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Coronation Street star Paula Wilcox thinks lockdown improved Geoff and Yasmeen story

From Digital Spy

Coronation Street newcomer Paula Wilcox thinks lockdown has made the soap's coercive control plot surrounding Geoff Metcalfe and Yasmeen Nazir "even more powerful".

The actor, who recently joined the long-running ITV series as Geoff's ex-partner Elaine Jones, admitted that she wasn't aware of the slow-burn narrative before being cast, but after hearing "on the grapevine that there was a really strong story" unravelling on the show, she made a point of catching up.

"It was a really compelling mix of story and character," Wilcox told Digital Spy and other media. "It's very frightening, particularly because it was happening then and by that stage during lockdown, it became a very important story to tell because of the circumstances.

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

Related: Coronation Street's Tim Metcalfe reacts angrily as Sally sides with Elaine

"I think the whole lockdown scenario and the pandemic and people being locked in their houses, very close with each other for so long, really made that story even more powerful than it would have been."

Elsewhere during the chat, she said she thinks it's been "really interesting" seeing fewer episodes being put out on a weekly basis, because it's meant that viewers have had to wait for certain developments to take full effect.

"It's been a little bit more drawn out, that story – you felt like you are not going to get satisfaction immediately about what's going to happen next, you're having to wait," Wilcox said.

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

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"I very quickly realised that I was going to be part of something very big and very important and quite daunting, actually."

As for how she's been spending the last few months, the 70-year-old joked that she's "ashamed" she hasn't used the time to learn any new talents.

"I have been for lots of walks and watched lots of telly and films that I don't think I would have had the time to watch usually," she concluded. "I got to know the local parks and local streets rather well. But I've just done what everyone has been doing really."

Coronation Street currently airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm on ITV. This Morning airs weekdays from 10am.


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