Katie on mission to aid prisoners

TV presenter Katie Piper has praised shows such as Coronation Street for showing physical differences, 15 years after she suffered an acid attack

- NADINE LINGE

But Katie admits she didn't watch the episode where Ryan Connor was burned as she has "first-hand experience".

Over the past few months, viewers have seen Ryan struggle to come to terms with his scar after evil Justin Rutherford threw acid at him.

Corrie consulted her burns charity the Katie Piper and Foundation, Katie believes it's a big step forward in acceptance of physical differences.

She says: "We let them talk to our psychotherapist, and two of our burns survivors who were victims of acid attacks were consultants.

"I didn't watch the episode myself just because I don't really need to, firsthand experience and all that.

"But I think what's great compared to when I was burned 15 years ago is you can see representation not just of burns but of all visible differences, size, shape, ethnicity, in all kinds of programmes, advertising and social media. Anything that makes this more mainstream and normalises it, so that when you see someone that looks different you won't react in a shocked way is surely a positive thing.