Alison King reveals depression after health crisis during recent Coronation Street filming

| Freelance Soaps Reporter Published August 12, 2026 9:31am Updated August 12, 2026 9:37am Alison plays Carla in Coronation Street (Picture: ITV / Shutterstock) Coronation Street star Alison King gave a dazzling performance earlier this year when her character Carla Connor (Alison King) married her wife Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) in a joyous union fans dubbed ‘Swarla’. However, viewers had no idea how much Alison was struggling behind the scenes. Speaking on TikTok, the soap star shared how catching a chest infection onset that seriously restricted her mobility and breathing, having seriously ramifications for her physical and mental health. ‘At the beginning of the year, my nervous system seemed to need rebalancing,” she revealed.’ ‘ I lost my mum last year, last August.’ Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Alison went on to explain how she caught the chest infection from two child actors. ‘And then at the beginning of this year, I got a chest infection from two of the gorgeous little babies at work. Actually, when we were filming the wedding, I had been coughing and coughing and coughing. My right lung was hurting, my chest was hurting anyway, it was sick of the coughing, it was inflamed.’ The cough was so hard that Alison suspected that she tore her intercostal muscle, located in between the ribs and used to stabilise breathing. The actress went on to share how the chronic pain developed and prevented her from swimming, her exercise of choice. ‘Because of my nervous system and not doing anything, I was really struggling to breathe a full breath. I couldn’t swim, which I do all the time because that’s my therapy.’ ‘I couldn’t do anything.’ Alison plays Coronation Street legacy character Carla Connor : (Picture: ITV / Metro) Unable to exercise, Alison went on to admit that she gained weight and began to suffer from depression. Fortunately, she came out the other side and managed to treat her symptoms with reflexology and Reiki, reassuring fans that she is feeling ‘good and happy’ now. The actress has recently been up to her neck in drama on screen, shooting the dramatic courtroom scenes where Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) will stand trial for the murder of Theo Silverton (James Cartwright). Theo’s brutal attack occurred on the night ofthe night of Carla and Lisa Connor-Swain’s (Alison King and Vicky Myers) wedding reception back in April, where theirdaughter Betsy (Sydney Martin) found the body. Not only that, but Carla’s also dealing with Betsy’s life-changing injuries where she suffered a debilitating stroke which badly affected her ability to speak clearly, as a result of experimenting with non-fatal strangulation. Deals of the Day Parents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new term The back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizes Could your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks so Could your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks so Best skincare for menopausal skin? This dermatologist-created treatment is tailored to you Arrow MORE: Emmerdale’s Katie Hill in hospital dash with gruesome injury Arrow MORE: Young actress cast in vital new Coronation Street role: ‘Dreams really come true’ Arrow MORE: Two Coronation Street stars ‘confirm real life romance’ The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.