Yahoo News Corrie stars explain why grooming story is so important
Coronation Street's Kym Marsh and Brooke Vincent are both defending the soap's controversial 'child grooming' storyline.
The decision to pursue a dark plot where sinister newcomer Nathan (Christopher Harper) grooms teenager Bethany (Lucy Fallon) has been divisive not just for viewers at home, but also within Corrie's writing room.
In the latest issue of OK Magazine, Sophie Webster actress Brooke Vincent explains why she feels it's important to tackle potentially triggering subject matters such as sexual abuse.
"I think there are always new people who are going to start watching the show, so you need to keep your topics relevant for today," she explained. "This could happen anywhere and you might not even notice it."
Corrie recently cleared a major hurdle when Ofcom said it would not investigate the initial child grooming episode because it was "neither graphic nor violent", although newer instalments could still face evaluation.
In her own weekly OK column, Kym Marsh - who was recently a part of the show's child loss story - argued that Ofcom made the correct call in choosing not to investigate the soap.
"I think it was the right decision," Kym wrote. "All soaps try and cover important subject matters that affect some people in real life, like my character Michelle suffering a late miscarriage.
"It's not sensationalism and it's not there for voyeuristic purposes, it's there to highlight a very important subject. My view is that if it gets people talking about it or helps one person seek help, then we've done our job."
The child grooming plot will now be taking another troubling turn as Nathan tries to lure Bethany into an illegal sex ring.
Read the full comments from both Brooke Vincent and Kym Marsh in the latest issue of OK Magazine, out today (March 28).
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