Corrie airs at 8.30pm on ITV1
Bernie is currently facing a massive family crisis with the news of Celeste’s death and the revelation of the BRCA gene. How does she handle that?
She’s not particularly floored by the news of Celeste herself, as there’s been no contact between them for years and years, there’s no love lost there. However, the revelation that breast cancer could be genetic was a massive shock. She’s definitely floored by that, though she’s handling it with her typical “glass half full” approach. Bernie is a big believer in the power of denial and positive thinking; she knows she very probably has the gene, but she isn’t going to let that consume her.
In an earlier episode she spoke about “Mother Nature as a goddess.” How is she feeling about the family having to go through a potential health crisis yet again?
I don’t think she can believe it, honestly. She’s determined to do absolutely everything she can to stop it. Even when Kit points out that there’s nothing she can do about a gene pool, she is adamant that they won’t go through this again. She’s trying to keep the whole family together, which is very much her role.
At this point, does she realize that men in the family could be at risk, or is she only thinking about the women?
No, I don’t think that had crossed her mind at all. We often default to the natural assumption that breast cancer is a female issue, and we all forget that men have breast tissue, too.
Kit has been acting quite shifty. Does Bernie suspect something is wrong with his health?
She knows something is off, but she hasn’t got the rhythm of what it is yet. She assumes it’s all about Sarah and the pressure he’s under at work.
There is an intense outburst at the hospital where Bernie and Kit have a row and she accuses him of being negative. Can you describe that scene?
She’s gone in for the test and is determined to remain positive. While she’s in the room, the technician reminds her of Paul—he’s even wearing a name badge that says “Paul.” She becomes convinced that her angel is by her side, and she voices this in her slightly deluded, high-octane way. Kit completely slams her for it; he doesn’t pull his punches and calls her a “deluded fool”.
How does she react when she finally hears Kit’s confession about his cancer?
She is absolutely devastated. She can’t believe he didn’t tell her what he was going through all that time. But then, she draws a parallel to her own secretive gene. She realises they have things in common because they are both very good at hiding and avoiding, and perhaps turning the occasional white lie into the truth. She just cannot accept that this is happening to him.
Does this change the way she is coping with her own situation?
The minute he says he has it, she knows she must be a carrier, because it can’t skip a generation. Her next fear is for Gemma, the quads, and Brody. She’s terrified for her children. It’s a lot of turmoil; she’s having nightmares. She’s feeling that “mother lion” instinct, she’s said, “if I could take it, I would,” which echoes things she said to Paul. It’s a path that’s well-traveled for her.
Do you think she’s strong enough to go through this?
I think she’s got incredible resilience, but that’s also, I think that’s also comes from a place of guilt from not being around for so long, and she’s determined she’s gonna get it right. Look how her life’s changed in the last 7 years. She’s married to this beautiful man. She’s got stepchildren and grandchildren, a son she never thought she would find. She’s secure, she’s loved, she’s loved like she’s never been loved before. So, I think she’s probably stronger than she has been for a long, long time because she’s been accepted. She’s never had that before. She’s not likely to run away because of this. She’s gonna stick around and be there for all of them.
What research have you done for this storyline? Was the BRCA gene something you were aware of?
I knew a little bit about BRCA and male breast cancer personally, as someone in my life dealt with it a long time ago. It’s rarely discussed or referred to, so I was thrilled that Corrie was starting this conversation. In my own recent experience at a breast clinic, I saw only one pamphlet on the wall regarding male breast cancer, yet there were two men there at the same time. It blew my mind. We need to be having these conversations.
Regarding my own research for Bernie’s story, I was already familiar with the BRCA gene because, unfortunately, many people have their own stories to tell. On my mother’s side of the family, many women passed away in their 40s. When I was living in London, my mother was tested for the BRCA2 gene because all of her first cousins were very ill, and not all of them survived. They tested positive for the BRCA2 mutation, though my mother did not have it.
I also had another friend who, much like Bernie’s story, was told by an aunt to get tested. She discovered she was a carrier of the mutation, as were her sister and her brother. Both women underwent elective mastectomies in their 30s and had their ovaries removed as well. They are doing fine now. I think that is the key message: get tested and share your family history with others.
Looking ahead, what is in store for Bernie?
She has some massive decisions to make. For a woman pushing 60, deciding to lose her breasts is huge, especially because she and Dev are such a physical couple. But she has about a 70% chance of developing breast cancer, and she wants to be around for her grandkids and the quads. She’s determined to stick around. She’s not sure what the psychological effects of the surgery will be, but she has to make a decision and she says “I’m still going to be me.” It’s going to be a long road, but she’s not going anywhere.
Catch up on ITVX, and for classic visits to Corrie, these episodes air weekdays on ITV3 as well as on YouTube.