Maria Connor (also Sutherland) is a fictional character from the
British television soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by Samia
Longchambon. The character made her first appearance during the
episode broadcast on 19 May 2000. During her time on the show, Maria
has been the centre of major storylines. In late-2009, Longchambon
took maternity leave and Maria was off-screen from November 2009 until
June 2010. Longchambon went on maternity leave again in 2015 and Maria
was off-screen from October 2015 until April 2016. In June 2019, it
was announced that Longchambon had signed a new contract keeping her
with the show for at least another 12 months.Maria is first seen
working in the kennels belonging to her father, Eric (Steve Money).
Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey) bring
Tyrone's greyhound, Monica, in to look for a stud to mate with. Maria
and Tyrone are immediately attracted to one another and the pair begin
a relationship. Tyrone proposes to Maria at the top of Blackpool Tower
and she happily accepts. However, their relationship quickly dissolves
as Tyrone succumbs to his feelings for Fiz Brown (Jennie McAlpine),
leading a heartbroken Maria to end their engagement.Later, she
romances Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas). After deciding to change
careers, she takes a hairdressing course. She is then hired by Audrey
Roberts (Sue Nicholls) at the salon as a junior stylist but does not
get along with Audrey or fellow stylist Maxine Peacock (Tracy Shaw).
Maria ends her romance with Jason after discovering that he had sex
with Candice Stowe (Nikki Sanderson). She and her friend Toyah
Battersby (Georgia Taylor) later move into the flat above the salon,
having become good friends on a trip to Blackpool, where Maria saved
Fiz from being arrested after Maria's brother Kirk Sutherland (Andrew
Whyment), who had followed them on the trip with Fiz, Tyrone and
Jason, broke into an empty caravan to find a place to stay without
telling the others. Maria attends Gail Platt (Helen Worth) and Richard
Hillman's (Brian Capron) wedding in July 2002, where she meets Gail's
son Nick Tilsley (Adam Rickitt). Maria realises she has fallen in love
with Nick and they embark on a romance. They decide to run away to
Canada, with Maria turning Tyrone down when he comes to the airport to
beg her to stay. Nick worked all hours, leaving a bored Maria home
alone. She dumps him and returns soon after. Upon her return, she
takes a job at the Rovers Return Inn and changes her image, becoming
more promiscuous and fashion-conscious. Maria moves back into the flat
where Fiz had moved in her absence. There is an uneasy truce between
the former rivals for Tyrone's affection, especially since Fiz is now
seeing Kirk and Maria is unhappy about her brother spending so much
time in the flat, but the pair soon become close friends. Maria has a
casual relationship with Vikram Desai (Chris Bisson) and is pleased
when he takes her on holiday abroad, unaware he is merely using her as
cover for drug smuggling to pay off his debts. When Steve McDonald
(Simon Gregson) finds out what Vik is up to, he forces him to leave
town without saying goodbye to Maria. In late-2002, Toyah arrives home
with a new boyfriend, her tutor from college, John Arnley (Paul
Warriner). Maria ends up having a one-night stand with John in January
2003 but is shocked when John wants nothing to do with her afterwards.
Fiz discovers Maria and John's affair but keeps the secret. However,
she struggles to conceal it when Maria announces she is pregnant.
Maria later has an abortion but when Toyah finds out she slept with
John, Maria denies responsibility, leading Toyah to believe John raped
Maria and attacks him. When Toyah realises the truth, she refuses to
forgive Maria and leaves Weatherfield, resulting in her family blaming
Maria for driving her away.
British television soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by Samia
Longchambon. The character made her first appearance during the
episode broadcast on 19 May 2000. During her time on the show, Maria
has been the centre of major storylines. In late-2009, Longchambon
took maternity leave and Maria was off-screen from November 2009 until
June 2010. Longchambon went on maternity leave again in 2015 and Maria
was off-screen from October 2015 until April 2016. In June 2019, it
was announced that Longchambon had signed a new contract keeping her
with the show for at least another 12 months.Maria is first seen
working in the kennels belonging to her father, Eric (Steve Money).
Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey) bring
Tyrone's greyhound, Monica, in to look for a stud to mate with. Maria
and Tyrone are immediately attracted to one another and the pair begin
a relationship. Tyrone proposes to Maria at the top of Blackpool Tower
and she happily accepts. However, their relationship quickly dissolves
as Tyrone succumbs to his feelings for Fiz Brown (Jennie McAlpine),
leading a heartbroken Maria to end their engagement.Later, she
romances Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas). After deciding to change
careers, she takes a hairdressing course. She is then hired by Audrey
Roberts (Sue Nicholls) at the salon as a junior stylist but does not
get along with Audrey or fellow stylist Maxine Peacock (Tracy Shaw).
Maria ends her romance with Jason after discovering that he had sex
with Candice Stowe (Nikki Sanderson). She and her friend Toyah
Battersby (Georgia Taylor) later move into the flat above the salon,
having become good friends on a trip to Blackpool, where Maria saved
Fiz from being arrested after Maria's brother Kirk Sutherland (Andrew
Whyment), who had followed them on the trip with Fiz, Tyrone and
Jason, broke into an empty caravan to find a place to stay without
telling the others. Maria attends Gail Platt (Helen Worth) and Richard
Hillman's (Brian Capron) wedding in July 2002, where she meets Gail's
son Nick Tilsley (Adam Rickitt). Maria realises she has fallen in love
with Nick and they embark on a romance. They decide to run away to
Canada, with Maria turning Tyrone down when he comes to the airport to
beg her to stay. Nick worked all hours, leaving a bored Maria home
alone. She dumps him and returns soon after. Upon her return, she
takes a job at the Rovers Return Inn and changes her image, becoming
more promiscuous and fashion-conscious. Maria moves back into the flat
where Fiz had moved in her absence. There is an uneasy truce between
the former rivals for Tyrone's affection, especially since Fiz is now
seeing Kirk and Maria is unhappy about her brother spending so much
time in the flat, but the pair soon become close friends. Maria has a
casual relationship with Vikram Desai (Chris Bisson) and is pleased
when he takes her on holiday abroad, unaware he is merely using her as
cover for drug smuggling to pay off his debts. When Steve McDonald
(Simon Gregson) finds out what Vik is up to, he forces him to leave
town without saying goodbye to Maria. In late-2002, Toyah arrives home
with a new boyfriend, her tutor from college, John Arnley (Paul
Warriner). Maria ends up having a one-night stand with John in January
2003 but is shocked when John wants nothing to do with her afterwards.
Fiz discovers Maria and John's affair but keeps the secret. However,
she struggles to conceal it when Maria announces she is pregnant.
Maria later has an abortion but when Toyah finds out she slept with
John, Maria denies responsibility, leading Toyah to believe John raped
Maria and attacks him. When Toyah realises the truth, she refuses to
forgive Maria and leaves Weatherfield, resulting in her family blaming
Maria for driving her away.
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