Maria Connor

Maria Connor
Coronation Street character
File:Maria sutherland CS.jpg
Portrayed by	Samia Smith
Duration	2000-
First appearance	19 May 2000-
In-universe information Occupation Hairdresser Parents Eric, Dotty Siblings Kirk Spouse Liam Connor

Maria Jane Connor (neé Sutherland) is a character played by Samia Smith in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street since 2000. At one point or another she has dated Tyrone Dobbs, Jason Grimshaw and Nick Tilsley. She currently works as a hairdresser at Audrey Roberts' salon.

Overview

Maria first entered Weatherfield as the love interest of Tyrone Dobbs. She and her brother, Kirk, met him when his dog, Monica, visited the kennels they helped their parents to run. Tyrone and Maria became engaged and seemed inseparable until Tyrone was led astray by Fiz Brown and Maria ended the relationship.

She then entered a relationship with Jason Grimshaw, which started around his 18th birthday in 2001. However, their relationship ended before it had even begun, as he had an affair with Candice Stowe, who was dating his younger brother Todd Grimshaw. Afterwards, Maria became attracted to John Lynley, the boyfriend of her best friend and flatmate Toyah Battersby. After fighting her attractions for him, Maria had a one-night stand with John in January 2003, and as a result she fell pregnant by him. However she had an abortion with an unknowing Toyah by her side. When she discovered the truth, Toyah left for Sheffield without John. After when Toyah had left with Spider Nugent in his Juice van, Janice confronted Maria and said she'll be watching Maria's every move after what she did to Toyah. Whilst working as a barmaid at the Rovers, Maria struck up a relationship with corner-shop owner Vikram Desai. However, their relationship was put to the test when they went on holiday together, so they ended it there.Maria left the rovers after constant feuds wiuth coworkers shelley unwin and her mother bev.

Leanne's Revenge

When Leanne Battersby came back to the street in 2004, she knew and found out what Maria had done to Toyah, when Maria and Toyah's latest boyfriend John Arnley both betrayed and done the dirty on Toyah by both Maria and John sleeping together behind Toyah's back and adding to that John had also got Maria pregnant. At that time Maria was in relationship with Nick Tilsley (who is now Leanne's ex-husband) and Leanne stirred things up between Maria and Nick causing them to split up, Leanne also passed on the message to Maria which came from Toyah saying 'Our Toyah says you're a whoring cow'

Relationship with Nick Tilsley

She became an on/off love interest for Nick Tilsley, and even moved to Canada with him. Unfortunately it didn't work out, and Maria returned to Weatherfield. After having a string of brief affairs, including being engaged for a second time when Nick returned from Canada to win her back, she found herself becoming close to Tyrone again - who had never lost his love for her anyway.

Relationship with Tyrone Dobbs

Eventually after a holiday fling with a man named Dave that she had met at the beach, Maria decided she did have feelings for him, and she reunited with Tyrone. They formed a comical duo -a much younger version of Jack and Vera.

Feuding with Fiz Brown

Maria's brother, Kirk, dated her former enemy Fiz for several years. The two were at loggerheads over the running of Maria's parents' kennels although they are now good friends and are flatmates above the salon where she works. However, when Fiz recently dumped Kirk, the two women sparred, with Fiz calling Maria 'the local bike.'

After a pregnancy scare, Tyrone broke off their engagement after realising that, despite how much he loved her, she would never be happy with him, claiming she was too beautiful and that in the end it would make them both unhappy. Although upset, Maria was forced to accept his decision and fitted back into the single's scene with ease.

Relationship with Jamie Baldwin

Not long after the arrival of Jamie Baldwin in 2004, Maria set about trying to seduce him. He began to date Leanne Battersby, but he dumped Leanne to be with Maria. However, it was nothing more than a fling and within weeks Jamie and Leanne had reconciled, only for her to later have an affair with his father Danny Baldwin.

Relationship with Charlie Stubbs

Maria then began an affair with bad-boy Charlie Stubbs, who was in a relationship with Tracy Barlow at the time. It was during this fling that Maria showed a very näive side to her personality, defending Charlie whenever a bad word was said about him and believing his lies about the state of his and Tracy's relationship. When David Platt discovered Maria's affair, he was jealous as he had an intense crush on her himself. He threatened to expose Charlie's affair to Tracy.

Charlie's Murder

Charlie tried to drown David in an attempt to avoid his affair with Maria being revealed to Tracy. However, Maria walked in on Charlie's attack on David and confessed to a furious Tracy, who brawled with her on the cobbles as a result. It was this affair that would ultimately be the end of Charlie, as Tracy murdered him in revenge for his cheating. Maria witnessed Charlie's death in hospital caused by Tracy's attack and was very upset by it.

Maria quickly saw through Tracy's self-defence claims and testified against her at the murder trial.

Relationship with Liam Connor

Recently, Maria has been infuriated by hapless brother Kirk as his carelessness has pushed the kennels to the brink of financial ruin but she has been a source of support to him after he was dumped by long-time girlfriend Fiz. She had also taken a liking to Liam Connor.

She has transformed from cute kennelmaid into a feisty fox on the street over the years and has established herself as Soap's Sexiest Female 2005 in the Inside Soap awards.

Maria has also been a bridesmaid, along with Fiz Brown and Candice Stowe, at the wedding of Ashley Peacock and Claire Casey on Christmas Day 2004 and in August 2006 she was maid of honour at the wedding of her ex Jason Grimshaw and Sarah Platt. However, Jason jilted a devastated Sarah at the altar but they have since reconciled and after the couple got engaged again in July 2007, Maria has been asked again to be their maid of honour.

Maria then began flirting with local entrepreneur Liam Connor and eventually they began dating in September 2007. However, Liam only took up her offer of a date to try and make his sister-in-law Carla Connor, of whom he is secretly infatuated with, jealous. Carla retaliated by having sex with Tony Gordon when she learned that Liam had slept with Maria. Liam still hides his feelings for Carla and is trying not to let it affect his relationship with Maria. Liam bought Maria a present so in return she bought him a black labrador puppy, named Ozzy.

Pregnancy

She has recently found out she is pregnant and reacted by saying "I'm so ashamed" as this is the second time she has fallen pregnant. She revealed to Liam that she was pregnant with his baby and he reacted by agreeing to stand by her. She decided to have an abortion as Liam would only stay with her because of the baby and not because he loved her. Liam proposed to Maria on Monday 3rd December 2007 and she accepted.

Tragedy in the Lake District

On 4th January 2008, Liam and Maria both decided to spend a romantic trip in the Lake District. However, once there, their dog Ozzie went missing whilst on a hike, and the couple soon become lost. As they tried to find a higher viewpoint, they constantly argued over their relationship, and Maria discovered that Liam had had no true outdoor training whatsoever. She suddenly spoted Ozzie at the foot of a steep ravine. Rather than go around the side, Liam attempted to scale the cliff face to get to Ozzie, but he sliped and suffered a devastating fall to the ground. Maria panicked and rushed to find help, thinking she may have lost him forever.

Family

• Father: Eric Sutherland
• Mother: Dotty Sutherland
• Brother: Kirk Sutherland

See also

• Coronation Street cast