Mel Maguire (Sonia Ibrahim)

[Perdita]

Corrie star reveals teen sex ring story future and Mel's guilt over Bethany
Coronation Street fans have watched the ongoing nightmare for Bethany Platt unfold with horror as she has fallen into the grips of manipulative sex abuser Nathan. Bethany is oblivious to Nathan’s plan to exploit her as part of a dangerous sex ring and the storyline is about to get even darker as Bethany finds herself trapped in his despicable world.
Along the way, Nathan’s assistant Mel has worked with him from the sidelines but as the story develops, Mel’s history with Nathan has revealed that she is his victim too as opposed to his cunning accomplice.
With devastating scenes ahead, we caught up with Corrie actress Sonia Ibrahim who told us about Mel’s confused feelings of fear, love and guilt, about what lies ahead for the characters and about how fans have been changing their reactions towards her.
So, over recent weeks it has become clear that Mel is a victim of Nathan’s, not an accomplice…
I knew from the beginning that Mel had a history with Nathan in the same way as what is happening to Bethany so I knew when taking on the role that she had been his victim. The things that she is doing for Nathan are to try save herself so she doesn’t have to go back there and do those things.
That’s definitely her biggest fear – Mel knows exactly what Nathan is capable of because she has been through it all. She doesn’t want to be on that end of it; she’d rather stay on this end of it.
How much do you know about Mel’s past?
We’ve touched upon Mel’s history a little bit – she’s had a bad upbringing and came from a broken family where all her mum cared about was drugs and men. Mel took the decision to leave and became homeless; she was looking for a job and ended up at the salon and it was Nathan who was there. It just escalated from there into what she believed was a loving relationship with a man who treated her like a princess – she really thought that he cared for her.
But he was just manipulating her in the same way that he is with Bethany and Mel ended up trapped in that web. Nathan comes across as a very charming guy – as he did in his early scenes – so it shows how these people work and how people can become trapped in these situations.
Does part of Mel still love Nathan?
Yeah, definitely. She still has those feelings for him even though she sees what is happening with Bethany. She could be seen as just as manipulated as Bethany – she thinks that he still loves her too because he controls her so much to make her think that. She believes that after all this, he is planning to get back with her and have a relationship with her – so there is that love there that she feels for him. But also, she has the huge fear too – she is absolutely petrified of him and very scared to disobey him.
Is part of it that Mel feels that she would have nowhere to go if she got away from Nathan?
That’s the thing, she left a family who didn’t care for her and ended up with a man who she believed did care for her. So in her mind, if she were to leave, she would have nothing and that is part of what is making her stay. At least here – whether it’s real or not, she has something.
Have reactions from fans changed as they have realised that Mel is being abused too?
Yeah, I have noticed that. At the beginning, people were saying Mel was just as bad as Nathan and were asking: ‘how can she do this to Bethany?’ I saw that someone tweeted that she was a disgrace to women or something similar. But especially since the episode where Nathan trapped Mel’s hand in the till, the perception has started to change.
Along the way, people were starting to see that there was something with Mel being manipulated and now more people are coming round and seeing that it isn’t just black and white with Mel. She is trapped too.
Are you proud to be tackling this story and is there a lot of pressure to get it right?
Yeah, definitely. It’s such a taboo subject which many people don’t want to talk about. It’s good for Coronation Street to tackle this as people need to see the signs and also to be aware that this goes on. I feel very privileged to be given the opportunity to be a part of telling such an important story. It’s being done so truthfully to what I believe really does happen and I feel it is doing the subject justice and letting people know that it is out there. It also passes the message out to anyone who is or has been a victim to any kind of abuse like this not to be ashamed to talk about it – you shouldn’t be as you aren’t the one in the wrong.
Have the scenes been challenging to film?
Yeah, some of the scenes are very dark – when we’re doing them it can be horrible but it’s also good to be doing it honestly and tackling it because the more it is brought to people’s attention, the more people it will hopefully help.
Have you done any research while preparing for the role?
I went to a charity event with Escape charity which was about victims and survivors telling their stories, how they came through it and how they have gone on to live the rest of their lives. It was obviously very sad to hear those stories and you felt so much for the people speaking but at the same time, it was also really moving and important to hear their journey. It helped us with our story – if you want to do it justice, the best way is to speak to the people and listen to the people who have been through it.
Mel must feel a terrible guilt for what is happening to Bethany…
She feels really bad; as the scenes go on, you see a bit more of a human side to Mel. She is not happy with what is happening, she doesn’t want to see it happening to this poor girl but she also doesn’t know what she can do as she is trapped in this horrible web with this man who is making her do things. Mel feels that there is nothing that she can do to stop it and that she just has to go along with it – you see her guilt of what she is doing much more down the line.
Down the line could Mel be the one to save Bethany or do you think both of them need someone outside of the situation to help them?
Mel is just so caught up in it all, it’s hard to see what she might do or whether she can see any way out. She’s very trapped, but I don’t know what the outcome will be for her and the story has got quite a long way to go yet. The pace has been deliberately slow with this story which is the right thing to do as we had to see those relationships building and this manipulation can take place over a long time so we had to show how Bethany could reach the situation of being so besotted with this man that she will do anything for him.
Is Mel a character you’d like to play beyond this story or do you think her Corrie journey will end with this storyline?
I don’t know at this stage, the story still has a lot to tell and the character of Mel still has some way to develop. But it would be maybe one day see Mel emerge with some real strength and maybe team up for a storyline with a strong female like Tracy Barlow.

