books, starting with an adaptation of 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin',
He announced: "It's the first of series called 'Russell Brand's Trickster Tales', where I do interpretations of fairy stories and folk tales, believing them to be the code to unlock aspects of our consciousness and to affect and impact the way we see the world.
"Once we start changing the way children see the world... we can do all sorts of stuff."