Maria Connor (also Sutherland) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played 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.
Casting
Maria was created as a love interest for Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall), and first appeared working as a kennel maid at her parents' kennels. Auditions were held for the role in 2000, and actress Samia Ghadie beat several rivals, including singers Kimberley Walsh (of Girls Aloud) and Suzanne Shaw (of Hear'Say), 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". Reflecting on her early days at the programme, Ghadie said: "I thought I'd do my three months and then I'd be off. I was a jobbing actress when I joined and was really pleased to have a job for three months. I never imagined I'd still be here now." Since her arrival at Coronation Street Samia Smith has revealed that she will always be grateful for the opportunities she has been given since she joined.
In 2012, Ghadie revealed that she would like to stay at Coronation Street for another ten years, she said to OK! magazine: "I'd be very happy if I was still in Corrie in ten years' time. I think because of everything that has happened in the last few years I'm trying not to plan too much ahead. I am happy for each day". She also confirmed that she had signed another contract that would keep her in the show til September 2013. Ghadie revealed that it does not feel like she has been on the show for 12 years: "I'm 30 in July so it's quite scary, really! I was 17 when I joined so it just feels like my life is going really quickly! When I first joined, I was on a three-month contract. I thought I'd do my three months and then I'd be off. I was a jobbing actress when I joined and was really pleased to have a job for three months. I never imagined I'd still be here now, but I'm still really enjoying it. I think the show is going from strength to strength and it's got a brilliant mix of comedy and drama at the moment. For once, I'm involved in the lighter-hearted stuff, so that's nice!" In June 2019, it was announced that Longchambon had signed a new contract keeping her with the show for at least another 12 months.
Development Relationships Discussing if Maria and Tyrone could get back together, she said: "She could save him from Kirsty, couldn't she? I really love working with Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone, because he's like a brother in real life. I've known him forever so it's always good working with him, and I do love Maria and Tyrone scenes." 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."
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.." Commenting on Maria's relationship with Tony, Smith said: "I think Maria genuinely loved Tony. I don't think she feels anything but hatred for him now. She's quite sad thinking about what might have been with him because she actually thought she'd got it all sussed - that she was going to be with him and he was going to be a father to Liam. Her world ended when she found out that he'd murdered her husband."
In 2012, Maria began a relationship with ex-boyfriend Jason Grimshaw played by Ryan Thomas, Thomas praised the plot: “She was one of the first girls he ever went out with. I think he's just done a big round circle and come back. It's been great, I've enjoyed working on it. They've got all the right qualities to last as a couple but you just do not know. Couples do not seem to last too long on Corrie and if they do, there's always things that get in the way of relationships in soaps, so we'll wait and see.” Ghadie revealed that filming the scenes with Thomas was more awkward than romantic as she and Thomas are good friends and revealed that it was like kissing your brother.
In October 2020, during an interview on Lorraine, Longchambon was asked about Maria's taste in men. Lorraine Kelly revealed the team had worked out Maria's "bodycount" over her 20 year span on the cobbles was 31 men, causing Longchambon to comment "My eyes are watering looking at that! I can't believe that! ... That's quite impressive, if that's the right word. I didn't know it was that many!"
Stillbirth 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".
Frank Foster and attempted rape In February 2011, It was reported that Kym Marsh who played Michelle Connor was to be written out due to her pregnancy, forcing re-writes to the script instead of Michelle, Maria became involved with Frank Foster (Andrew Lancel). It was reported that Maria would be a victim of a sexual attack by Frank; a Coronation Street source revealed: "Time will tell how bad Frank's character will be - but he's a ladies' man and no Weatherfield woman will be safe from his interest. Samia Smith revealed that the storyline would be very dramatic and there would be plenty of tears. Smith also revealed that Maria faces a horrible dilemma, she told All About Soap magazine: "She's absolutely terrified. He starts groping her all over and has his hand up her thigh. He basically tries to rape her but she manages to struggle out of his grip and runs from the house screaming and petrified." Smith noted that she was worried about offending people with the storyline: "A few years ago my first kind of hard-hitting storyline was when Maria had the stillborn baby and it sort of makes you really hyper-aware that other people have been through it, so you kind of want to do it justice. It's the same with this one really. Sexual assault is a very serious issue, so I want to do it justice and hopefully not offend people who have been sexually assaulted.
Caz Hammond In August 2016, it was reported that Maria's current lodger Caz Hammond would hatch her most twisted plan yet as she uses Maria's recent encounter with a burglar to her own advantage. The incident leaves Maria with a nasty injury when she falls and hits her head as the intruder flees, but there's a coincidence when Caz soon shows up and rescues her. Caz deals with the situation perfectly as she tends to Maria's wound and calls the police to report the burglary, then agrees to stay over for the night to keep an eye on Maria. Rhea Bailey, who plays Caz, revealed: "Caz is just grateful that she can be there to mop up the aftermath and be a shoulder to cry on for Maria. In some twisted way, I think Caz feels like the hero. She just happened to be around the Street when Maria was burgled. She is sad that this meant Maria had to get hurt, but she's secretly really happy that she can be around and help Maria get over this."
Imprisonment Maria marries Pablo, who is gay, in order for him to gain a visa. In December 2016, she was consequently imprisoned for 12 months. She was released from prison in March 2017.
Storylines Maria is first seen working in the kennels belonging to her father, Eric Sutherland (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.