Coronation Street actress Faye Brookes feared backlash to Kate Connor and Rana Nazir romance

Brookes added that she hopes the storyline can act as a "voice"
Backlash: Actress Faye Brookes has revealed that she worried about the reaction to Kate Connor and Rana Nazir's romance
ITV
Natasha Sporn17 April 2018

Coronation Street actress Faye Brookes has revealed that she feared a backlash to a storyline involving her character’s romance with another woman.

Brookes admitted that she worried about a potential negative reaction to her character Kate Connor falling for Rana Nazir, played by Bhavna Limbachia.

“I am enjoying it more because at first I was sceptical when I was handed the responsibility of carrying this storyline, more so for Bhavna because I didn't know what sort of backlash she would get,” she told the Press Association.

“But it's all been really positive and that is what Corrie does well. We are doing it for good and it's been so well received that I know that we are reaching out to a lot of young girls that are of the religion that Rana is.

“I only want the best for Kate and Rana's relationship so if there is a fandom at the moment for Kate and Rana then I am jumping on that bandwagon – completely.”

By contrast to Brookes’ fears, the relationship has been well received by viewers and the couple have even become a massive presence among fans on social media, dubbing them “Kana” – with Brookes adding that the storyline can act as a “voice” for others.

“Personally I would love it because I think Kate and Rana are a great dynamic on screen and people have accepted this newfound love which in the past has been taboo,” she said.

Romance: Kate Connor and Rana Nazir's relationship has been a hit with viewers
ITV

“We want to break down that barrier and I love the response from the Kana fans. This is groundbreaking and it's brilliant for the LGBT community and for Rana's religion.

“I think that's really inspiring for the next generation so let's go forward with that.”

Married: Zeedan and Rana Nazir have faced difficulty since Rana fell for Kate Connor but stayed together as part of a financial agreement 
ITV

Over the last couple of months, viewers have seen Rana confront her feelings for Kate and the two have embarked on a romance once again, with the nurse hiding her love from the world as part of a financial agreement struck up between her parents and husband Zeedan.

However, the latest episodes of the soap saw Rana and Kate rumbled after Zeedan’s sister Alya Nazir walked in on the two during a tender moment, with Rana’s parents in tow.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.

First look at new Coronation Street set - In pictures

1/13

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in