Izzy Armstrong (Cherylee Houston)

[Ruffed_lemur]

Oh yes, Maud and Percy. They were brilliant!

[alan45]

CORRIE'S first full-time disabled star arrives on the cobbles ready to start filming her new role in the ITV1 soap.
Wheelchair user Cherylee Houston, 35, will play Izzy - dopey Kirk Sutherland's new love interest.

Kirk, played by Andy Whyment, meets feisty Izzy through a dating website.

She arrives just months after EastEnders introduced disabled character Adam Best (David Proud) to Walford.

Cherylee, 35, has appeared in Holby City, Little Britain and Emmerdale.

Disabled characters have briefly appeared on Coronation Street in the past, including Ryan Connor's mate Phil, played by Richard Sargent, and Emily's niece Freda, played by deaf actress Ali Briggs.



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0fbjIvTCI

[tammyy2j]

Where is Kirk living now?

[alan45]

CORRIE bosses are so pleased with disabled actress Cherylee Houston's scenes as wheelchair-bound Izzy Armstrong that they're giving her a family to join her in the Street.
Cherylee, 35, was brought in as Izzy - the soap's first full-time disabled character - to be a new love interest for Kirk Sutherland (Andy Whyment).

Now bosses are recruiting a dad, brother and sister to hit the screen later this summer.

A source told TV Biz: "Cherylee is a great actress. She's done really well and is absolutely perfect.

"We want her as a permanent fixture so we're getting her a family to give her more scope.

"There are lots of exciting storylines coming up." Cherylee has also appeared in Holby City, Little Britain and Emmerdale.

[Dazzle]

She's 35??

[Perdita]

Cherylee Houston has hit out at those who have "preconceived ideas" about people with disabilities.

The actress, who last night made history by becoming Coronation Street's first full-time disabled actress, said many people fear "the unknown" or "saying the wrong thing".

Houston, who plays Izzy Armstrong on the ITV1 soap, told The Mirror: "I have a rule of three. Either people will get over the wheelchair after meeting me three times, or they never will. It's the same with taxis - the third cab will stop. Normally they'll look the other way or say their ramp is broken or they're not insured."

She added: "There are so many preconceived ideas about disabled people, but it's a case of realising that we are just people."

The 35-year-old, who was diagnosed with the rare tissue disorder hypermobility type Ehlers Danlos syndrome when she was 23, described Corrie as a British institution and said she hopes for a long run on the soap.

"Attitudes are only just changing and TV is one of the last domains. There are nearly 10 percent of us in society, but hardly any of us on TV. I'm really proud to be joining Coronation Street and really excited too. But for me, more than anything, it is about being good at my job," she said.

[Dazzle]

Izzy seems like she could be a good character.

[alan45]

Coronation Street star Cherylee Houston has praised the soap's producers for their approach to the issue of disability.

Speaking on This Morning today, the actress explained that she has been glad to see her character Izzy Armstrong experiencing a varied reception in Weatherfield due to her use of a wheelchair.

In one of Izzy's early scenes, viewers saw Eddie Windass (Steve Huison) insult the feisty newcomer by telling Kirk Sutherland: "You don't want to go out with a bird in a wheelchair."

Asked how disabled viewers will have felt about the remark, Houston replied: "They were probably going, 'Thank God that's showing reality'.

"When we went to do that scene, Steve who plays Eddie and a few of the others said, 'I'm not that sure about this line'. But I was like, 'No, it's brilliant because that's what happens'. People say some quite outrageous things to your face."

Meanwhile, discussing her future with the soap, the 35-year-old revealed: "I've been extended so I've got a year now."

In real life, Houston has used a wheelchair since the age of 23, when she was diagnosed with the rare tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

[alan45]

Corrie awarded Ability Media International Drama award for portrayal of Izzy
include the powerful characterof Izzy, portrayed by outstandingyoung actor and wheelchairuser, Cherylee Houston, inCoronation Street is an importantand much needed developmentin the representation of disabledpeople in popular televisiondrama. Cherylee’s storylineis both unpatronising anddramatically effective and itsimpact on how disabled peopleare perceived by the generalpublic, could be considerable.Coronation Street have been awarded the Ability Media International Drama Award for the portrayal of Izzy Armstrong.

The producers’ decision to include the powerful character of Izzy, portrayed by outstanding young actor and wheelchair user, Cherylee Houston, in Coronation Street is a much needed development in the representation of disabled people in popular television drama.

Cherylee’s storyline is both unpatronising and dramatically effective and its impact on how disabled people are perceived by the general public, could be considerable

[Glen1]

I think she is a a great actor , and so easy to focus on the character she portrays and not rhe wheelchair . I hope she gets some well deserved , good storylines . And let's be honest Corrie isn't awash with talented actors at the moment