Corrie: Julia Haworth

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Julia Haworth - I worried I'd get the baby blues.. just like Claire
The Coronation Street star talks for the first time since having baby Sophia and reveals how her harrowing storyline prompted her to help other mums
Jane Oddy
www.mirror.co.uk
6/09/2008

Julia Haworth understands the suffering caused by post-natal depression. The Coronation Street star saw its devastating effects when her character Claire Peacock became a very troubled new mum last year. But happily for 29-year-old Julia, she saw none of that turmoil in her own life after she gave birth to her daughter Sophia Elizabeth six weeks ago.

"I did wonder if I'd be affected by post-natal depression," she admits. "No one's immune, but I hoped I'd be OK… luckily I am." The dedicated actress says portraying Claire's traumatic early motherhood left her totally drained. "I don't normally take my work home, but with a storyline as harrowing as that, and knowing how it affects so many women, I couldn't help it," says Julia. "I felt I had to portray it as realistically as possible. But after a distressing scene I'd get home and have another cry to let it all out."

Her experience could hardly have been more different. Talking about her baby joy for the first time, Julia says: "I want to be the best mum in the world. She's the centre of my life now." But baby Sophia seemed a little reluctant to make her entrance into the world at Manchester's Hope Hospital on July 25. "It was a long labour but she arrived safe and well and that's the main thing. She was worth it! I'd go through every second again."

Like all new mums Julia is regaining her figure. "I put on weight," she laughs. "I had a big bump! When people said I was blooming and blossoming, I took it as a compliment. I loved being pregnant and I didn't mind my body changing. As I got bigger I really celebrated it because it meant the baby was growing and was healthy. It was a good sign. I was never tempted to do a Demi Moore-type photo shoot though. That wasn't for me."

But following her post-natal depression storyline, Julia is only too aware that pregnancy can turn out to be a traumatic and frightening time for some women. "It can bring some to the depths of despair," she says. "I do think people still see post-natal depression as a taboo and don't talk about it. I thought Coronation Street dealt with it fantastically, it showed that you can get better and life can go on. I got some wonderful letters from women saying that they had sought help after seeing it."

It inspired Julia to work with the charity Tommy's for its launch of a Let's Talk Baby campaign to help women with pregnancy concerns. Its recent survey with Johnson's Baby revealed 45 per cent of mums-to-be are confused by conflicting pregnancy information. This month Tommy's will have qualified midwives in various branches of Asda so pregnant women can pop in for a chat.

Julia says: "It's vital in your first pregnancy. I had the odd moment where I was anxious, thinking: 'Can I eat that cheese?' To be able to speak to someone who can reassure you is so helpful. It's all about peace of mind."

There have been a few Coronation Street pregnancies recently, including Julia's best friend on the show Jane Danson (Leanne Battersby), who announced she's expecting her second. Babies come in waves!" laughs Julia. "Five of my friends had one in the months leading up to Sophia's birth. I get so excited when people tell me they are expecting. Now I've been through it I can tell them what a magical experience it is."

Julia, who lives with her accountant husband Jon Wormold in Manchester, says her pregnancy was very much a planned one. "It felt the right time to start a family. We'd had fabulous holidays and enjoyed being Mr and Mrs and were ready to be parents. She was such a wanted baby."

Julia and Jon met in 2003 through her best friend from university. "She was working with him and introduced us. I knew within days that he was The One. We had an instant connection." The couple were engaged seven months later and married two years ago this May at a church ceremony. Julia says it helps that he isn't in the entertainment industry. "We have two very different professions and it works for us," she shrugs. "He's fine about me being in Corrie. He's very protective but he's also very friendly to people who come up to us and say hi. I couldn't ask for anything more. He ticks all the boxes and Sophia has brought us even closer."

Julia was still filming her Corrie scenes seven weeks before she gave birth and laughs about the clever camera tricks they had to use to disguise her big baby bump. "I had to wear Claire's enormous green cardigan. She's had it for years and it got dug out to cover my tummy!"

