![Coro star's secret pain 'WHY I HAD TO LEAVE MY DREAM ROLE'](https://cdn.magzter.com/1472105479/1650930218/articles/FnjlDjsoB1651039171925/Coro-stars-secret-pain-WHY-I-HAD-TO-LEAVE-MY-DREAM-ROLE.jpg)
Actress Alexandra Mardell has always been quick to point out her Coronation Street character, ditzy Emma Brooker.
She's not unlucky in love - unlike Emma, who's lurched from one disastrous relationship to another, she's happily engaged to actor Joe Parker - and she's not as gullible as her character, who is often not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
But there have been a couple of parallels between her life and Emma's that proved useful when it came to playing the bubbly hairdresser-turned-barmaid.
Alexandra, 28, who has just left the show after four years, says tragedies she has experienced helped when it came to what Emma was going through on screen.
In one storyline, the man Emma thought was her dad, John Brooker, became seriously ill with cancer, and she had to deal with the trauma of his death. Just two years before landing the Coro job, Alexandra lost her dad Michael, who died at 54 from an undiagnosed heart condition, cardiomyopathy.
Although her parents separated when she was young, she was very close to her father, a former semiprofessional footballer, and could relate to Emma's grief.
“I was very much a daddy's girl," tells Alexandra, the youngest of two children.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2, 2022 من New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2, 2022 من New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
![Time changes everything! ANTONIA'S EXCITING MILESTONE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/xDVFuDkj71718086955606/TIME-CHANGES-EVERYTHING-ANTONIAS-EXCITING-MILESTONE.jpg)
Time changes everything! ANTONIA'S EXCITING MILESTONE
The livewire actress is relishing the chance to pause and ponder what matters most at 40
![Hannah's Hollywood dream 'IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/K4V8ChWU91718200355614/HANNAHS-HOLLYWOOD-DREAM-IT-WAS-AN-IMPOSSIBLE-MISSION.jpg)
Hannah's Hollywood dream 'IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION'
There was a song and dance when the stage star decided to change her tune and become an actor!
![Courteney's friendly ghost 'MATTHEW VISITS ME'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/fK3lsd5nM1718090621245/COURTENEYS-FRIENDLY-GHOST-MATTHEW-VISITS-ME.jpg)
Courteney's friendly ghost 'MATTHEW VISITS ME'
The actor tells how her late co-star is still there for her
![Talking to the animals ZOOKEEPER'S AMAZING BOND](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/LfU04y_oj1718090330069/TALKING-TO-THE-ANIMALS-ZOOKEEPERS-AMAZING-BOND.jpg)
Talking to the animals ZOOKEEPER'S AMAZING BOND
It's been a wild ride and one Christine will miss on her tamer new chapter
![No to parenthood 'OUR SHOCKING TV CONFESSION'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/6KvGnMbIl1718089963910/NO-TO-PARENTHOOD-OUR-SHOCKING-TV-CONFESSION.jpg)
No to parenthood 'OUR SHOCKING TV CONFESSION'
Creative couple Ankita and Calvin reveal why they're boxing on without kids
![DAVID'S JUST BUZZING!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/LezmAHGdL1718089805794/DAVIDS-JUST-BUZZING.jpg)
DAVID'S JUST BUZZING!
It's a hive of activity as the King and the footy star join forces
![Inspirational tycoon 'THE PEOPLE WHO SAVED ME'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/G9MdSbLhD1718089408661/INSPIRATIONAL-TYCOON-THE-PEOPLE-WHO-SAVED-ME.jpg)
Inspirational tycoon 'THE PEOPLE WHO SAVED ME'
Mary’s grateful for the lifeline she was thrown in her tough times
![Use your LOAF!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/ShGisfUTg1718088543803/USE-YOUR-LOAF.jpg)
Use your LOAF!
Looking to impress? The humble sweet treat has had a delicious makeover and will be the talk of your friends
![Club WED!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/fsM89VcYr1718088113772/CLUB-WED.jpg)
Club WED!
The Hunter-Stewart clan celebrates and our Rachel's on cloud nine
![Elephants & a temple SHORTY BELLA'S WEDDING EXTRAVAGANZA](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13969/1729533/38SkclbQ41718087666951/ELEPHANTS-A-TEMPLE-SHORTY-BELLAS-WEDDING-EXTRAVAGANZA.jpg)
Elephants & a temple SHORTY BELLA'S WEDDING EXTRAVAGANZA
Having tied the knot once, the actor and Suraj are doing it all again in style!