Coronation Street star Samia Longchambon has opened up about her childhood in a moving Instagram post.

Taking part in the ‘big me with little me’ trend, the Maria Connor actress shared an AI-created photo of herself as she looks now, cuddled up to a version of herself as a child.

‘Being honest.. This “big me with little me” AI trend got me emotional,’ Samia admitted alongside the post.

‘Something I’ve never publicly gone into detail about is my childhood. It wasn’t the easiest, and I suppose like a lot of people who have been through difficult home lives as a child, it’s something that can have lasting effects on you as an adult.

‘Even though my childhood wasn’t always traumatic (there were many laughs as well as tears), it made me who I am today.. it’s shaped the kind of mother, wife and friend that I am and for that I actually wouldn’t change anything. It’s why I will always appreciate the good things in my life.’

She continued: ‘I wish I could hug that smiley little girl next to me and tell her it’s ok, and that things will turn out better than she could hope for. Sending love to anyone who might relate.’

Her fellow soap stars were quick to take to the comments with words of love and support, with Emmerdale star Michelle Hardwick writing: ‘A beautiful person inside and out.’

‘Love this Sam,’ former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna added, while Corrie co-star Andrew Whyment left a series of love heart emojis.

Her post also touched her followers, with one saying: ‘This is so lovely and so emotional it really does make you think.’

‘Aww love this so sweet,’ another said.

On the cobbles, Maria has been involved in several storylines this year, including one that saw her team up with husband Gary Windass (Mikey North) to take down homophobe Noah.

Gary had been alarmed to find colleague Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) in a bad way after he’d smashed up the builder’s yard, but eventually managed to coax an honest conversation out of him.

Having heard all about how Noah subjected Theo to conversion therapy, and had used Theo’s family on a leaflet for ‘traditional family values’, Gary decided that he needed to be taught a lesson.

Fortunately, Maria caught Gary before he could do anything he couldn’t come back from, and instead offered him another way of getting back at Noah by vandalising the community centre.

Still to come in Corrie, viewers can look forward to the 65th anniversary, and then the epic crossover event with fellow ITV soap Emmerdale.

Emmerdale star Beth Cordingly, who plays Ruby Miligan, is keen to see Maria in the episode, and told me at the Inside Soap Awards that she’d love to film a scene with Samia.