Maria Sutherland
Encyclopedia
Maria Jane Connor is a fictional character
in the UK television ITV
soap opera
, Coronation Street
, portrayed by actress Samia Smith
. The character first appeared on-screen on 19 May 2000. During her time on Coronation Street, Maria has been the centre of storylines such as giving birth to a stillborn baby, sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend and being widowed after eight months of marriage. She works as a hairdresser
at Audrey's Salon. She worked for Carla Connor (Alison King
) as her PA for a couple of months in early 2011 but returned to Audrey's Salon.
On 21 April 2009, Smith announced she was pregnant and taking maternity leave in autumn 2009. Maria was off-screen from November 2009 until June 2010.
as the love interest of Tyrone Dobbs
(Alan Halsall
). Tyrone and Maria become engaged after he proposes on Blackpool Tower
. However, Tyrone is led astray by Fiz Brown
(Jennie McAlpine
), and Maria ends the relationship. She is annoyed when her brother Kirk
(Andrew Whyment
) begins dating Fiz, though the two eventually become best friends and share a flat for a period of time with Candice Stowe (Nikki Sanderson
). In 2002 Maria is attracted to John Arnley (Paul Warriner), the lecturer boyfriend of her friend Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor
). They have a one-night stand which results in her becoming pregnant. Maria has an abortion and initially claims that John raped her. When Toyah discovers the truth, she moves to Sheffield
and Maria becomes an enemy of Toyah's mother Janice
(Vicky Entwistle
). When Toyah's step-sister Leanne
(Jane Danson
) returns to Weatherfield in June 2004, she seeks revenge for Maria's betrayal of Toyah, sabotaging her burgeoning relationship with Nick Tilsley
(Adam Rickett). After a string of brief affairs, Maria becomes close to Tyrone again, and eventually the pair reunite. Tyrone breaks off their second engagement after realising that Maria will never be happy with him. Although upset, Maria accepts his decision.
Maria later has an affair with builder Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
) in 2006, who is dating Tracy Barlow
(Kate Ford
) at the time. Charlie becomes quite obsessed with controlling Maria, going so far as to set up a security camera outside her flat to monitor her movements and even stages a burglary at the flat. After a couple of months, Maria's guilt over their secret relationship becomes too much to bear and later confesses to Tracy what they have been doing, leading to a catfight between the two women on the street. When Tracy later murders Charlie, as revenge for humiliating her, Maria testifies against her in court, helping to have her convicted. Maria then begins dating local entrepreneur Liam Connor
(Rob-James Collier) in late 2007, who had previously been warned off her by Charlie. Maria discovers she is pregnant, and Liam proposes. Liam's sister-in-law Carla Connor has feelings for him, which causes Maria some anxiety, but they eventually marry happily in February 2008. Two months later, Maria is horrified to realise that her unborn baby has stopped kicking. She is told that the baby has died and she must have her labour induced. She gives birth to a stillborn baby boy, named Paul after Liam's late brother.
Unbeknownst to Maria, Liam later cheats on her with Carla. The affair is discovered by Carla's fiancée Tony Gordon
(Gray O Brien), who has Liam murdered in a Hit and Run
attack on the same night Maria discovers she is once again pregnant on 17 October 2008. Maria goes on to learn about Liam's affair, when a drunken Sally Webster
(Sally Dynevor) shows her video footage of Carla and Liam kissing at Carla's wedding to Tony. Maria becomes suspicious of Tony when she discovers that he already knew about the affair before marrying Carla, and suspects him of involvement in Liam's death. She begins a harassment campaign against Tony, who considers killing Maria to silence her, and also tries to bribe her, offering to provide for her baby. Maria almost runs Tony over in her car, causing him minor injuries, and he refuses to press charges against her. She later accuses Tony of murdering pensioner Jed Stone
(Kenneth Cope
) when Tony confesses to it in a psychological mind game but later Tony brings Jed into the Rovers and Maria is forced to eat humble pie and withdraw all her accusations.
