A former 'Coronation Street' actress has claimed she was attacked by one of her male colleague while working on the soap.
The claim was made by Sherrie Hewson who played Maureen Holdsworth from 1993 to 1997 in an interview with The Mirror. She told the newspaper that the man was a well-known cast member and the incident took place in the show’s canteen.
She said "This man suddenly jumped up and lunged at me. He started shouting - ranting at me that I had been spreading lies about him. I managed to stutter, 'I haven't, I haven't' - but then he grabbed me round the throat. Before I knew what was happening he had me up against the wall, almost throttling me, and getting hysterical.
"I was terrified. I couldn't move and couldn't have screamed because his hand was round my neck. His face was right up against mine and his eyes were full of hatred. I was starting to panic but at that moment someone else came into the room.
"He heard their footsteps, loosened his grip and then leaned in and kissed me. He made it look as if we were in a lovers' clinch."
The actress said the man had previously made a move on her at work adding "After he attacked me, he cooled towards me. I think he realised he'd gone too far but I was still scared if he was anywhere near me. I never said a thing to anyone about it. It might sound strange but it was a different era. I was being harassed behind-the-scenes in the world's most famous soap but I did nothing.
"I know if I'd ever reported it to my bosses at ‘Coronation Street’, they would have immediately taken action, but I never said a word. My self-esteem was very low and I thought I'd brought it all on myself. I'm sure they'll be horrified to read about it now because they would never have condoned it."
The 'Loose Women' presenter is currently promoting her biography.