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[Perdita]

Coronation Street’s Sonia Ibrahim – Nathan is Mel’s saviour and captor
Coronation Street viewers have been gripped by the grooming storyline involving Bethany Platt and Nathan Curtis, but she’s not his first victim.
His sidekick Mel is also his victim having fallen under his spell and is so dependant on him she’s complicit in the crimes he’s now committing.
And next week Nathan needs her more than ever as his grip on Bethany starts to loosen after he pimped her out to his friend Neil. Here Sonia Ibrahim, who plays Mel, reveals why Mel is so willing to help Nathan manipulate Bethany…
Why does Nathan think it’s Mel’s fault that Bethany has gone to visit her mum?
Nathan feels that Mel should be doing all the manipulation for him so he doesn’t seem as controlling. And he knows he can make Mel do those things.
What does he want her to do to make amends?
Nathan wants Mel to keep Bethany onside by drawing Bethany in. Mel is planting the seed in Bethany’s head that Nathan does really love her and it is Bethany who has made the mistake – again controlling her.
What’s Bethany’s reaction when Mel tells her about Nathan’s plan to propose?
Bethany is so happy, she probably thinks, ‘Yes, he does love me and he does want to be with me.” Mel is worried for Bethany; she knows what is coming to her, she knows it’s not real and she knows how horrible the reality is. She doesn’t want Bethany to be really happy about this because she knows what is going to break this young girl’s heart.
How does Mel feel about the fact that Nathan is focussing so much attention on Bethany?
Even though he is doing all this with Bethany, Mel hopes Nathan is still going to come back to her. Mel does hate Nathan and she is petrified of him but she is also slightly jealous of Bethany because deep down Mel really does love Nathan in a weird, controlled way.
What’s her own relationship with Nathan – how does she feel about him?
Mel is just as manipulated as Bethany is. She has been abused by Nathan, she knows exactly what he is capable of, how scary he is and she is doing all this because she knows what will happen if she doesn’t. But, in her eyes, he did save her from a horrible upbringing. Even though he didn’t make her life any better with the things that he did to her, he is her saviour but her captor.
Does Mel feel like she has no one to turn to herself?
Yes, definitely. There’s been times when people have mentioned family and that really draws to Mel’s human and emotional side because she doesn’t have family. Her mum didn’t care about her; Mel left her and her mum didn’t care that Mel was on the streets and so Mel knows that she literally has nobody.
Can you just fill us in a bit on Mel’s past with Nathan?
She is a girl from a troubled, broken family. All her mum cared about was drugs and men and Mel took the decision to leave and that’s when she became homeless. She was on the streets, looking for a job and she ended up at Nathan’s salon. Nathan just seemed like the most perfect man who loved her, doted on her, bought her things, made her feel special and that’s all she ever wanted because she never had that. Then all Nathan’s true colours came out.
Have you had to do any research for this plot like Lucy and Chris?
I went to the Escape Charity event where I listened to stories from survivors and my heart broke; listening to their stories and how they felt about the people grooming them but also how strong they were to come out the other side.
Will we see more of a vulnerable side to Mel further down the line?
We will see more of a human and emotional side to Mel as we see what is happening to Bethany. It’s not right and Mel knows it’s not but Mel is torn. Nathan says to Mel that if Bethany isn’t there then she will be taking her place and she knows that and doesn’t want to go back to that. As much as Mel doesn’t want to do these things, she is petrified of that.
Have you started to get recognised by Corrie fans when you’re out and about? What do they think of Mel?
Yes, especially as I am from Burnley and it’s only a small town. After the episode where Nathan trapped Mel’s hand in the till a few people said to me “How’s your hand? Are you okay? I can’t believe he’s done that to you!” Things like that which is lovely. The online reactions to Mel have changed and as time has gone on, people have seen that Mel has been manipulated just as much as Bethany. Hopefully people will see that she is not doing this because she is an evil person, she is a victim too.
You’ve not had the chance to integrate with too many characters on the Street – but who would you most like to work with?
It would be really fun to work with Jack P shepherd because he seems like he’s really funny. I’d also love to work with Kate Ford because I love the character of Tracy Barlow and Kate is such a good actress.