At the same time, Carla discovers Maria was right all along and flees Weatherfield in February 2009, leaving Tony a broken man. When Maria finds Tony mourning at Liam's grave on her wedding anniversary, Maria calls a truce with him and in a sharp twist in the saga the two form a close friendship. Tony helps her through the later stages of her pregnancy, and they establish a firm friendship. When Maria goes into labour three weeks late as the two walk along a deserted beach, Tony delivers the baby on 3 July 2009, which she names Liam Anthony Connor, after Liam and Tony. Their relationship later becomes romantic after a 7 month close friendship which is very frowned upon by Maria's in-laws (the Connors) leading to much conflict as Liam's mother Helen (Dearbhla Molloy
) brands Maria 'a tart' though they eventually bury the hatchet and accept Tony. On the anniversary of Liam's death, Tony proposes to Maria by Liam's graveside, and she accepts. Maria finally discovers the truth about Tony when he suffers a heart attack and confesses to Roy Cropper
(David Neilson
) that he had Liam murdered. Roy's wife Hayley
(Julie Hesmondhalgh
) informs a heartbroken Maria. At first Maria refuses to believe it but during a dramatic final scene between Tony and Maria, Tony confesses all to a furious Maria. This causes her to have an emotional breakdown. She does not believe that she is a fit mother to her baby. After a lot of moral support from Liam's grandparents Barry (Frank Grimes
) and especially Helen, Maria finally accepts that she is a fit mother to Liam and that she will take good care of him before deciding that she wants to accept an offer from Barry and Helen to stay with them in Ireland with baby Liam.
However, she gets an unexpected guest at her front door - Carla has returned. Carla demands an explanation of why Tony has been arrested even though she knew that it's part of his involvement with Liam's death. At first Helen refuses Carla to come in, but Maria decides to do so. The two women have a heart-to-heart in which Maria questions Carla on the circumstances of her mysterious disappearance almost a year earlier and what the fight between her and Tony was about on the night she vanished. Maria tells Carla of how she had witnessed Carla and Tony's fight spill on to the street and was suspicious that Carla knew he had murdered Liam. Carla lies and said it was because she had told Tony she'd always loved Liam, Maria then tells Carla she loved Tony and the two call a truce. Maria then leaves for Ireland on 26 November 2009, the day before Tony's hearing and she and Carla exchange glances in her final scene. In December 2009, Maria is informed off-screen that Carla was in fact lying.
(Jimmi Harkishin
) and Sunita Alahan
(Shobna Gulati
), who are buying her house. She goes to visit Carla who is in the factory. However, when she arrives, Tony, who has just escaped from prison, answers the door and pulls her inside the factory, threatening her with a gun. Tony, still in love with Maria, does not tie her up like he has done with hostages Carla and Hayley, and he tells her that he will not harm her. Instead, he tries not to do anything dramatic while she is there, telling her constantly he is sorry she had to witness the whole situation. After a few words with Tony, knowing that he will not shoot her, she walks out of the door and runs across the street to the Rovers for help and telephones the police. Clearly shocked by the ordeal and finding out that Tony died in the subsequent explosion at the factory, Maria flies back to Ireland the following day. She rents out Audrey
's (Sue Nicholls
) Salon flat and pays three months rent in advance so that Kirk has a place to stay. Just before her departure to Ireland, Maria meets up with Carla in the charred remains of Underworld. Maria tells Carla that she can never forgive her but whatever she does will mean nothing to her, they finally call a truce and depart peacefully; bringing an end to their rivalry.
Maria returns again on 23 July 2010 for Audrey's surprise 70th birthday party, announcing her intentions to remain in Weatherfield. She moves in with Kirk in the salon flat. Her colleague Natasha Blakeman
(Rachel Leskovac
) also finds out that Maria was once engaged to her boyfriend Nick when they start talking in the Rovers, causing jealousy. Maria, Natasha and David compete at the salon in hopes that Audrey will pass the salon onto one of them when she leaves. After Lewis Archer
(Nigel Havers
) runs away without Audrey, Maria alongside Natasha and David remain as hairdressers as Audrey returns to the Salon and remains as owner.
In October 2010 Maria goes on a date with builder Chris Gray (Will Thorp
), however, this ends when Lloyd Mullaney
(Craig Charles
) tells Maria about Chris having hit his estranged wife Cheryl
(Holly Quin-Ankrah). Maria later decides to give Chris another chance and they begin a relationship.
During the tram crash on 6 December 2010, Maria supports close friend Fiz when she goes into premature labour. She also comforts ex-fiance Tyrone after his wife Molly
(Vicky Binns
) is killed in the disaster.
After Michelle Connor
(Kym Marsh
)'s departure, Carla offers Maria a job as personal assistant at Underworld, to which she eventually agrees, getting fed up of being treated below David at the salon. Her arrival at the factory isn't well-received by the factory girls, who believe they are more capable of her job position. Maria's first big challenge is to attract new client Frank Foster
(Andrew Lancel
) to do business with the factory, Carla sends Maria to Frank's house all dressed up for an informal meeting, having to lie to Chris about where she was going. The evening starts off well, but after a few drinks and misreading signals, Frank forces himself on to Maria despite her telling him she has a boyfriend, she manages to escape and rushes home crying and shaken.
