Coronation Street is no stranger to drama, but as Gary Windass’s mysterious disappearance intensifies, no one is feeling the pressure more than his wife, Maria, played by Samia Longchambon. In a chat, Samia opens up about Maria’s troubles, the growing fears over Gary’s safety, and the devastating suspicion that something truly awful may have happened to the man she loves.
“At first, Maria just thinks they’ve hit a rough patch,” Samia explains. “She’s upset that he’s gone, but assumes he’s just fallen out with her after what he said about her ruining the relationship. It’s only when he’s been gone too long that alarm bells start ringing.”
As the days go by with no contact, Maria’s concerns start shifting from relationship woes to something far darker. And when Gary misses a major family moment, the panic really sets in. “When he didn’t show up for Liam’s birthday, that was it,” says Samia. “Maria absolutely knew something was seriously wrong. Her gut tells her something awful might have happened.”
But as Maria clings to hope, she can’t help but wonder if Gary’s closeness to Lou has something to do with his vanishing act. “She doesn’t think they’re having a full-blown affair,” Samia insists. “But Maria’s definitely suspicious. Gary keeps siding with Lou, always seeing the worst in Maria and the best in Lou; it’s hard not to wonder what’s going on. She’s with Kit when she finds out, and she actually says it’s awful, but part of her wishes it were Gary, just so she’d know where he was. It’s bittersweet, but also a wave of deeper fear. If he’s not there, where is he? Is he dead?”
Thankfully, Kit reassures Maria he’ll stop at nothing to find Gary but that doesn’t mean Maria’s taking a back seat. “She’s comforted by Kit’s support, but Maria’s never one to sit still when someone she loves is in danger. She’ll do everything she can.”
And when the horrifying truth is finally revealed, Maria is left with more questions than answers. “She hasn’t even had time to think about who could’ve done this,” says Samia. “Gary has made a lot of enemies over the years… and Maria knows that better than anyone.”
