Coronation Street star makes rare comments about 10-year role on soap amid ‘little dream’

The actress has been helping the Weatherfield residents for years

Coronation Street star Christine Mackie believes her character Dr Susan Gaddas has developed a cult following because viewers wish she was their doctor.

The actress has been helping the Weatherfield residents who visit Dr Gassas at Rosamund Street Medical Centre for 10 years, and her alter ego has become very popular with fans of the ITV soap, despite her only having a few scenes at a time.

Christine has come to the conclusion that the fondness for Dr Gaddas is because viewers wish they had a doctor with her bedside manner and who they could actually see with ease.

Appearing on the ‘Conversation Street’ podcast, she said: “I do know from my experience over the 10 years that people love Gaddas, and I’m deeply grateful that they do. People are so nice about her. People always want to talk about her and how she is.

“I think it’s because she’s like the doctor you can’t quite have anymore because the relationship is so changed for us, there’s this little bit of nostalgia. At the same time she’s very much in the moment and very present when she’s doing everything, so she’s absolutely involved and has affection for the characters.”

The soap’s bosses recently made part-time character DS Lisa Swain, played by Vicky Myers, a full-time addition to Weatherfield, and Christine would like to have a bigger role, especially if it meant she got to be a regular in the Rovers Return pub.

**Dr Gaddas is often seen advising the people of Weatherfield** (Image: ITV)

She said: “I do have little dreams of being spotted and being called in to play in the darts team, which I would just adore … Going into the pub which is still an absolute thrill-and-a-half, going into the Rovers, that has not diminished for me.

“One of the things I’ve always loved as a viewer of Corrie is the lucky coincidence of who you bump into and how it unfolds. She’s been in positions like that more than I would have anticipated, people are very confident about approaching her and talking to her.”

She added: “My job is to serve the main characters who leave me and go onto the big story, I’ve never had any issue with that, that’s the function. I have always enjoyed the idea that when they go I’ve got things to do and I’m going to do and I’m not left suspended until you need me again.”