Over the next few weeks, Maria has to put up with Frank's appearances at Underworld, Maria informs Carla of what he did, but after numerous apologies, Frank agrees to business with the factory. In April 2011, Maria reaches breaking point when Carla announces that Frank has bought into the business and will be a new partner, she slaps Carla and quits her job after Carla says that Maria provoked the attack on herself. Seeing that she isn't herself, she tells Chris about the attack who causes a scene at Underworld and threatens Frank, but is stopped by Maria. Having reached the end of her tether, Maria eventually reports Frank to the police. Frank is arrested the next day, but there isn't enough evidence so the police do not press any charges. Maria then returns to her old job as a hairdresser at Audrey's Salon, alongside David and Audrey.
In August 2011, Chris begins acting strangely, such as forgetting to pick up Liam from nursery and having severe mood swings. After Maria confronts him about his strange behaviour, he trashes her flat and leaves her petrified. A few days later, after coming to see Maria (so he can confess that the root of his problems are that he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour) Maria tells him that she cannot be with him and tells him their relationship is over. After an argument, Chris tells Maria about his tumour, causing her to become sympathetic and wanting to help him through his illness. However, he tells her he doesn't want to be with her any more and they split, much to Maria's heartache.
Maria receives a phone call from a distressed Carla, on the eve of her wedding to Frank in September 2011, asking her to come over to her flat. Upon arrival, a shocked Maria finds Carla cowering on the floor, revealing that Frank has raped her. Maria puts her feud with Carla to one side and is immediately supportive, helping Carla as she reports the attack to the police.
and Suzanne Shaw
, to win the part. Describing Maria's development as a character since her arrival on Coronation Street, the official website states: "Maria has blossomed from working as a kennel maid to one of the Street's most glamorous young women. She laps up the male attention that her good looks bring her but playing footloose and fancy-free with the men in her life has gained her a bit of a reputation." Jenny Cockle, writing for the Sunday Mirror, has similarly observed that during the character's duration on the show, Maria has evolved from a "dowdy kennel maid" to a "sexy siren".
Commenting on the relationship between Maria, Liam and Carla prior to Maria and Liam's wedding, Smith assessed: "I think Liam loves Maria but he is in lust with Carla." Discussing the scenes in which Maria give birth to a stillborn son, Smith described the research she put into filming the storyline to ensure authenticity: "It was so important that I got it right and it wasn't too overdramatic. They were both the hardest and easiest scenes I've ever had to do, because the situation was so sad. I was absolutely emotionally drained at the end of it all. The midwife has a lot of experience of attending stillbirths, and she helped me work out how to play it so that it seems real. It scared me personally, though, because the idea of going through something like that is petrifying. They were the most challenging scenes I've ever done."
On filming the delivery scene itself, she explained; "There was a prosthetic baby, but the director didn't show it to me until filming started so I'd get the full impact. It looked so real and I just broke down." Smith also gave the insight that filming the storyline affected her on a personal level, leading to the discovery her own mother had gone through the same situation: "Because of my mum, I wanted to do the scenes well but they left me feeling exhausted and drained. I know mum will be watching it at home, as will thousands of women who've been through it so I need to do it justice for them." In an interview for the Inside Soap Year book 2009, a point was made about the fact nothing nice seems to happen to the character and asked Samia about it, she replied "I'd love Maria to be happy for a change! I sometimes wonder if the Corrie scriptwriters think I've got a dodgy smile or something, because Maria hasn't smiled for months".
Asked how she felt about Maria's romance with Tony Gordon, the man responsible for Liam's death, Smith commented: "It's freaked me out to be honest! It is a bit creepy, we can't deny that, considering everything that's happened between them! I think the writers have done a brilliant job in making it a slow burner and making it as realistic as possible to allow them to fall for each other. They have actually got quite a bit in common. They've both had their hearts broken by two people who they were very close to and considered the loves of their lives. Ultimately, they've forgotten everything that went on earlier this year with the accusations of murder and everything - that's all been brushed under the carpet.."
'Best Dressed' accolade. Grace Dent
, writing for The Guardian
, has been highly critical of Maria during her time on the show. In February 2006, she highlighted the unlikeliness of Maria's relationship with Tyrone Dobbs
is very romantic
, writing: "Maria Sutherland is one of those shiny, lithe, capricious, tidily-kept hairdresser girls who flutter around the Trafford Centre
's Karen Millen
store on Saturdays, trying on sparkly halter frocks, dreaming about snaring Rio Ferdinand
. Tyrone Dobbs, on the other hand, looks like one of the Flumps." Following the death of Charlie Stubbs in January 2007, she deemed Maria to be the Street's "local loose-knickered simpleton", and has also referred to her as being "such a tit", and "a pretty, perky, easily beddable dimwit".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the UK television ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, portrayed by actress Samia Smith
Samia Smith
Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:...
