Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) will have two no-nonsense Corrie heroines fighting his corner in the weeks to come. But whose approach is best: mum Liz (Beverley Callard), who advocates tough love, or girlfriend Michelle (Kym Marsh), who thinks Steve's nearest and dearest should be going easy on him.

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Steve, meanwhile, feels that his depression means that he's nothing but a burden and that Michelle would be better off if she steered clear. So will Michelle stay with Steve? Or is their recent reconciliation set to be short-lived? Actress Kym Marsh reveals what's in store...

So how is Michelle feeling now that she knows what's wrong with Steve?
It’s quite a mixed bag of feelings. She’s devastated that he’s been trying to deal with this on his own and that it took something terrible to happen like the crash for him to open up to her. She’s still so in love with Steve and it does upset her when she thinks about how he pushed her away. But now she understands why he did, and knows now that it wasn’t because he didn’t love her anymore. In that sense, she does feel a sense of relief in that she knows what’s wrong and she can hopefully help him get better.

Does she guilty for not spotting the symptoms?
Yes, I think she probably does feel a little bit of guilt that he’s been suffering in silence and without her. But she knows now and she’s relieved that he’s confided in her and is letting her in so she can help him.

She's standing by him - but does she want to be with him?
Yes, 110 per cent. She never stopped wanting to be with him - she just thought he’d fallen out of love with her.

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Does she feel protective towards him, especially in light of the minibus crash?
Absolutely. Michelle is the first to defend him. In the hospital, after the crash, he had questions fired at him left right and centre from everyone else and Michelle just wanted to take him home and look after him. Now she knows that he has depression and has been battling it on his own, she’s desperate to help him through it. Michelle would go to the ends of the earth to help him get through it.

So, tell us about the arguments that Michelle ends up having with Liz?
They both obviously want to help Steve, but because both of them are so worried about him and love him so much, they both want to help him in their own way. Understandably, they clash as they’re both so concerned about him and want to help him. They both have different approaches with Steve - Liz is more of the tough love approach and tries to get Steve up and doing things, whereas Michelle is much more trying the softly softly approach.

And what does Michelle think of Liz's tough love approach?
She doesn’t think it’s the best way because Michelle is so protective of Steve and doesn’t want to hurt or upset him - after everything that’s happened with the crash, Michelle thinks they should go easy on him.

Are Liz and Michelle able to settle their differences?
Yes, they do both realise that they shouldn’t be arguing and that they are both so worried and have so much going on. They realise that whatever approach they both want to take, they both ultimately want the best for Steve.

How does Michelle feel when Steve tells her he's a burden on her and that she's better off without him?
It breaks her heart because it couldn’t be further from the truth. Michelle does everything she can to persuade him that this isn’t the case. She wants to do everything she can to help him get better.

It's going to be a long road to full recovery though. Is she prepared for this?
Michelle is under no illusions as to how long the road is ahead of them, but she’d do everything in her power to help him and she’d stand by him through thick and thin. She’s glad that he’s let her in and she’s going to be with him every step of the way.

So will their relationship be stronger as a result of Steve's illness?
I’d definitely say so, yes, and I personally hope so as well. Steve and Michelle are meant to be together and I think they will find happiness again.

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You can watch a 60-second rundown of next week's episodes of Coronation Street below:

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