Pregnant Melissa Johns has hit back at trolls as she revealed she felt people ‘limited’ her dream of being a mother because of her disability.
The Coronation Street and Grantchester star, 35, who was born without a right forearm or hand, announced in June that she was expecting her first child, a girl, with her long-term partner Dan Hampton.
And while Melissa has said that being pregnant with a disability has made her feel empowered, she revealed people have made her feel like her body ‘limited’ her life.
The activist told The Mirror that people have commented on and judged her arm all her life and made her feel she should think her disability restricted her ability to have a baby.
Hitting back at the cruel trolls, she said: ‘There’s something about growing and carrying a baby that makes me feel limitless. Growing up feeling people were limiting me to growing a child and feeling limitless, it’s a lovely feeling.’
Pregnant Melissa Johns, 35, has hit back at trolls as the Grantchester star (pictured) revealed she felt people ‘limited’ her dream of being a mother because of her disability
The Coronation Street who was born without a right forearm or hand, announced in June that she was expecting her first child, a girl, with her partner Dan Hampton (pictured in October)
Melissa then explained that when she was a child, she was told she was ‘special and brave’ and that people commenting on her pregnant body isn’t ‘shocking’ to her as she has experienced it her whole life.
‘Me hating and loathing the body I have growing up, that wasn’t a product of me and how I felt about my body,’ she added.
‘It was a product of how I was told I should feel about my body.’
Melissa, who is expected to welcome her daughter in November, announced the joyful news earlier this year with a sweet clip.
Sharing a video of some cute baby booties and her scan on a sandy beach, she captioned the post: ‘Oh Baby. We made a wish and it came true…
‘Baby H-J – we can’t wait to meet you. Forever grateful.’
In the clip, the mirror showed them walking out onto the beach as she then turned around in her pretty red and pink dress to tenderly touch her bump.
Last October, Melissa exchanged vows with partner Dan in a romantic Hertfordshire ceremony.
Melissa, who played Imogen Pascoe until 2019, stunned in a floor-length ivory lace gown which featured a meter-wide fishtail.
And while Melissa has said that being pregnant with a disability has made her feel empowered, she revealed people have made her feel like her body ‘limited’ her life
She (pictured as Imogen Pascoe in Coronation street in 2017) said people have judged her arm all her life and made her feel she should think her disability restricted her ability to have a baby
Taking to Instagram, the actress and many of her fellow acting friends shared moments from the beautiful occasion.
In one snap, which featured a couple of photographs from a professional shoot, Melissa confessed that her heart was ‘full’.
In the post, Dan looked dapper in a charcoal two-piece suit, a crisp white shirt and a paisley-print tie.
She penned: ‘Good morning, We’re still in a bit of a bubble. It’s really quite lovely in here.
‘Think we’ll stay a little longer… And hopefully, soon we will have the words to describe exactly what October 11th meant to us.
‘Our hearts are the fullest they’ve ever been.’