. The character first appeared on-screen on 19 May 2000. During her time on Coronation Street, Maria has been the centre of storylines such as giving birth to a stillborn baby, sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend and being widowed after eight months of marriage. She works as a hairdresser
Hairdresser
Hairdresser is a term referring to anyone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques...
at Audrey's Salon. She worked for Carla Connor (Alison King
Alison King
Alison King is an English actress. She has had major television roles as Lynda Block in the Sky One television series Dream Team, and as Carla Connor in Coronation Street since 2006.- Early life and education :...
) as her PA for a couple of months in early 2011 but returned to Audrey's Salon.
On 21 April 2009, Smith announced she was pregnant and taking maternity leave in autumn 2009. Maria was off-screen from November 2009 until June 2010.
2000–09
Maria arrives in WeatherfieldWeatherfield
Weatherfield is a fictional town, based on Salford in North West England, which serves as the setting for the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street...
as the love interest of Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Sylvester Dobbs is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Alan Halsall, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on November 30, 1998.- Casting :...
(Alan Halsall
Alan Halsall
Alan David Halsall is an English actor best known for playing Tyrone Dobbs in Coronation Street, a role which he has played for since 1998.-Early life:...
). Tyrone and Maria become engaged after he proposes on Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower Eye is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire in England which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. . Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it rises to 518 feet & 9 inches . The tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers...
. However, Tyrone is led astray by Fiz Brown
Fiz Brown
Fiona "Fiz" Stape is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Jennie McAlpine. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 April 2001. Initially appearing for five episodes, McAlpine's contract was soon extended and Fiz became a regular character...
(Jennie McAlpine
Jennie McAlpine
Jennie Elizabeth McAlpine is a British television actress and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Fiz Stape in the well known British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
), and Maria ends the relationship. She is annoyed when her brother Kirk
Kirk Sutherland
Kirk Sutherland is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 22 May 2000, played by an uncredited actor ....
(Andrew Whyment
Andrew Whyment
Andrew "Andy" Whyment is an English television actor, best known for comedy roles, including his roles as Darren Sinclair-Jones in The Royle Family and Kirk Sutherland in the soap opera Coronation Street.-TV career:...
) begins dating Fiz, though the two eventually become best friends and share a flat for a period of time with Candice Stowe (Nikki Sanderson
Nikki Sanderson
Nikki Ann Sanderson is an English actress and glamour model who is best known for playing Candice Stowe in the television soap opera Coronation Street and Dawn Bellamy in ITV's Heartbeat...
). In 2002 Maria is attracted to John Arnley (Paul Warriner), the lecturer boyfriend of her friend Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor
Georgia Taylor
Georgia Taylor is an English actress, known for her role as Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street and currently for playing Ruth Winters on Casualty. She was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester....
). They have a one-night stand which results in her becoming pregnant. Maria has an abortion and initially claims that John raped her. When Toyah discovers the truth, she moves to Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and Maria becomes an enemy of Toyah's mother Janice
Janice Battersby
Janice Bernadette Battersby is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Vicky Entwistle, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 6 January 1997....
(Vicky Entwistle
Vicky Entwistle
Vicky Entwistle is an English actress who is most famous for playing the role of "loudmouth" factory worker Janice Battersby in ITV1's long-running soap opera Coronation Street....
). When Toyah's step-sister Leanne
Leanne Battersby
Leanne Anika Barlow is a fictional character on the soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Jane Danson, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 4 July 1997....
(Jane Danson
Jane Danson
Jane Danson is an English actress, most famous for playing the role of Leanne Battersby in Coronation Street.-Acting:...
) returns to Weatherfield in June 2004, she seeks revenge for Maria's betrayal of Toyah, sabotaging her burgeoning relationship with Nick Tilsley
Nick Tilsley
Nicholas Paul "Nick" Tilsley is a fictional character in the British soap opera Coronation Street. Originally known as "Nicky", he was the first-born child of Brian Tilsley and Gail Platt , and has been portrayed by three different actors. Warren Jackson from 1981 to 1996, then by Adam Rickitt...
(Adam Rickett). After a string of brief affairs, Maria becomes close to Tyrone again, and eventually the pair reunite. Tyrone breaks off their second engagement after realising that Maria will never be happy with him. Although upset, Maria accepts his decision.
Maria later has an affair with builder Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
Bill Ward (actor)
Bill Ward is an English actor who played Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street.-Biography:He completed a degree in History at Bristol University. He is a former advertising executive. After Coronation Street, he had a role in the ITV series Cold Blood with Pauline Quirke...
