Coronation Street star Melissa Johns has opened up about how her role on the soap as a one-armed lesbian helped her take pride in her disability.
Born with one functioning arm, Johns always used to go to extreme lengths to hide.
Now, the 27-year-old is learning to be proud of herself through her character, Imogen.
The relatively new addition to the cast is brimming with confidence.
“I love that I play a blonde, I have one arm, I’m feisty as hell and I am gay,” Johns explained.
Since starting on the show she has had to overcome obstacles.
Related: Coronation Street actor was originally cast in transgender role as ‘a joke’
She said: “I’m so lucky that Imogen is a great character and has a real attitude.
“But it was nerve-racking being on set for the first time and I wasn’t sure if my one arm was in shot.”
For a long time Johns wore a prosthetic limb and in school, she was badly bullied.
“I wore a prosthetic arm and some boys threw stones at me,” she explained. “But we can all get bullied.
MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.
