Coronation Street star Samia Longchambon has been flooded with compliments from her co-stars and fans as she during her time away from the cobbles.
The actress has faced a busy start to the year in the ITV soap where she is famed for playing Maria Windass - nee Connor and Sutherland.
Heartbreakingly, Maria has also been faced with the fact her son, Liam Connor, is being badly bullied both at school and online by newcomer Mason Radcliffe and former friend Dylan Wilson, with the teen sinking into such despair he considered taking his own life.
And bullying is something Samia knows all too much about. The 41-year-old was recently asked if she'd done any research for the storyline to which she told the Manchester Evening News: "If I'm completely honest, I was bullied throughout my childhood at different times.