Julia Goulding's children provide her with an escape from Coronation Street role
Coronation Street actress Julia Goulding has explained that family life helps her "switch off" from her character Shona Platt's dramas on the ITV soap.
Julia Goulding's children help her "switch off" from Coronation Street.
The 40-year-old actress plays Shona Platt on the ITV soap and says that family life provides her with a quick escape from the trials and tribulations of her Weatherfield alter ego.
Julia – who has son Franklin, six, and daughter Emmeline, three, with her husband Ben Silver – told My Weekly magazine: "It's lovely to be able to go home to my own children, because it helps me switch off quite quickly – the chaos and the love is wonderful. I always wanted to be a mum and I'm incredibly lucky to be able to do it twice.
"I'm so happy when I'm at home with my family and I'm also happy when I'm at work doing the thing I love to do – I feel very lucky."
She added: "After work I have 20 minutes of decompression time in the car on the way home, just sitting in silence – no radio, no music, no podcast, no audiobook – just to take a breather and cleanse and quietly bring myself back into my world."
Julia has been at the centre of several major storylines since joining the cast of Corrie in 2016 but she embraces the drama that her character goes through.
The star said: "I'm not sure I'd cope in Shona's shoes to be honest – I prefer a quieter life – but I wouldn't have it any other way for Shona, because it means I've got lots of drama to enjoy, it's fab.
"I wouldn't personally want to go through it. But I get to live out the drama and then enjoy a calmer life at home – the perfect mix!"
Coronation Street was Goulding's first TV acting job but she entered the role without fear as she was already a huge fan of the soap.
She explained: "I'd been such a fan of the show for so many years that I knew these characters, I knew this street, I knew the people. I think that took the edge off it a bit."
Julia will celebrate a decade on Corrie later this year and is hoping to stay on the show for a long time to come.
She said: "I don't get itchy feet.
"I'm 40 years old. Hopefully I've got another 40-plus years in me in this job as an actor, but I'm very happy where I am for now. So as long as they'll have me, I'll be here."