) in 2006, who is dating Tracy Barlow
Tracy Barlow
Tracy Lynette Barlow is a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed, since 2002, by Kate Ford, the latest in a series of actresses who have played Tracy at various ages...
(Kate Ford
Kate Ford
Kate Connerty is a British actress best known for playing the role of Tracy Barlow in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2002 to 2007. Kate returned to Coronation Street on Christmas Eve 2010....
) at the time. Charlie becomes quite obsessed with controlling Maria, going so far as to set up a security camera outside her flat to monitor her movements and even stages a burglary at the flat. After a couple of months, Maria's guilt over their secret relationship becomes too much to bear and later confesses to Tracy what they have been doing, leading to a catfight between the two women on the street. When Tracy later murders Charlie, as revenge for humiliating her, Maria testifies against her in court, helping to have her convicted. Maria then begins dating local entrepreneur Liam Connor
Liam Connor
Liam Barrington Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Rob James-Collier from 2006 to 2008.-Creation:...
(Rob-James Collier) in late 2007, who had previously been warned off her by Charlie. Maria discovers she is pregnant, and Liam proposes. Liam's sister-in-law Carla Connor has feelings for him, which causes Maria some anxiety, but they eventually marry happily in February 2008. Two months later, Maria is horrified to realise that her unborn baby has stopped kicking. She is told that the baby has died and she must have her labour induced. She gives birth to a stillborn baby boy, named Paul after Liam's late brother.
Unbeknownst to Maria, Liam later cheats on her with Carla. The affair is discovered by Carla's fiancée Tony Gordon
Tony Gordon
Anthony "Tony" Gordon was a fictional character in the itv soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by actor Gray O'Brien. The character first appeared on screen on 16 September 2007 and making his final appearance on 9 June 2010 after deciding to sacrifice himself in the Underworld fire. He is a...
(Gray O Brien), who has Liam murdered in a Hit and Run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
attack on the same night Maria discovers she is once again pregnant on 17 October 2008. Maria goes on to learn about Liam's affair, when a drunken Sally Webster
Sally Webster
Sally Webster is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sally Dynevor, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 27 January 1986.-Casting:...
(Sally Dynevor) shows her video footage of Carla and Liam kissing at Carla's wedding to Tony. Maria becomes suspicious of Tony when she discovers that he already knew about the affair before marrying Carla, and suspects him of involvement in Liam's death. She begins a harassment campaign against Tony, who considers killing Maria to silence her, and also tries to bribe her, offering to provide for her baby. Maria almost runs Tony over in her car, causing him minor injuries, and he refuses to press charges against her. She later accuses Tony of murdering pensioner Jed Stone
Jed Stone
John Edward "Jed" Stone, played by Kenneth Cope, is a fictional character from the soap opera Coronation Street. He was a lodger of Minnie Caldwell's in the 1960s, and her nickname for him was "Sunny Jim"...
(Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope is an English actor. He is most famous for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk , Jed Stone in Coronation Street and Ray Hilton in Brookside.- Career :...
) when Tony confesses to it in a psychological mind game but later Tony brings Jed into the Rovers and Maria is forced to eat humble pie and withdraw all her accusations.
At the same time, Carla discovers Maria was right all along and flees Weatherfield in February 2009, leaving Tony a broken man. When Maria finds Tony mourning at Liam's grave on her wedding anniversary, Maria calls a truce with him and in a sharp twist in the saga the two form a close friendship. Tony helps her through the later stages of her pregnancy, and they establish a firm friendship. When Maria goes into labour three weeks late as the two walk along a deserted beach, Tony delivers the baby on 3 July 2009, which she names Liam Anthony Connor, after Liam and Tony. Their relationship later becomes romantic after a 7 month close friendship which is very frowned upon by Maria's in-laws (the Connors) leading to much conflict as Liam's mother Helen (Dearbhla Molloy
Dearbhla Molloy
Dearbhla Molloy is an Irish actress of the stage and screen from Dublin.Molloy consolidated her stage reputation at both the Abbey and the Gate theatres, coming to England to tour with an Abbey production. She was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare Company and has played Gertrude to Kenneth...
) brands Maria 'a tart' though they eventually bury the hatchet and accept Tony. On the anniversary of Liam's death, Tony proposes to Maria by Liam's graveside, and she accepts. Maria finally discovers the truth about Tony when he suffers a heart attack and confesses to Roy Cropper
Roy Cropper
Royston "Roy" Cropper, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor David Neilson, the character was introduced during the episode airing on 19 July 1995. Originally a secondary character, he was given a more prominent role in 1997, by the...
