‘I HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS. SYLVAIN CALMS ME'

SAMIA AND SYLVAIN LONGCHAMBON EXCLUSIVELY CHAT TO OK!’S RIANNE ISON ABOUT HER ANXIETY HOW THEY’RE MAKING THE MOST OF A SMALL FAMILY CHRISTMAS AND THEIR HOPES FOR THE NEW YEAR

- RIANNE ISON

When we catch up with Samia and Sylvain Longchambon after OK!’s exclusive Christmas photoshoot, we quickly discover why they fell head over heels back in 2012.

Coronation Street actress Samia, 38, and former Dancing On Ice star Sylvain, 40, are as family oriented as each other, and tell OK! they love nothing more than spending time with Freya, 11 – Samia’s daughter with ex-partner Matthew Smith – and their son Yves, five. So it suits them both that they’ll be enjoying the holidays as a family of four, alongside their adorable dog Ralf.

“It was the same last year, so it probably won’t be that different,” admits Samia, who is best known for treading the Corrie cobbles as her unlucky-in-love character Maria Connor.

And while many who are part of a blended family face difficult challenges – particularly at Christmas time – Samia insists that everything is extremely amicable.

“Matt, Freya’s dad, his partner Hayley and their two boys only live five minutes from us so they always come in and have a drink, or we’ll go there. It’s all really friendly,” explains Samia, as Frenchman Sylvain tenderly plays with her hair.

Another important person in Samia’s family is her mum Patsy. Unable to spend the festive celebrations together, Samia jokes that she’ll be providing “meals on wheels” on Christmas Day when she delivers turkey and all the trimmings to her mum’s door.