Julia reveals she is blessed with a great relationship with not only her own man – but her Corrie hubby too. In fact after our interview her screen husband, Steven Arnold, is about to pop round to see Sophia. "We're really close and work together very well," says Julia. "We're friends and hang out together outside work. Jon and Stevie are mates, too, and they have such a laugh together."

As yet Julia has no clue how she is going to be written back into the series in the New Year. "That'll be a surprise. I won't be getting the scripts until just before Christmas. I'm having a lovely chunk of time off at the moment so it will be really hard to leave Sophia, but the great thing about my job is that it's not Monday to Friday. There are times when you're busy but you also have weeks when you're just nipping into the Rovers for a drink and it's a lighter schedule. I feel I'll be able to spend a lot of time with her."

Julia has worked on Coronation Street for five years and admits she'd like to see Claire involved in more great storylines. "She's very versatile character and can interact with lots of different personalities on the show that probably you wouldn't expect her to. "I love all the scenes in the cab office because if you put Claire with Lloyd, Steve and Eileen, there is a great energy. Some people may say Claire is boring but I think she's a normal girl who knows what life's about. I'd like to say that I'm the same in that respect. She's a bit odder than I am, though!"

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If Claire Peacock were to accidentally stand on a landmine I think I'd have a wee chuckle to myself...

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Julia Haworth sheds a stone six months after giving birth... and dons Kylie hotpants to celebrate
By Chris Johnson
3rd February 2009

Coronation Street actress Julia Haworth has revealed her fantastic new figure just six months after having her first baby. The 29-year-old gave birth to Sophia Elizabeth last July and spent months hiding her tummy behind her handbag. But now the star is in shape again after shedding a stone and is back to her pre-baby weight of just 7st 4lb and is a slim size 8.

Julia, who plays butcher’s wife Claire Peacock, went on maternity leave from Corrie last summer. She will make her long-awaited return to the ITV soap in the spring and is looking forward to showing off her figure. The actress, who lives in Manchester with her 31-year-old accountant husband Jon Wormald, told Closer magazine: 'I’m in the best shape ever and my stomach has never looked better – it’s so flat. Jon is really proud of me. I’ve lost three inches off my waist and I’m back in my size 8 jeans! Being a mum is so amazing - I feel blessed. I didn’t mind my stomach turning to jelly to have Sophia, although it’s nice to have a toned tum now.'

To show off her figure, Julia posed in a pair of gold hotpants for the magazine, imitating pop princess Kylie Minogue's iconic look. The 5ft 2in actress said: 'I love Kylie - dressing up like her was fun. Claire would never be seen dead in gold hot pants and Ashley would have a fit if he saw her like this!' It seems there has been something of a baby spree among the Corrie stars over the past year.

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Coronation Street's Claire in rooftop suicide drama
11th June 2009

Claire Peacock is involved in a dramatic storyline as the sobbing Coronation Street star is seen on the brink of a suicide attempt. Claire - played by Julia Haworth - sinks into depression after losing her unborn child. And she is seen standing on the edge of a hospital roof in dramatic scenes for the long-running soap.

Cabbie Claire nearly dies from a blood clot on her lungs but in a cruel twist of fortune the illness kills her baby. Distraught, Claire considers taking her own life. While she is recovering in hospital she goes missing and the hospital rings her husband Ashley. She is then seen sobbing as she contemplates throwing herself off the hospital roof.

Ashley (played by Steve Arnold) rushes to the hospital and manages to get to her on time and talk her out of committing suicide. Claire confesses to feeling guilty because she never wanted the baby and begs not to be put in a psychiatric hospital. The emotional scenes will be screened on the ITV1 soap later this summer.

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So near and yet so far... maybe they can just come up with some kind of accident that will stop her being so damn chirpy?

[pirtybirdy]

I have to say, her character annoys me. Not that I'd want to see her character jump from a roof, but I wouldn't mind if she got amnesia and wondered off the cobbles....lol!