10:30pm Sunday 31st January 2010
By Nafeesa Shan
FORMER East Lancashire schoolgirl Helen Flanagan is celebrating a decade on the country’s most famous street.
Over the last 10 years Helen’s character Rosie Webster has transformed from a sweet schoolgirl into a minx in the soap Coronation Street.
Helen, a former pupil at Westholme School, Blackburn, said she was happy her character’s changes.
She said: “I’ve grown with her although I’m nothing like her.
"She’s gone through so many changes, from being a little girl through her gothic phase and falling in love with Craig, to going off the rails.
“It was a bit bizarre at school but I’ve never known anything different.
"Westholme was really good about giving me time off for filming and I’ve always been the Corrie girl.”
Rosie’s storylines have included her inadvertently causing Liam Connor’s murder after telling evil Tony Gordon about his affair with his fiancee, and being kidnapped by teacher John Stape, whose career she ruined after she jumped into bed with him.
More recently, she tried to blackmail John and then announced she wanted to be a glamour model.
But Helen, 19, who lives in Bolton, said she is totally different to her character.
She said: “It’s a fun role because I get to do things I never would.
"Although sometimes it can be hard to get the energy to be horrible.”
Having taken over the role from Emma Collinge, Helen said her first day on the Corrie set was an emotional one.
Helen said: “Sally Whittaker, who plays my mum Sally Webster, was like a real mum to me while we were filming.
“She came up and gave me a really big hug.
“I feel so lucky to be in Coronation Street and to have been given the opportunity to grow up as part of such an amazing institution.”
Catherine Roberts, head of drama at Westholme, said: “We have watched Helen grow up, both on screen and off.
“She has always been a kind and considerate young woman.
“She studied drama at GCSE and A-level here, making many friends.
"We are extremely proud of her and many members of staff are ardent Corrie fans and never miss an episode.”
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