Barbara Knox interview on ITV's This Morning

Barbara Knox, who plays Coronation Street’s Rita Sullivan (and my favourite Corrie woman) was interviewed live today on ITV’s This Morning. She talked about Rita’s upcoming wedding to Dennis which we’ll see on Corrie next week and how honoured she feels about Rita’s wedding being played out at the same time as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.  

Barbara talked about starting work back in the 1960s on Coronation Street with some of the most incredibly strong women characters and actors who were already loved by the nation. “It was terrifying!" she said: "In a 'don’t sit on that chair' sort of a way". She said that she learned a lot from the older actresses who played the likes of Ena Sharples, Elsie Tanner and Annie Walker but admitted she was terrified of Doris Speed. She was so nervous working with these ladies, she couldn’t speak for sheer nerves but they were all kind and helped her an awful lot, becoming great friends.

Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby managed to make Barbara shed a tear after watching a video clip of some of Rita’s scenes on Coronation Street. Holly asked Barbara what the greatest changes were between Corrie back then and Corrie now. Barbara replied without doubt that it was the speed at which Corrie now works.

Speaking of Rita's wedding, she said she immersed herself in helping to design Rita's gown and wedding hat (secrets of which we'll be revealing here on the Blog on the wedding day!). She picked the chiffon herself and helped with the design of the dress, hat, shoes, flowers, jewellry, everything.

However, not all will run smoothly for Rita on her wedding day as she gets kidnapped by drug dealer Rick.  Barbara said that the scenes by the canal absolutely terrified her and it was also the first time she'd met the actor Greg Wood who plays Rick, she only met him that morning and was begging him to hang on to her when they were filming the canal scenes as she was so scared.

But, she added, sparkling: "It is the best job in the world."

The interview video is now online at http://www.itv.com/thismorning/showbiz/barbara-knox-coronation-street/


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