Haworth reveals Corrie plot struggle

Coronation Street star Julia Haworth has revealed that she remained affected by her post-natal depression storyline after the cameras stopped rolling.

The actress's character Claire Peacock struggled to bond with her son Freddie in the 2006 plot and was subsequently sectioned as her mental state deteriorated further.

"I don't normally take my work home, but with a storyline as harrowing as that, and knowing how it affects so many women, I couldn't help it," Julia told The Mirror. "I felt I had to portray it as realistically as possible. But after a distressing scene I'd get home and have another cry to let it all out."

"I do think people still see post-natal depression as a taboo and don't talk about it," she continued. "I thought Coronation Street dealt with it fantastically, it showed that you can get better and life can go on. I got some wonderful letters from women saying that they had sought help after seeing it."

Haworth welcomed the arrival of her own first child, a baby girl, in July.

"I did wonder if I'd be affected by post-natal depression," she admitted. "No-one's immune, but I hoped I'd be OK… luckily I am."