Entertainment

Stillbirth storyline earns soap personality award for Corrie's Kym Marsh

The actress was stunned to pick up the prestigious gong.
The actress was stunned to pick up the prestigious gong. The actress was stunned to pick up the prestigious gong.

Coronation Street star Kym Marsh said she was in “complete shock” after winning an award for her performance in a stillbirth storyline mirroring her real-life heartache.

Kym, who plays Michelle Connor in the ITV soap, beat co-star Tina O’Brien (Sarah Platt) and EastEnders actress June Brown (Dot Cotton) in the soap personality category at the Television and Radio Industries Club (Tric) Awards on Tuesday.

Speaking after her win, the actress, 40, said: “I’m in real shock. I didn’t have anything prepared because I didn’t expect it.”

Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh (Ian West/PA)

“I really never expected me or Tina to get this award so it was a complete shock.”

She said her first thought after winning the prize was “I’ve got to ring my mum”.

In the soap, Michelle went into labour 23 weeks into her pregnancy, resulting in the death of baby Ruairi at birth.

Kym lost her own son Archie in a similar way eight years ago, and she said the storyline was to “honour” him.

“When you take on a challenge, you take it on and see it through,” she said.

“I think if you’re not going to do it and this was a storyline that was very close to my heart.”

She revealed her motivation for taking on the story was to “get people to start talking” about the impact of losing babies.

“It’s such a taboo subject and also I wanted to honour my son and I think I did that and I’m very proud of that. The proof was in the pudding, really,” she added.

The actress has recently signed a new contract on the soap and promised there would be “more drama” to come.