Coronation Street's Alison King: 'Carla is scared over pregnancy'
Coronation Street businesswoman Carla Barlow is thrown into turmoil next week when she discovers that she is expecting a baby.
After spending a few days wondering whether she could be pregnant, Carla finally plucks up the courage to take a test and panics when the result is positive. Determined that she doesn't want children, Carla is left with a huge decision to make.
Here, Alison King - who plays Carla - previews the potentially life-changing week for her character.
Does Carla still have no clue that Peter is having an affair?
"No clue whatsoever. Peter is very good at covering and he's had enough affairs in the past to be able to cover his tracks well. Carla always seems to have had something on her mind to deter her from suspicion - before Christmas it was the wedding, after that she had to cope with Hayley's death and now she discovers that her stepdad George has died.
"She also obviously becomes worried that she might be pregnant, so Carla has certainly had enough to occupy her mind and take her eye off the ball recently."
Would you say Carla completely trusts Peter?
"Yes - I think if she was worried about anything, it would be him falling off the wagon and drinking again. As far as Carla is concerned, they are completely in love. Peter is the love of Carla's life, so I don't think she could ever take herself to that place where she would start questioning his every move. Even when she stumbles across a hotel booking that he has made, she has no reason to believe that he's made it for anyone other than her."
When does Carla first suspect that she might be pregnant?
"It's a few days after Carla returns from Paris and after they've spent the night at a hotel together. When they get back, Carla starts to become a little bit suspicious. She is completely preoccupied with it and she tries to cover in front of Peter by keeping herself busy with factory work. She ends up confiding in Michelle, but Carla is too afraid to find out if she's pregnant for certain. She's afraid of having to face up to it."
How does Carla feel about the prospect of motherhood?
"She can't get her head around it and she's afraid of taking a test in case it's positive and she then has to decide what to do. She has never believed herself to be maternal, and nor has she ever imagined herself with children. Carla has struggled to bond with Simon and children have never really been on her radar. This is all a shock to her because she believes she doesn't want a baby. She's torn over telling Peter because she thinks he will want her to keep it."
Are there any other reasons that Carla is against the idea?
"I also think that it relates back to Carla's own relationship with her mother. Perhaps she feels that because her mother failed her, she will fail at being a mum too. She has a lot of hang-ups. Carla knows what she's good at - she's good at business, and that's as much as she can see. It's nothing to do with her love for Peter."
Why does Carla put off the pregnancy test for so long?
"She doesn't want to be pregnant, so if she doesn't take the test, she doesn't have to deal with the result and can keep telling herself that it would be negative anyway. She tells Michelle that just because she doesn't want kids doesn't mean it'd be an easy decision for her to make."
What sort of advice does Michelle give to Carla?
"Michelle urges Carla to take a test and then they can go from there. She can't understand why Carla is putting it off. Michelle keeps telling her that the sooner she takes the test, the sooner she can face up to reality and make some decisions. She also thinks Carla is being unfair on Peter. Michelle thinks that Peter has a right to be in on it every step of the way."
How does Carla feel about the death of her stepfather?
"It's a strange reaction that Carla has and a real mixture of emotions. It's not as straightforward as being struck by grief. His death brings a lot of bad childhood memories back for Carla at a time when she's in a bad frame of mind as it is. She says that they weren't close, and in fact her and Rob hated his guts. I think she's in shock more than anything. Carla doesn't know what she's feeling about it, so she feels numb and confused. Her emotions are all over the place."
Is this part of what prevents Carla from taking a pregnancy test?
"Yes, I think Carla almost uses this as an excuse not to. She keeps telling Michelle that she can only deal with one crisis at a time and that it has to be George's death at the minute. It's all a bit too much for her all at once. Peter has even less reason to suspect that something is up with Carla now, though, as he just assumes her mood and emotions are to do with her stepdad's death. She's burying her head in the sand and she knows it."
How does Carla feel when it's confirmed that she is pregnant?
"I don't think she's all that surprised, even though she says that she'd convinced herself that it would be negative. She was more dreading the reality of having to face up to it. But Carla is completely devastated that she's now got to face up to this and decide what to do. She doesn't want to be in this situation. She's scared of change and Carla is happy with everything how it is. Children were never part of her plan."
Does Carla tell Peter straight away?
"No. She needs to get her own head around it first and work out what she wants to do. When Peter comes home, Carla is upset but she tells him that it's all to do with George's death. He has no reason to query it and has enough on his mind with Tina, so he doesn't question or push it."
Do you think Carla would seriously consider a termination?
"Yes, I think so. Being pregnant isn't part of her plan and that scares her more than anything. Her ability as a mother scares her too. She just doesn't think she would be up for the job. I'm not sure that having a child would be a good thing for Carla either - not with a man who is having an affair with their childminder and Carla's friend! However, Carla isn't maternal but that doesn't mean she couldn't be if she had her own child."
What might change Carla's mind about having a baby?
"Peter has quite a hold over Carla and if he found out about it and wanted to keep the baby, I imagine he could talk her round. If Carla doesn't tell him she's pregnant, I'm not sure she could go through with it behind his back."
How would Carla react if she found out about Tina and Peter's affair?
"She would be absolutely devastated. She'd be crushed, but she'd want to get a hold of Tina for sure. Carla thinks they are friends, so it would be the ultimate betrayal…"
