Corrie's Samia on home life, skating and wearing a prison tag

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog April 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There's a long interview in today's Sunday Mirror with Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria Connor in Coronation Street.

She talks about her current soap storyline which sees her dealing with Aidan after their afternoon of rumpy-pumpy on the sofa in her flat.

And she also mentions the security tag that Maria is being forced to wear at the moment after being let out of prison.

"It is hysterical being tagged," laughs Samia, showing off her anklebracelet. "Luckily I haven’t forgotten to take it off at the end of the day yet for when I do my nightly shop. I’d get some right looks! Mine is pretty comfortable actually, but it keeps falling off. Which kind of defeats the object."

Samia also reveals a little about her home life, what she's likely to be getting up to this Easter weekend.

It's a good interview and you can read the whole thing here.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Eva - Let the heartbreak begin.

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen on the Coronation Street Blog in December 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)


As usual, the majority of the residents of Weatherfield are looking forward to Christmas. But as in life, so in Soapland - there will be those who are dreading it, particularly Maria.  It seems likely that Maria will be sent down. As she said herself, it is doubtful that the judge will have swapped his wig for a Santa hat. She will of course be heartbroken for Liam who will be without his mum, his only parent, at this time of year. She will also be wondering just how genuine Aidan's professions of love are. And, along with those two anxieties, she will be feeling guilty, really guilty, about how she has betrayed one of the  best friends anyone could have - Eva.

If there was a prize for Best Girlfriend and Best Friend on the cobbles, then Eva would do the double. As a girlfriend to Aidan, she has been nothing short of, to quote Sandy in Grease, 'totally devoted.' However, we have seen this devotion irritate Aidan, at times. Maybe if he was totally devoted to her, he would not experience this annoyance. It is because they are not on the same page regarding their relationship. that to Aidan, Eva may feel somewhat cloying.

I have to ask the question, though, 'Is Eva stupid?' Right in front of her, on several occasions, it has been pretty clear that Aidan is preoccupied, and that that preoccupation is Maria. He went to finish some bits at the office and look around - Maria is gone too. Never has he been more conscientious about his work. The other night, Eva discovers  (why didn't he tell her?) that Aidan punched Adam for derogatory remarks about Maria. Eva concludes from this that her boyfriend is an honourable man. 'Bless him -it's him all over that - he stuck up for her. ' Did anyone else join me in yelling at the television, 'Eva! For heaven's sake! Open your eyes!'
She tells Aidan, ' I'm going to spoil you rotten.' She adds, given what is happening to Maria, that she is going to 'count her blessings.' She tells Aidan that he is number one!

As a friend, Eva is second to none. She has even bought Maria a face massager. She bursts into the party, telling Maria that, 'Whatever you want to happen today, we'll sort it.'  She has previously pushed Aidan to stay the night at Maria's, so that Maria will not feel unsafe  As is the way of betrayal - Eva sees no malice, no plotting and no disloyalty emanating from her genuine acts of kindness.

It will be almost unbearable to see her heart shattered, when it is revealed that her friend and her boyfriend have abused Eva's generosity of spirit and have jointly deceived and betrayed her.

Merry Christmas one and all!

Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722



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Samia Ghadie gives birth to baby boy

Congratulations to Samia Ghadie who has given birth to a baby boy.

The Coronation Street actress, who plays Maria Connor in the soap, is celebrating the arrival of her baby son with fiancé Sylvain Longchambon. The little boy was born on Thursday 24 September.

Samia, who plays Maria Connor in Coronation Street, already has a daughter, Freya.



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Samia Ghadie announces pregnancy

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog March 2015, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Samia Ghadie, who plays Maria Connor on Coronation Street, has announced she's pregnant with her second child.

Samia and her partner, ice-skater Sylvain Longchambon, met on the Dancing on Ice show. Samia announced last night on twitter that she's expecting their first child together. She already has a daughter Freya with her ex-husband Matthew Smith.

The news that Samia is pregnant will of course mean that she'll be taking a break from Coronation Street when she goes off on maternity leave.  This means Maria will no longer be involved in that storyline where she's... hang on, well, there's the kitchen tiles and a bit of hairdressing at Audrey's, but there really hasn't been much else for Maria going on for a very long time.  

When Samia is given a meaty role for Maria, which let's face it isn't often, she really shows her mettle, Maria grows a pair and both the actress and the character are worth watching. But for far too long Maria has been nothing more than a hair-twirling bit of background fluff and won't be missed by this fan.

Also still away on maternity leave are Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Stape) and Catherine Tyldesley (Eva Price). Paula Lane, who plays Kylie Platt, has now returned to work.

Glenda Young 
Flaming Nora Blog / Twitter 

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Funny Guy

(This post was originally posted by Scott Willison on the Coronation Street Blog in November 2014.)

There was a point during Monday's Corrie when I genuinely hoped that my house would fall into a hellmouth and I'd be damned to an eternity toiling in the sulphur mines of Beelzebub; at least it would have meant I wouldn't have to watch Maria and Luke trying to buy a car any more.  They were painful, unfunny scenes that should really have had a laugh track layered over the top so that we knew these were COMEDY.  I like Luke, but his sudden grumpiness seemed out of character; Maria continues to be a hairstyle in search of a personality; and the guest actor ramped his "funny acting" up to levels Norman Wisdom would have found over the top.  Why was he carrying a pipe?  Why did a diabetic coma involve him shouting non-sequiters?  Why would a barely conscious man pick up his car keys?  As for Luke carrying Maria because her heels hurt... I'm sure we were meant to be rolling around on the floor with mirth, but frankly, no.

And then Les Dennis turned up drunk.  In just a few blissful moments, Michael was funny, charming and in character.  It was a reminder that Les Dennis is a very talented, very experienced comedian, and that Corrie really hasn't been using him to his full powers.  Over the past few months Michael's been full of angst, guilt and anger.  He's moped around because he thinks he's dying.  He's tried to break up with Gail for her own good.

Anyone could do that.  There are thousands of jobbing actors out there who could play a serious, down beat man.  Coronation Street cast Les Dennis though.  Use him!  Give him more comedy!  I understand Les probably wants to prove that he's a proper actor and not just a game show host trying a change of tack - much like when Matthew Kelly gave up presenting for acting, and immediately played Lenny in Of Mice and Men and a serial killer - but it just leaves me frustrated.  I'm not saying that Michael should suddenly break into long missed characters from the Les Dennis Laughter Show, but a bit of jolliness wouldn't go amiss.  Craig Charles manages to be funny and heart-warming whenever he's on screen - he's so naturally charming, it's almost enough to make us like the pestilent Andrea.

Of course, in an ideal world, Michael would get a job in the Kabin alongside Rita and would say "I don't really know" every other episode.  I expect La Knox would put quite a firm stamp on that idea (she still hasn't shared the screen with Les; the Kabin is only ever staffed by Norris when he pops in) but we can dream.  In the real world, I'd just like Les to be allowed to make us laugh again.



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