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IT IS the raciest romance to be seen on Coronation Street in years, but Rana Nazir's lesbian affair with Kate Connor has actually saved lives.
Dubbed Kana by fans on social media, the controversial storyline that saw nurse Rana embark on an affair with her best friend Kate has helped break down barriers in the Asian community, actress Bhavna Limbachia has revealed.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun Online's Soap Box, Bhavna said: "I've had quite a few people contacting me in quite a vulnerable state and I've been lucky that I've been able to put them onto the Naz and Matt Foundation, a charity who tackle homophobia triggered by religion.
"And we've had some success stories."
She added: "Working with them, the Naz and Matt Foundation and communicating with the founder of the charity, Matt Ogston who sadly lost his fiance, Nazim Mahmood.
"His parents wouldn't accept who he was and he sadly took his life. However, doing this storyline and raising awareness is sparking conversation, which is what we want."
The reaction from Corrie fans has been equally inspiring for Bhavna, even though the couple's romance did begin as an affair, leaving chef Zeedan heartbroken.
She said: "It's still pretty full on, it's great. We didn't expect it to have the reaction it has.
"The Kana fandom are huge and we honestly didn't expect that at all. It's just so nice to see that people are warming to the storyline and the characters and the important message that the story has."
The couple have been put through hell recently, with Rana's parents discovering the affair and Zeedan blackmailing them to keep family honour in tact.
But it's not going to remain blissful for long - despite Zeedan learning to live with his wife's extra-marital affair.
A shocking development is to come soon as Rana's parents will take drastic action and try to send her to Pakistan in an effort to split her and Kate up.
Bhavna teased: "It's Coronation Street so of course there's going to be a lot more hurdles in a way.
"At the moment on screen is just the calm before the storm."
Alluding to the upcoming storm, she added: "Unfortunately her parents will find out that [Kate and Rana] are still together and out of desperation try something quite awful to stop them being together.
"They're quite annoyed. They're not trying to harm Rana - they're just trying to save face in the community. For them that's very important.
"What I love about this storyline, and it's great that we've been able to tackle real subjects. This is still taboo within the Asian community and it's nice that we get to play that and raise awareness."
As for the backlash from the community, Bhava insisted the storyline hasn't been created to offend anyone, just to educate and raise awareness.
She said: "There's always going to be that element, but we're not here to offend anyone. We're here to just raise awareness in a positive light."
And having starred in British soap's first ever muslim wedding to Zeedan, she revealed Rana could be walking down the aisle again for the first gay Muslim wedding.
Bhavna said: "At the moment they're just happy to be together because there are some awful things about to happen to Rana.
"But hopefully she will get through them and we'll have Kana together and who knows, in a year's time there could be a big gay Muslim wedding? That would be the ultimate."
* Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday night's at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV
Coronation Street
There has not been a return from the dead that spectacular since Jesus, but Pat Phelan managed it in 2018.
Appearing creepily to his guest house landlady and calling himself Mr Frost, Coronation Street fans were chilled to the bone as he was revealed to have survived being kicked into the ocean.
Fans are now terrified and waiting for his return to the cobbles when he will no doubt unleash horrific revenge on those who dared to cross him.
Actress Helen Flanagan has revealed she will leave Coronation Street this month as she begins her maternity leave.
The pregnant actress will temporarily leave her role as model-cum-legal receptionist Rosie at the end of April.
Captioning a picture of herself and her on-screen mum Sally Dynevor (Sally Metcalfe), she wrote: "Love this pic we took the other day on set, love this lady xxx my last month @coronationstreet before my maternity leave.
“Going to miss everyone so much especially my screen mum and sister @brookelevivincent definitely want to return as Rosie just not sure when that will be xxx [sic]"
He's become one of the few former popstars to make it as an actor but now an old stage injury has meant Duncan James' acting career could be over.
He told The Sun earlier this week: "“I think because I haven't kept up my physiotherapy and I've been working so much I haven't been able to do what I need to do so my back's still bad.
“I had an MRI scan recently which was a bit unfortunate because I was hoping things might be better than they are and they're not.
“So I've got to figure out what I'm going to do now with my back – but it's not great.”
Actor Harry Reid was glad he was written out of EastEnders - because it meant he could chase new roles.
Appearing on Sunday Brunch, the 25-year-old actor admitted his exit has given him the nudge he needed to chase other roles.
He said: "Obviously I told you last time they wrote me out so they kind of gave me that push, but it was one that I'm glad they did, because now I can go out and do other stuff."
There's another jam-packed week of soaps to contend with next week as Corrie's Weatherfield copes with the investigation into killer Pat Phelan's crimes, but that's the least of it.
David Platt will be arrested for attacking Gary Windass, Bistro owner Robert Preston is going to be suspected of abusing his fiancee Michelle Connor and Eva Price is going to make a decision about her secret baby as she reveals she wants to leave Weatherfield.
But it's not all doom and gloom as Gary proposes to Sarah Platt, businesswoman Carla Connor gives her half-brother Aidan the factory and Zeedan Nazir embarks on a scheme to win back the heart of his lesbian wife Rana.
Emmerdale is a going to drop a humongous bombshell as Charity Dingle reveals a secret heartache to girlfriend Vanessa Woodfield that will leave the couple, and viewers reeling.
Elsewhere Tracy Metcalfe is put through the ringer with a stalking terror, acid attack victim Ross Barton's reliance on painkillers continues and recovering alcoholic Laurel Thomas is tempted by the booze as her affair with Bob Hope is exposed.
But on a lighter note in the village, Rodney Blackstock's girlfriend Mistry arrives and romps with him much to the horror of his daughter Nicola King.
In EastEnders, Phil Mitchell and Mel Owen go to war with an unexpected consequence, former gangster Vincent Hubbard faces financial ruin and the lesser-spotted Hayley Slater returns to flirt with Martin Fowler.
And over in Hollyoaks a huge secret is exposed as Ryan Knight is finally outed as Amy Barnes' killer and Ste Hay wants violent revenge. It's definitely one to watch.
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