(David Neilson
David Neilson
David Neilson is an English actor best known for portraying Roy Cropper in Coronation Street from 1995 onwards....
) that he had Liam murdered. Roy's wife Hayley
Hayley Cropper
Hayley Anne Cropper is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
(Julie Hesmondhalgh
Julie Hesmondhalgh
Julie Hesmondhalgh is an English actress.Hesmondhalgh was born in Accrington, Lancashire. As a teenager, she was moderately interested in acting, but wished to become a social worker. She applied to drama school to be with her friends, and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art...
) informs a heartbroken Maria. At first Maria refuses to believe it but during a dramatic final scene between Tony and Maria, Tony confesses all to a furious Maria. This causes her to have an emotional breakdown. She does not believe that she is a fit mother to her baby. After a lot of moral support from Liam's grandparents Barry (Frank Grimes
Frank Grimes
Frank Grimes , is an Irish actor.Frank Grimes may also refer to:*Frank Grimes, character in The Simpsons episode "Homer's Enemy"*Frank Grimes' son, Frank Grimes, Jr., in the The Simpsons episode "The Great Louse Detective"...
) and especially Helen, Maria finally accepts that she is a fit mother to Liam and that she will take good care of him before deciding that she wants to accept an offer from Barry and Helen to stay with them in Ireland with baby Liam.
However, she gets an unexpected guest at her front door - Carla has returned. Carla demands an explanation of why Tony has been arrested even though she knew that it's part of his involvement with Liam's death. At first Helen refuses Carla to come in, but Maria decides to do so. The two women have a heart-to-heart in which Maria questions Carla on the circumstances of her mysterious disappearance almost a year earlier and what the fight between her and Tony was about on the night she vanished. Maria tells Carla of how she had witnessed Carla and Tony's fight spill on to the street and was suspicious that Carla knew he had murdered Liam. Carla lies and said it was because she had told Tony she'd always loved Liam, Maria then tells Carla she loved Tony and the two call a truce. Maria then leaves for Ireland on 26 November 2009, the day before Tony's hearing and she and Carla exchange glances in her final scene. In December 2009, Maria is informed off-screen that Carla was in fact lying.
2010—
Maria returns to Weatherfield on 7 June 2010 to meet with DevDev Alahan
Devendra 'Dev' Alahan is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Jimmi Harkishin, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 10 November 1999.-Character development:...
(Jimmi Harkishin
Jimmi Harkishin
James "Jimmi" Harkishin is an actor best known for his role as shop owner Dev Alahan in Coronation Street. He also featured in the film East is East and also Bhaji on the Beach....
) and Sunita Alahan
Sunita Alahan
Sunita Alahan is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Shobna Gulati. She made her first on-screen appearance on 23 March 2001 and remained in the show until 2005, when the character was axed from the serial by producer Tony Wood...
(Shobna Gulati
Shobna Gulati
Shobna Gulati is an English actress, writer, and dancer of Indian origin, best known for playing Anita in Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies, and Sunita Alahan in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street from 2001 to 2006, a role to which she returned at the end of 2009...
), who are buying her house. She goes to visit Carla who is in the factory. However, when she arrives, Tony, who has just escaped from prison, answers the door and pulls her inside the factory, threatening her with a gun. Tony, still in love with Maria, does not tie her up like he has done with hostages Carla and Hayley, and he tells her that he will not harm her. Instead, he tries not to do anything dramatic while she is there, telling her constantly he is sorry she had to witness the whole situation. After a few words with Tony, knowing that he will not shoot her, she walks out of the door and runs across the street to the Rovers for help and telephones the police. Clearly shocked by the ordeal and finding out that Tony died in the subsequent explosion at the factory, Maria flies back to Ireland the following day. She rents out Audrey
Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sue Nicholls, the character first appeared during the episode aired on 16 April 1979....
's (Sue Nicholls
Sue Nicholls
Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls is an English actress, best known today for her long-running role as Audrey Roberts in British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
) Salon flat and pays three months rent in advance so that Kirk has a place to stay. Just before her departure to Ireland, Maria meets up with Carla in the charred remains of Underworld. Maria tells Carla that she can never forgive her but whatever she does will mean nothing to her, they finally call a truce and depart peacefully; bringing an end to their rivalry.
Maria returns again on 23 July 2010 for Audrey's surprise 70th birthday party, announcing her intentions to remain in Weatherfield. She moves in with Kirk in the salon flat. Her colleague Natasha Blakeman
Natasha Blakeman
Natasha Blakeman is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Rachel Leskovac. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 12 May 2008...
