**Coronation Street’s Samia Longchambon Considers Celebrity Big Brother After Co-Star’s Win**
Samia Longchambon, best known for her enduring role as Maria Connor on ITV’s long-running drama, Coronation Street, has revealed she’s seriously considering a stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house. The possibility arose after encouragement from a familiar face: fellow Corrie actor Jack P. Shepherd, who recently emerged victorious from the 2025 edition of the high-profile reality show.
Longchambon shared details of Shepherd’s persuasive account, describing his Big Brother experience as “great” and filled with “a lot of fun.” He has reportedly been encouraging other soap stars to take the leap, saying, “If anyone wants to do it, I’d say go ahead. It’s a great experience.” Such ringing endorsements appear to have piqued the interest of Longchambon, although she insists that a busy life means an appearance isn’t on the immediate horizon. “I’d never say never, but at the moment life is pretty busy so I’m just trying to pace myself,” she told Best magazine.
The Manchester-born actress, 42, has much to juggle in her daily life, balancing her workload with home life as a mother of two. Her daughter, Freya, 15, is from her first marriage to Matt Smith. Samia also shares a son, Yves, age nine, with husband Sylvain Longchambon. The couple famously met back in 2013 when partnered together on the reality skating show, Dancing on Ice, forging both a romantic and supportive professional relationship.
Despite being a fixture on prime-time television, Longchambon’s own children display only sporadic interest in her acting work. Freya, in particular, will only tune in if the storyline features Maria interacting with her on-screen son, Liam Connor—a role played by Freya’s close friend, Charlie Wrenshall. “She’s more interested in what Charlie is doing than what I’m doing!” Samia admitted. The youngest, Yves, seems to take after many children of his age, favouring cartoons and YouTube over his mother’s dramatic exploits.
This sentiment of normality at home stands in contrast to Samia’s career milestone this year, as she celebrates 25 years on Coronation Street. Reflecting on the remarkable achievement, she confessed, “I wouldn’t have believed them,” if told at the start of the millennium she’d remain central to the soap for such a long stretch. “I never take this job for granted. I’m grateful to be here,” she added, noting the lasting impact and unpredictability of a television career.
Throughout her tenure on the cobbles of Weatherfield, Samia’s character has experienced her fair share of drama, often marked by on-screen altercations and emotional storylines. Yet, it seems reality can sometimes blur with fiction; the actress recalled a memorable on-set fight with Tracy Barlow—played by Kate Ford—that turned unexpectedly painful. “Tracy threatened to rip out Maria’s hair extensions. I don’t actually have hair extensions, but Kate Ford really went for it, pulling my hair. We have good fight coordinators, but I am not going to lie, that did hurt,” Longchambon recounted.
Celebrity Big Brother, relaunched by ITV following a popular resurgence in reality TV, continues to attract attention from established soap stars and entertainment industry stalwarts seeking fresh career experiences or wider public exposure. Should Longchambon choose to enter the house, she would join a legacy of Corrie actors who have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the high-pressure, fly-on-the-wall environment.
While fans may have to wait to see if Samia Longchambon will officially sign on for a spell in the Celebrity Big Brother house, her open-mindedness about new challenges suggests viewers haven’t seen the last twist from the much-loved star. Inevitably, any future appearance is sure to generate excitement among long-standing Coronation Street devotees and reality TV aficionados alike.
The speculation surrounding soap stars and reality television continues to fuel wider public debate about the crossover appeal of celebrities, as viewers remain keen to see well-known faces tested in completely new settings. Whether Samia takes up the challenge or continues to focus on her soap and family, her place in the annals of British entertainment is already well assured.