Viewers upset to see gay character killed off in Corrie

Rana Habeeb dies in Kate Connor's arms on 'Coronation Street'
Rana Habeeb dies in Kate Connor's arms on 'Coronation Street'

The death of Coronation Street's Rana Habeeb has sparked a debate on social media, with some criticising the soap for killing off a gay character.

Rana (Bhavna Limbachia) died in the factory collapse on the day she was meant to be marrying Kate Connor (Faye Brookes).

Limbachia has said it was her decision to kill off Rana, because it was the right end to her story.

But some fans have expressed their disappointment, saying it is typical to see lesbians suffer misfortune on screen.

"Why doesn't #Corrie do something really different & let a same sex couple marry, live happily together for years, have children? Why do they always have to kill them?!" asked one person on Twitter.

"Why did they kill off an LGBTQ+ Muslim woman??? Can't Lesbian couples be happy???" said another.

One posted: "#Kana ending was always going to be sad, no way around that.

"But to have a Muslim lesbian die on her wedding day isn't just sad, it's outright harmful.

"This is playing into homophobic tropes that have no place in 2019."

Another tweeted: "It's five years last week since same-sex marriage became legal in the UK, and the closest Coronation Street has got to a gay wedding is killing Rana off on her wedding day. Such a disappointment."

However, others disagreed, pointing out that Rana needed an exit storyline as Limbachia had decided to leave the soap.

"I do wish people would stop trying to weave in LGBTQ+ lesbian Muslim and anything else they can think of in to tonight's #Corrie," said one.

"The actress playing Rana wanted to leave so had to be written out somehow! What do you want? The 2 of them riding off into the sunset?"

"It is a real shame to have such important representation as a Muslim in a same-sex relationship and an interacial lesbian couple end in a death but I don't think it's the outright display of homophobia people would have you believe, that's just a bit much," said another.

One said: "Race/religion or sexuality has absolutely nothing to do with this. #Corrie is neither racist or homophobic.

"They simply followed the wishes of an actor who has left to pursue other things in her career."

Appearing on ITV's This Morning today actress Limbachia told Philip Schofield: "My decision to leave and be killed off was never meant to offend the LGBT+ community.

"It was made in the same way I've tried to portray the character throughout the years, and that's with truth and integrity, and my decision to leave and have her killed off was made with the decision of two people being in love and their love being pure, regardless of their age, their gender, their sexuality, their religion.

"So the intention was never to offend the LGBT community. It was purely for two people being in love. I guess it was modern-day Romeo and Juliet, or a Juliet and Juliet love story."

Limbachia, who joined the soap in 2016, said it was her decision to kill off Rana, because it was the only way to end her story.

She said: "I was trying to come up with reasons why Rana would leave Kate, but they have fought so hard to be together, and I was wracking my brain for weeks trying to come up with a reason, and, truth is, she would never leave Kate.

"I believe their love is so pure, and they fought so hard to be together, the only way they could be apart is if the decision was taken out of their hands."

The actress said she is "excited to see what the future holds" for her upon leaving the soap, where she said she had become "comfortable".

"I've spent a good part of two years crying on screen, so I'd love to do some more comedy and some drama," she said, adding that her dream would be to star in TV drama Killing Eve.

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