Alison King enjoyed working on 'Sick Note' - because the show was "lighter" and didn't leave her "exhausted".

Alison King

Alison King

The 'Coronation Street' actress has played Carla Connor on the soap since 2006 but took a break between May 2016 and December 2017, during which she shot the Sky One comedy alongside Rupert Grint and Lindsay Lohan - and she enjoyed playing a character who has more laughs than the former factory boss.

Alison - who plays Chief Superintendent Christine Henchy in 'Sick Note' - said: "It was nice to have a complete change and I love doing comedy.

"I've done a lot in the past, but not for ages. We try to put as much humour as we can into 'Corrie', but Carla has had a lot of dark storylines recently.

"It was nice to be working on something lighter that doesn't leave you exhausted."

Since heading back to the cobbles late last year, Alison has been involved in some "intense" scenes, particularly when Carla underwent a kidney transplant with her brother Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward), who then took his own life earlier this year.

She said: "It's been chocka recently and pretty intense with the fallout from Aidan's suicide, but I do like it when the Connors are in the thick of things.

"They're a force to be reckoned with. I'm also enjoying Carla's scenes with Peter [Chris Gascoyne]. They're fun."

But the former 'Dream Team' star manages to switch off from her hard-hitting storylines as soon as she leaves the studios.

She added to TV Times magazine: "I live half an hour away from the 'Corrie' studios, so the drive home is my time to switch off.

"I also like a bit of yoga and meditation. I've got a few weeks of holiday booked, too, so I'm looking forward to spending that with my daughter Daisy."