Shelley said has admitted she's glad her latest storyline is "difficult to watch"...
Coronation Street star Shelley King often gets stopped by fans because of her coercive control storyline.
The Yasmeen Nazir actress has opened up about the impact the storyline has had on fans.
She told The Mirror, "They'll stop me in the street and say that this has happened to a friend, but it's quite obvious from the emotional way they speak that it's actually happening to them."
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King adds, "Any drama worth its salt should challenge you, so I think it's very brave to deal with a subject as dark and bleak as this, involving an older person. It's an important story to tell."
Yasmeen is currently trapped in an abusive relationship with Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew) where she's suffering in silence.
Coronation Street viewers witnessed plenty of horrors from Geoff, including when he forced Yasmeen to eat her own pet.
This particular storyline was so harrowing for some viewers that they complained to Ofcom as a result.
But King believes that making the audience uncomfortable is essential.
She added, "It's got to be an uncomfortable watch. It's an uncomfortable and horrible situation."
"I think we would be doing a disservice to the people this has really happened to – and is happening too – if it wasn’t a difficult watch.”
Despite the difficult nature of the storyline, Shelley adds there has been "light at the end of the tunnel."
She revealed, "I’ve had letters too, from people in coercive relationships for 30-odd years.
"One woman got out of the relationship... and people have approached the Coronation Street advice page for help after seeing what Yasmeen is going through.
"So there is light at the end of the tunnel – there are people who have survived this and made other lives for themselves."
Coronation Street’s scheduling pattern has changed due to the coronavirus pandemic and now airs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm.
