Katie Redford is "distraught" after receiving abuse following the news she’s been sacked by ‘Coronation Street’ for lying about her age.
The 25-year-old actress was cast as Bethany Platt – the 14-year-old daughter of Sarah-Louise Platt (Tina O’Brien) in the ITV soap – but was sacked after it was revealed she’d told producers she was only 19-years-old.
Katie’s agent, Jo McLintock told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "She has had horrific texts, emails and phone calls.
"It has backfired horrifically now. It has put us in an awkward situation with ITV, who were totally unaware of it.
"Unfortunately they wrote in their press release that she was 19 and we let it go out, thinking it would pass. Obviously it didn’t.
"It wasn’t Katie’s decision to do that, it was us. When she went to Corrie, she went in based on her CV. Her playing age is 16-20.
"We said, ‘If they ask you your age, just let them believe you are 19’. It is common knowledge – people do that all the time.
"Now she is distraught, really upset. There are some very jealous people out there.
"People are saying nasty things. We have told her to ignore them all."
ITV is recasting the role following the decision to sack Katie, who was initially thrilled to have landed the part of Sarah-Louise’s daughter, who was last seen on screen in 2007.
She said at the time: "Until I’m actually on set, I genuinely don’t think it will sink in that I’m joining the cast of ‘Coronation Street’.
"I know it sounds clichéd but it really feels like a dream come true.
"Bethany Platt is going to be such a fun and witty character to play and I hope everyone enjoys her return as much as I’m going to!"
Sacked Coronation Street actress Katie Redford abused by Twitter trolls
