Former Coronation Street star Melissa Johns has revealed she used to choreograph sex because she felt such shame over her body.
The 32-year-old actress, who played Imogen Pascoe in the ITV soap, joined Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Denise Welch and Linda Robson on Loose Women on Friday to talk about her disability.
Back in 2018, Melissa - who was born with one arm - was devastated when intimate photos of her were leaked online and posted to a disability porn website.
Speaking to the panel, Melissa revealed that she "cried and cried and cried" for the first few hours after she found out and then "forced herself" to go on the website and look.
"I did really, really ugly crying and when I went on there and I read the way my body had been ripped apart, I had never read anything as disgusting as what I had read," she bravely explained.
"Leading up to that, I loathed my body, I hated my body growing up, I didn't see anyone like me on TV and when you're a teenager, you have hang ups anyway but when you have a limb difference and a body difference, or any disability, you spend so much of your life making sure that everyone around you is okay with the way you look.
"That led to some really scary moments growing up. I just loathed this body I was given. I used to go to dates and I'd know what to wear and how to stand and how to sit and how to look in photos."
Speaking about her one woman show Snatched, Melissa continued: "Through Snatched we explore all of the stories, like I've got myself into some really ridiculous situations, I used to choreograph sex so that my arm wouldn't be seen."
Snatched is described as a story where "a young disabled woman with a history of body dysmorphia comes to terms with her body becoming public property".
The synopsis adds: "This humorous and revealing show displays no remorse in championing female sexuality, fighting body shaming and the taboo of sex and disability. Snatched is a fast-paced, uplifting one woman show accompanied by a live 90’s/00’s soundtrack."
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV and ITV Hub.
