Coronation Street's Kym Marsh to relive death of son as Michelle Connor loses baby

Corrie star Kym Marsh has spoken about the "dark places" that she had to revisit for an upcoming storyline on the ITV soap.

The actress, who lost her son, Archie, in 2009 after 21 weeks, plays Michelle Connor, who will lose her baby, Ruairi, at 23 weeks.

While the 40-year-old confessed that she had to think "long and hard" about taking on this new plot twist, she said that ultimately she felt it was an "important story to tell".

Speaking in a press release, she added: "It is obviously a cause very close to my heart, having lost my beautiful Archie at 21 weeks and five days."

"I have had to go to some very dark places in my mind whilst filming these heartbreaking scenes but my family, friends and colleagues have been incredible.

"Losing a child is something that never leaves you so to revisit those feelings as Michelle has been challenging."

The former Hear'Say singer went on to explain how Coronation Street ensured she had a counsellor on set "at all times to go to after filming".

Kym – who is also mum to children David, 20, Emilie, 18, and Polly, five – added: "For me, the best tonic after a hugely emotional day was to go home to my kids and be reminded of how lucky I am to have them."

Writing in her 2012 autobiography, she said of Archie, who died shortly after birth: "He tried to take a breath and then he passed away. All I can remember then was silence. The midwife laid him on my chest, everyone started to cry."

She now keeps the tot's ashes in a box by her bed.

Coronation Street producer Kate Oates said she hoped the programme would "encourage discussion, understanding and compassion for those viewers affected by the loss of a baby".

The soap also worked closely with stillbirth charity Sands on the storyline.

Erica Stewart, the charity's bereavement specialist, said she hoped that "with a TV drama as popular as Coronation Street covering this heartbreaking experience, it will help to lift the taboo, and raise awareness of all the issues that surround the death of a baby".

This Coronation Street storyline will air on ITV channels in the week commencing January 9.