Samia Longchambon will remain on ‘Coronation Street’ for at least another year after signing a new contract.
Samia Longchambon
The 38-year-old actress has played the role of Maria Sutherland in the ITV soap since 2000, and it has now been reported she’s signed a new contract to keep herself in the role for at least one more year.
Contract talks had been put on hold for a number of actors due to the coronavirus pandemic, but since the cast returned to Weatherfield in June following March’s lockdown, deals have begun to be struck.
A source told The Sun: “Samia is delighted after all the uncertainty over the last few months.
"She knew she just had to be patient because a new deal was always going to be on the table. It was just a matter of when.”
Samia began playing Maria when she was just 18, and some of her biggest storylines to date include her first romance with Tyrone Dobbs, giving birth to a stillborn baby, marrying Liam Connor - who was then murdered over his affair with sister-in-law Carla - and falling in love with her gay best friend, Marcus Dent.
The star’s decision to return to ‘Corrie’ is a relief to the show’s bosses, who have recently been battling to appease a host of stars who have seen their pay slashed due to the ongoing pandemic.
Some of the show’s actors are on contracts which link their salary to the number of appearances they make on screen, with actors given bonuses for making appearances outside of the minimum number needed to fulfil their contract.
But when the pandemic meant the number of episodes aired each week was cut, cast members lost out on their wages.
Another insider explained: "When the number of shows per week was slashed because production was halted, they all lost out and are now pushing producers to agree to a new way of doing things.
"And some have told their agents they may consider walking if their income can't be guaranteed. It has become very heated on both sides. Actors want to know their living is secured - and ITV don't want to pay people for more than they have actually done. It's very difficult."