Coronation Street's Melanie Hill, who plays Cathy Matthews, has revealed she was once addicted to prescription pain killers following a hip operation.
The 53-year-old actress has joined the cast of the soap to play Roy Croppers new love interest and viewers have watched the pair grow close over the past number of weeks.
Speaking to the Mirror newspaper Hill explained that she was once addicted to painkillers following a hip replacement to treat osteoarthritis.
"I needed a stick but I had to get rid of it when I was shooting scenes. I carried on for two years because I didn't want to take time out."
She admitted that it took three months to wean herself off the drug, which contains the addictive opiate codeine.
"I was on the maximum dose of Co-codamol painkillers and, after two years, it was hard getting off them," she told Woman magazine.
"It took me three months to get completely weaned off them."
Hill is no longer taking the painkillers and was thrilled when she landed the part on the popular soap.
She said: "When I got a call from my agent asking if I would like to be interviewed for Coronation Street I've never been as happy in my life because it's been a life-long ambition.
"I've grown up with it and I've got to a point in my life where I am happy to go into a long-running drama. Staying for a long time would be ideal for me."
