'Coronation Street's Gail Rodwell is set for a pleasant surprise when her son David Platt tells her he and Maria Connor are "madly in love".

Samia Ghadie as Maria Connor

Samia Ghadie as Maria Connor

The meddling matriarch - who is played by Helen Worth - thinks the pair would make a good couple, but the hairdressers find the idea hilarious, and decided to play a joke at her expense.

And Samia Ghadie, who is returning to her role as Maria after a short break which saw her alter ego jailed over her sham marriage to Pablo Duarte, has had a great time filming the scenes with Jack P. Shepherd.

She said: "Gail gets it in her head that Maria and David would make a lovely couple.

"They think it's really funny, so David says to Maria, 'Let's wind Gail up and pretend we're madly in love.'

"I've really enjoyed it - it's like a big dysfunctional family."

Samia thinks being behind bars has given Maria a new positive attitude, and though there is a temptation for her to spill the beans about her affair with Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward), she thinks her character will keep the news to herself to spare the feelings of his girlfriend Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley).

She told Woman's Own magazine: "Maria got a year but she only did two months so I don't think it's been completely 'Shawshank Redemption' for her.

"I think she's coming out with a new attitude, trying to be positive.

"She's had time to think about her and Aidan and decided she just wants to move on.

"I think she's quite enjoying the fact Aidan is nervous [she might tell]. Every time there's a scene with Aidan and Maria, it's the massive elephant in the room. But she doesn't want to hurt Eva so it's only for Eva's sake really that she doesn't say anything."


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