CORRIE star Natalie Gumede prepared for her dramatic onscreen birth scenes by watching hours of One Born Every Minute.
Her character Kirsty Soames will go into labour in the Rovers tonight after an angry spat with Tina McIntyre which leaves Tyrone Dobbs’ missus sprawling over a table.
The actress revealed she was so nervous about the scene that she forced herself to watch the Channel 4 childbirth documentary in every spare moment.
Natalie said: “I’m not a mother, so my preparation for the birth scenes involved watching lots of One Born Every Minute in a blind panic.
“Because I was trying to fit research in between filming and learning lines, I even watched it while I was eating my dinner, which was a big mistake.
“Acting out a birth scene before you are a parent is very daunting because it is something that so many people go through and you can get it wrong.
“Because Kirsty is going through so many emotions during the labour, it could have looked too melodramatic or slapstick.
“I didn’t want that to happen but I also didn’t want to be too serious and pull focus from all the wonderful things happening in the scene.”
After Kirsty’s waters break in the packed Rovers, she is helped to the back by Stella and Gloria where Marcus is on hand to deliver her and Tyrone’s baby.
And the action-packed scene left a nervous Natalie with no choice but just to get stuck in.
Natalie laughed: “Gloria (played by Sue Johnston, below) reacts in spectacular style and makes the scene really funny as well as serious. There was so much going on I had to let all my inhibitions go and remember advice I’d been given by real-life mothers.
“The most useful thing I was told was that giving birth is primal. It’s not about shouting and screaming — it’s about the push and the job in hand.
“You can’t worry about how you sound or how you look. I just hope I’ve managed to get it right.”
Natalie — who joined the ITV1 soap as cop Kirsty last year — has filmed more than her share of demanding scenes since her debut.
Earlier this year viewers were shocked when Kirsty bashed hubby Tyrone, played by Alan Halsall, with a soup ladle after being suspended from her job. Since then the edgy storyline has escalated — sparking a huge increase in the numbers of real-life victims reporting domestic abuse to charities.
And Natalie, who admits going to a dark place to film the scenes, told how the “humbling” reaction from sufferers has made it worthwhile.
She said: “The abuse scenes are harrowing. Alan and I didn’t realise how sinister they were until we watched them back later. The control Kirsty has over Tyrone and the threat of violence to him is more uncomfortable to watch than her attacking him. The first violent scene — when Kirsty lashes out with the ladle — was hard to step away from.
“I was shaking afterwards because, although your mind knows you aren’t really attacking someone, your body doesn’t.
“Acting that rage affected me for quite a long time.”
“Luckily those scenes have become easier over time. I’m lucky I can leave the set and carry on with normal life. For some people it’s real life.
“I have had messages from people who have been through similar things and say they can relate to what they are seeing. It is humbling to hear because it brings it home to you that this isn’t just a storyline.”
Natalie’s dedication to the abuse scenes has won her widespread praise from viewers and critics, as well as a string of award nominations. She recently won the award for Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards and has been shortlisted in the same category for the TV Choice Awards and the Inside Soap Awards.
Natalie said: “The nominations aren’t just for me. There are so many people involved behind the scenes. I’ve been lucky enough to have had brilliant storylines to work with.” And the drama is set to continue.
She added: “Kirsty is not a natural mother. There is a period of false hope where she and Tyrone hope the problems have gone. But Kirsty’s violent tendencies soon rear their ugly head and things deteriorate when she begins to use their baby as a pawn in their relationship.
“Once she does reverts to type Tyrone is not only concerned for himself but for the baby too.
“There is no suggestion that she will hurt their child — but Tyrone doesn’t know that.”
She added, smiling: “It will definitely be high-octane drama.”
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Originally Posted by tammyy2j