(Rachel Leskovac
Rachel Leskovac
Rachel Leskovac is an Olivier award-nominated British actress best known for playing hairdresser Natasha Blakeman in the British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
) also finds out that Maria was once engaged to her boyfriend Nick when they start talking in the Rovers, causing jealousy. Maria, Natasha and David compete at the salon in hopes that Audrey will pass the salon onto one of them when she leaves. After Lewis Archer
Lewis Archer
Lewis Archer is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by Nigel Havers. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 December 2009. Lewis is a male escort hired by Audrey Roberts, after she sees him accompanying her rival, Claudia Colby, to a Christmas party...
(Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
) runs away without Audrey, Maria alongside Natasha and David remain as hairdressers as Audrey returns to the Salon and remains as owner.
In October 2010 Maria goes on a date with builder Chris Gray (Will Thorp
Will Thorp
Will Thorp is an English actor.-Early life:Living in Frome as a youngster, Thorp attended a Catholic college in near-by Trowbridge, Wiltshire. He studied at Bath College and joined Musical Youth Theatre Company at an early age. Thorp was also a member of the National Youth Theatre...
), however, this ends when Lloyd Mullaney
Lloyd Mullaney
Lloyd Mullaney is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Craig Charles, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 20 June 2005 and remained on screen until 23 July 2006 when Craig Charles was suspended but he...
(Craig Charles
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles is an English actor, stand-up comedian, author, poet, radio and television presenter, best known for playing Dave Lister in the British cult-favourite science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf...
) tells Maria about Chris having hit his estranged wife Cheryl
Cheryl Gray (Coronation Street)
Cheryl Gray is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Holly Quin-Ankrah. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing 9 April 2010. Originally introduced as a love interest for an existing character, Cheryl has been involved in storylines involving...
(Holly Quin-Ankrah). Maria later decides to give Chris another chance and they begin a relationship.
During the tram crash on 6 December 2010, Maria supports close friend Fiz when she goes into premature labour. She also comforts ex-fiance Tyrone after his wife Molly
Molly Dobbs
Molly Cosette Dobbs is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Vicky Binns, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 5 September 2005. On 7 May 2010, Binns announced she was quitting the soap...
(Vicky Binns
Vicky Binns
Victoria Jane "Vicky" Binns is an English actress who is best known for her two roles in the two veteran ITV soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street respectively. She had a lead role in 'Von trapped' opposite Caroline Quentine and also appeared in Children's Ward playing a character named...
) is killed in the disaster.
After Michelle Connor
Michelle Connor
Michelle Sinéad Connor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Kym Marsh, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 3 April 2006...
(Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh
Kimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside...
)'s departure, Carla offers Maria a job as personal assistant at Underworld, to which she eventually agrees, getting fed up of being treated below David at the salon. Her arrival at the factory isn't well-received by the factory girls, who believe they are more capable of her job position. Maria's first big challenge is to attract new client Frank Foster
Frank Foster (Coronation Street)
Frank John Foster is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. Frank is played by Andrew Lancel and was introduced as a business associate of Carla Connor...
(Andrew Lancel
Andrew Lancel
Andrew Lancel is an English actor. He is best known for his current role as Frank Foster in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street, and formerly in his role as DI Neil Manson in The Bill.-Biography:...
) to do business with the factory, Carla sends Maria to Frank's house all dressed up for an informal meeting, having to lie to Chris about where she was going. The evening starts off well, but after a few drinks and misreading signals, Frank forces himself on to Maria despite her telling him she has a boyfriend, she manages to escape and rushes home crying and shaken.
Over the next few weeks, Maria has to put up with Frank's appearances at Underworld, Maria informs Carla of what he did, but after numerous apologies, Frank agrees to business with the factory. In April 2011, Maria reaches breaking point when Carla announces that Frank has bought into the business and will be a new partner, she slaps Carla and quits her job after Carla says that Maria provoked the attack on herself. Seeing that she isn't herself, she tells Chris about the attack who causes a scene at Underworld and threatens Frank, but is stopped by Maria. Having reached the end of her tether, Maria eventually reports Frank to the police. Frank is arrested the next day, but there isn't enough evidence so the police do not press any charges. Maria then returns to her old job as a hairdresser at Audrey's Salon, alongside David and Audrey.
In August 2011, Chris begins acting strangely, such as forgetting to pick up Liam from nursery and having severe mood swings. After Maria confronts him about his strange behaviour, he trashes her flat and leaves her petrified. A few days later, after coming to see Maria (so he can confess that the root of his problems are that he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour) Maria tells him that she cannot be with him and tells him their relationship is over. After an argument, Chris tells Maria about his tumour, causing her to become sympathetic and wanting to help him through his illness. However, he tells her he doesn't want to be with her any more and they split, much to Maria's heartache.
