'I thought I was a hopeless case'

Coronation Street star Stephanie Davis talks about her long road to recovery, finding love with Joe Mckalroy and what the future holds for her career and family

- JULIE ANN TRAINOR

Actress Stephanie Davis has had a busy few years after turning her life around and stepping back onto a television set in one of the country’s biggest soaps.

But her role as Coronation Street’s Courtney Vance is just the start for the 31-year-old, as she’s just finished recording a new album with some of America’s top-producing talent. Now, it’s all systems go for a return to her musical roots.

The former Hollyoaks star, who says music is her “first love”, has found her stride and she’s running with it. She’s blissfully loved-up with boyfriend Joe Mckalroy, who she actually met at a “low point”, she tells us, and they’re raising her son Caben, seven.

In this exclusive chat with OK!, Stephanie pauses for breath as she reflects on receiving her autism diagnosis, getting sober, being a mum and her dream wedding plans…

Hi, Stephanie! So, tell us how you and Joe first met?

I was still working on myself and going through a very bad time from the trauma of the past few years, and we met at a therapy session. Joe sadly lost his brother to suicide during lockdown, he was only 20. I think we met at quite a low point, and I kind of put the light back in his life, and he put the light back in mine. Together we both blossomed and created a beautiful life together. Couples normally go through the hard times later on, but we met each other when we hadn’t much to offer to be honest. We were in a really low place, and we met each other at our worst. We met going through the hardest times and helped each other through that and made each other happy. I really think it was fate.

Caben seems to really love Joe, too…