Coronation Street is to become the latest soap to bring us a traumatic baby story, and later this year we will see Maria Connor having to give birth to a baby that she has been told is already dead.

Maria will be so traumatised by the whole experience that she doesn’t even tell her husband Liam what has happened, and she goes through the birth alone.

A show insider told The Daily Star: “This has been one of the most traumatic storylines the show has had in a long time and everyone is determined to make sure it’s done right.

“It’s an extremely testing plot for Samia but she’s putting her heart and soul into it to do it justice.”

The tragedy occurs after Liam spends a night with bunny boiler Carla and though nothing happens between them, Maria gets so paranoid and stressed out that she ends up in hospital.

After the baby is born, Maria goes to stay with Audrey and Liam makes his exit from Coronation Street.