Coronation Street star Cherylee Houston – who made history by becoming the soap’s first full-time actor with, and portraying a character with, a disability – has revealed that she’s “absolutely thrilled” that her character, Izzy Armstrong, is going to become pregnant.

However, as Cherylee – who has also starred in Doctors, The Bill, Holby City, Emmerdale and Little Britain – has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is of course also her character’s condition, the show’s writers have been consulting medical experts with regard to how a pregnancy can affect sufferers of the degenerative connective tissue disorder.

Of the research being carried out by the show’s producers and writers, an insider told the Daily Mirror, “Corrie has never shied away from tackling sensitive storylines.

“In recent times they have had the teenage lesbian love affair between Sian Powers and Sophie Webster, Sean Tully and Marcus Dent’s gay marriage, Lesley Kershaw’s Alzheimer’s and Carla Connor’s rape…

“With all those plot lines producers have researched the relevant topics to make sure it is presented accurately and they will do the same with Izzy’s pregnancy.

“They will make sure they establish exactly what complications could occur during the pregnancy and how likely it is the baby could inherit Izzy’s condition.

“It is very clear that this is a sensitive subject and it will be treated as such.”

The source added, “Cherylee is absolutely thrilled that she is being allowed to take on such a challenging plot.”

We’ll see the storyline begins in forthcoming episodes when Izzy discovers she’s pregnant, but when she breaks the news to boyfriend Gary Windass (Mikey North) she’s horrified when he tells her he’s not ready to be a father.

He breaks off their relationship, but Izzy vows that she’ll have the baby and will bring him or her up alone.