Coronation Street star Ian Bartholomew has revealed that had weekly counselling sessions due to portraying evil abuser Geoff Metcalfe.

The actor told The Sun: ‘Emotionally it’s been really quite tricky and I don’t think it was easy being around me at times, so I did approach Coronation Street for some counselling, which they very kindly gave me.

‘So every week I had the opportunity to walk into a room and just off-load and say: “this is what I’m feeling, this is what I hate about this man, this is what I hate about this storyline, but I know I have to do it.”

‘He was fantastically helpful, very calm and very clear about stuff.

‘People say to me: “You’re playing a villain, it’s got to be fun.” But I really don’t like the character that I play – he’s so alien to me – and I didn’t feel that I could burden my wife and children, because it wasn’t really their problem.’

Geoff abused and controlled wife Yasmeen Nazir (Shelley King) for almost a year.

Things came to a head in heated showdown back in May, when Yasmeen — unable to take his abuse any longer — lashed out in a violent retaliation attack.

Yasmeen is currently in prison awaiting trial, as granddaughter Alya (Sair Khan) races against the clock to prove that she was the victim of abuse.

The trial commences next week, but will justice prevail?

Coronation Street continues Wednesday November 25 at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on ITV.

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