Princess Anne visits Coronation Street set to meet cast involved in acid attack storyline

The Princess Royal paid a visit to the set of Coronation Street on Monday to chat to members of the cast involved in an acid attack storyline.

Princess Anne is patron of the Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTi), which has been advising the programme’s producers and writers alongside The Katie Piper Foundation.

The storyline, which will be broadcast next week, involves the character of Daisy, played by Charlotte Jordan, who is tormented by a stalker, Justin.

Justin, played by Ryan Prescott, is arrested but released on bail. He then targets her at the Rovers Return on her wedding day in an act of revenge.

The Princess viewed some upcoming scenes before meeting with the actors and series producer Iain MacLeod.

She also met stars Andrew Still, who plays Justin, Rob Mallard, who plays Daniel Osbourne, and Sally Ann Matthews, who plays Jenny Bradley, as well as script writers, members of the story team and make-up department.

John Whiston, head of ITV in the north and managing director of continuing drama, gave the Royal party a tour of the set.

He said: “Working with ASTi on this storyline has been invaluable to all of us.

"HRH's patronage of the charity is clearly of huge importance to both Her Royal Highness and the charity and it was an absolute honour to have them join us at Coronation Street today.

"The visit gave both cast and colleagues the chance to discuss how they have worked together to create and portray such a delicate and important storyline, an opportunity none of us will forget."

Jaf Shah, executive director of ASTi, said: “Due to the distressing nature of an acid attack, it can be easier to look away. Coronation Street is to be commended for confronting this particularly brutal form of violence, a single act of violence that carries lifelong consequences.

“Our hope is that the airing of this storyline paves the way to increased understanding of the devastating and complex impact on the lives of survivors. In turn we also hope it will help to amplify and accelerate ASTi’s vision - the absolute necessity to end attacks, thereby preventing further pain and suffering.”

Mr MacLeod said the show was keen to show the long-term reality for acid attack victims.

"It is something we might often read about in the papers but perhaps don’t fully understand, in terms of the depth and variety of effects it can have," he added.

“As well as the medical impacts, we explore the social fallout of having your appearance profoundly changed, both in terms of your own ability to process that and how the wider world reacts to you. The story will at times be heartbreaking but we felt it was an important one to tell.”

The Princess last visited the Corrie set, in Trafford, Greater Manchester, in April 2016 with a group of Commonwealth leaders.

Queen Elizabeth II was the last Royal to visit, walking the famous cobbles in July 2021, when she described the long-running show as “part of the fabric” of society and said it was “rather remarkable” that it had been running for 60 years.

The late Queen, then 95, was advised not to walk on the cobbles, which are notoriously tricky in heels, telling Kate Spencer, who played Grace Vickers: “I’ve been told. I’d probably better not.”