Coronation Street's Alison King lifts the lid on Carla’s boozing, her bid to snare Peter Barlow and the build-up to the show’s 50th anniversary... What do you think about Carla’s way with men? “She’s really pushy. I read the scripts and say 'Don’t do that. They’ll be frightened off!' It makes me cringe. It’s always a bit embarrassing when you see people fling themselves at someone. You think, 'Have some dignity!' Well, I do anyway.” What about her chasing of Peter Barlow? “She starts to think he is fair game. She does some terrible things. If my best friend’s boyfriend was sleeping at my house, I’d tell her! But Carla has been through so much. There are a lot of loose screws in her head and when you add drink on top, it could go anywhere.” How have you enjoyed the drinking storyline? “Playing drunk is really hard. I had not done it before and I was really nervous. The secret is to be seen drinking a lot, although the wine is really grape juice and once I had to knock back six large glasses of it. It’s pure sugar and I felt really sick afterwards. The best thing about it is the fact that Carla has looked ropey for a while. I do my own make-up, so I just come in and push the brush around my face and go ‘I’m done!’ I much prefer it when she looks rough.” Do people confuse you and your character? “Yes. People think I am always glammed up, but I’m not. We’ve been doing such long days recently; I’ve been coming to work in my pyjamas – and going home in them! Honestly, it takes me long enough to get my daughter, Daisy, dressed and out of the house. Doing myself up is the last thing I want to spend time on at the minute.” Has motherhood and doing Coronation Street been difficult? “At the moment, our daughter has to come first. Adam and I make sure she’s healthy and get childcare. Things like the state of the house, well you have to forget about that. I had a day off the other day and realised I had been stuffing my mail under the kitchen cupboards. When I got it all out, it came up to my knees. It’s really hard leaving Daisy. She went through a little bit of separation anxiety when my work routine changed, but she’s come through it and I’m the one who’s left feeling guilty. It’s been hard leaving her because I miss her so much. She’s amazing. She’s at a point where I don’t want her to grow any bigger. She’s just so much fun at the minute. A real funny little character.” Do you want more kids? “Right now, I think it would finish me off. Ask me that question in a year’s time and see what I say then!” So life has changed quite a bit? “I go to weddings and people’s birthdays and stuff, but other than that I don’t go out. I certainly don’t go to bars any more. I don’t mind. I’m a real home bird. I love being at home, having a glass of wine and lying on the sofa to watch a good film. Or The X Factor, which I’m really enjoying. I really like Matt Cardle. I love his voice and he’s very hunky! I’m actually looking forward to seeing the Corrie 50th episodes myself. I only know about my own storyline – I’ve got no idea what other people have been doing, so it will be really nice to see it all come together. I record the show and I always watch it – through my fingers, if Carla happens to be drunk!”
