But Michelle Collins has now credited her psychic Cara and spiritual life coach Simon with giving her the strength to carry on in the face of adversity.
The 51-year-old actress admitted she 'seriously considered' walking away from her role as Rovers Return landlady Stella Price, until her psychic mentors gave her guidance.
According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, she told Spirit & Destiny magazine: 'I was nervous to be joining Corrie, but consulted a dialect coach to get the accent right.
'So when I was slated, I seriously considered walking away. But Cara and Simon gave me the confidence to stay, to defy my critics and prove myself.'
The mother-of-one has such faith in the power of spirits, that she claims to have seen the ghost of a friend who tragically died on a school trip at the age of 16.
She added: 'I wasn’t scared. I’ve always felt that she has been with me throughout my life, guiding me.'
Explaining her aura is 'shiny and bright', Michelle admitted she has also regressed to her former life as a young girl living in Victorian London on two occasions.
Believer: The 51-year-old actress claims the ghost of her teenage best friend has been guiding her throughout her life
In a statement this May, she said: 'I am very happy working on Coronation Street and have no plans to leave the show. I have recently signed a new contract for another 12 months and have not said I'm planning to leave the show after that time.
'I'm really enjoying playing Stella and have made some firm friends on the cast. There are a lot of exciting storylines in the pipeline for Stella, including the recent casting of Sue Johnston as her mum, and I'm relishing the chance to be part of such an amazing show.'
Sticking with it: Michelle, pictured alongside
Corrie co-stars Catherine Tyldesley and Jane Danson, recently signed
another one-year contract with the ITV1 soap