PHOTOGRAPHS: NICKY JOHNSTON/ CAMERA PRESS; REX FEATURES; ITV T fate, given that let down Maria feels horribly Eva (Catherine Tyldesley) ofhis –befearful ofher sweet and unsuspectingboyfriend pal lover –Shayne Ward’s character Aidan, Or more to shouldher secret thepoint, different Maria returning to Weatherfield…” actions and onher behaviour. You see avery will “But whatherto give ithas time doneis reflect onher ofmental we findher in? statesort will tag clamped to herwhat ankle.is, Theonlyquestion Mondaythis asomewhat unstylish night with –albeit remarkably early release, her bringing back to theStreet would have Maria’s it, good behaviour has secured her a than shecould ever have imagined.” shecouldknown besent was worse butthis to prison, Weatherfield hairdresser now for17 years. “She had actress Samia Longchambon, who’s been playing the night Liam boylittle Santa onthe very was due to call. the judge had parted sent from her her –cruelly down found themselves thrown into “No!” jail. as shecried, Street Coronation marriage, of line joining along and illustrious began sentence a12-month prison foran illegal thick iron bars across it. could notto have forthewindow have wished to gazewished outonamore festive scene? flutter gently tothe ground. Couldshe have – andex-loverAidanshouldbeware,saysactressSamiaLongchambon Coronation Street’s 12 TO WEATHERFIELD MARIA RETURNS A VERY DIFFERENT So, goodness me, shouldwe beworried? “Prison hasn’t been great forMaria,” Samia us. tells But there at is least asemi-happy luck ending. As “It wasn’t certainly ahappy forher,” Christmas recalls Yes, was thenight this afrightened, despairing Maria Well, yes, shecould. For she onething, SATURDAY MAGAZINE plump snowflakes white have begun to EveChristmas oncue, 2016and,asif almost tear-jerkingly romantic. It’s from Maria Connor’she view is window women who, over theyears, have Maria Connor is released from prison this week MariaConnorisreleasedfromprisonthisweek SAMIA LONGCHAMBON TIME TO REFLECT” TIME TOREFLECT” GIVEN MARIA GIVEN MARIA “PRISON HAS “PRISON HAS CORONATION MONDAY, ITV STREET, Aidan made when he visited Maria a few MariaAidan made afew hevisited when conditions attached… It’s the same offer her and Liam to go onholiday –with her gates at theprison and offers to pay for party. shelet thecat outofthebag? Will home welcome unpredictable her mood at forcewell theissue because Maria inan is and it’s turning my brain down.” upside before. this like I’m women, two inlove with Idon’tAnd know what to do. never I’ve felt inJanuary. visit prison “But Ilove you, too. keeping Eva inthe dark infidelity. about his Since heseems then all to have cared about is imageAidan tarnished his to by failing show. marriage shepleaded scam, forwhich guilty, crazy camethis to theday ofher sentencing for accused ofmurder, back inNovember. it But when when an innocentwhen Maria foundherself falsely Earlier, Aidan’s dad Johnny goes to meet comingThis week’s developments may “I love her,” he’d reminded Maria a during
weeks ago. rememberAnd how she by him? After all, it was only a couple of weeks by it was onlya him?Aftercouple of weeks all, reacted back then? She was not And yes,And atower hewas certainly ofstrength knight inshining armour, her hero.” ago that her cellmate alittle was remarking, hasn’t just been thing. asexual He’s been her ominously, “Men, eh? Can’t ’em, live with can’t smash ’em an inthehead iron bar…” with impressed. “Are to my buy you trying impressed. let’s see what happens next…” shesnapped.silence?” “Because I’ve I, keeping shut? Yeah, this well, been agoodgirl so far, little haven’t “She does love Aidan,” says Samia. “It Mike Ward
CORONATION STREET was laterfreedafterJohnconfessed. John Stape.Fizwasfoundguilty but by herquietlyderangedhusband for themurdersactuallycommitted unit, alongwithherdaughter, Hope, Remanded inamother andbaby released thatyearonatechnicality. testifying againstGailin2010.Shewas falsely get amovetoanopenprisonby handled prisonfairlywell.Shetriedto Weatherfield womantoendupbehindbars… Maria Connorisbynomeansthefirst FIZSTAPE boyfriend CharlieStubbs,Tracy Put awayformurdering (NÉE PATTERSON) Jailed onapointofprinciple after she’drefusedtoaccept the conditionsofherbailfor HAYLEY CROPPER desperate torescuefromabuse. teen sheandRoy hadbeen abducting Wayne Hayes,the TRACY BARLOW
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Gail waseventuallyfoundnotguilty. killing while theyweresharingacell. claimed Gailhadowneduptothe Lake District.Tracy Barlowfalsely husband, Joe,who’ddrownedinthe Wrongly accusedofmurderingher even raiseditinParliament. campaign. Prime MinisterTony Blair real-life Free TheWeatherfield One Jon Lindsay. Theinjusticesparkeda being setupbyherfiancé,conman Wrongly convictedoffraudafter him shopliftingintheKabin. Chesney seriousharmaftercatching Cilla, hadaccusedRitaofcausing scheming mumofFizandChesney, a clashwithCillaBrown.The Held incustodyovernightafter lumped herwith other drugusers. and feltfuriousthat thelawsimply purposes torelieve herchronicpain begun tousecannabisformedical assaulting apoliceofficer, Izzyhad Sent toprisonfortwomonths GAILMCINTYRE DEIRDRERACHID RITA SULLIVAN IZZYARMSTRONG THIS WEEK J AILBIRDS
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