Maria receives a phone call from a distressed Carla, on the eve of her wedding to Frank in September 2011, asking her to come over to her flat. Upon arrival, a shocked Maria finds Carla cowering on the floor, revealing that Frank has raped her. Maria puts her feud with Carla to one side and is immediately supportive, helping Carla as she reports the attack to the police.
Casting
Maria was created as a love interest for Tyrone Dobbs, and first appeared working as a kennel maid at her parents' kennels. Auditions were held for the role in 2000, and actress Samia Smith beat several rivals, including Kimberley WalshKimberley Walsh
Kimberley Jane Walsh is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, television presenter and actress. She is best known for being a member of girl group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
and Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Shaw is an English actress, singer and television personality...
, to win the part. Describing Maria's development as a character since her arrival on Coronation Street, the official website states: "Maria has blossomed from working as a kennel maid to one of the Street's most glamorous young women. She laps up the male attention that her good looks bring her but playing footloose and fancy-free with the men in her life has gained her a bit of a reputation." Jenny Cockle, writing for the Sunday Mirror, has similarly observed that during the character's duration on the show, Maria has evolved from a "dowdy kennel maid" to a "sexy siren".
Commenting on the relationship between Maria, Liam and Carla prior to Maria and Liam's wedding, Smith assessed: "I think Liam loves Maria but he is in lust with Carla." Discussing the scenes in which Maria give birth to a stillborn son, Smith described the research she put into filming the storyline to ensure authenticity: "It was so important that I got it right and it wasn't too overdramatic. They were both the hardest and easiest scenes I've ever had to do, because the situation was so sad. I was absolutely emotionally drained at the end of it all. The midwife has a lot of experience of attending stillbirths, and she helped me work out how to play it so that it seems real. It scared me personally, though, because the idea of going through something like that is petrifying. They were the most challenging scenes I've ever done."
On filming the delivery scene itself, she explained; "There was a prosthetic baby, but the director didn't show it to me until filming started so I'd get the full impact. It looked so real and I just broke down." Smith also gave the insight that filming the storyline affected her on a personal level, leading to the discovery her own mother had gone through the same situation: "Because of my mum, I wanted to do the scenes well but they left me feeling exhausted and drained. I know mum will be watching it at home, as will thousands of women who've been through it so I need to do it justice for them." In an interview for the Inside Soap Year book 2009, a point was made about the fact nothing nice seems to happen to the character and asked Samia about it, she replied "I'd love Maria to be happy for a change! I sometimes wonder if the Corrie scriptwriters think I've got a dodgy smile or something, because Maria hasn't smiled for months".
Asked how she felt about Maria's romance with Tony Gordon, the man responsible for Liam's death, Smith commented: "It's freaked me out to be honest! It is a bit creepy, we can't deny that, considering everything that's happened between them! I think the writers have done a brilliant job in making it a slow burner and making it as realistic as possible to allow them to fall for each other. They have actually got quite a bit in common. They've both had their hearts broken by two people who they were very close to and considered the loves of their lives. Ultimately, they've forgotten everything that went on earlier this year with the accusations of murder and everything - that's all been brushed under the carpet.."
Reception
In 2006, the character won the Inside SoapInside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
'Best Dressed' accolade. Grace Dent
Grace Dent
Grace Dent is an English journalist, author, and broadcaster. Dent writes mainly for The Guardian, where she has a weekly column on television, 'Grace Dent's TV-OD'. She also writes for magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire. She writes a restaurant review column for the London Evening...
, writing for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, has been highly critical of Maria during her time on the show. In February 2006, she highlighted the unlikeliness of Maria's relationship with Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Sylvester Dobbs is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Alan Halsall, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on November 30, 1998.- Casting :...
is very romantic
, writing: "Maria Sutherland is one of those shiny, lithe, capricious, tidily-kept hairdresser girls who flutter around the Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
's Karen Millen
Karen Millen
Karen Millen is an Icelandic owned women’s designer clothing brand, specialising in tailoring, coats and eveningwear. Karen Millen stores are found throughout the United Kingdom, America, Austria, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and many other European countries.-History:The company was founded in...
store on Saturdays, trying on sparkly halter frocks, dreaming about snaring Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
. Tyrone Dobbs, on the other hand, looks like one of the Flumps." Following the death of Charlie Stubbs in January 2007, she deemed Maria to be the Street's "local loose-knickered simpleton", and has also referred to her as being "such a tit", and "a pretty, perky, easily beddable dimwit".