Coronation Street’s Melissa Johns breaks down in tears after being unable to open coronavirus test before return to work

FORMER Coronation Street actress Melissa Johns broke down in tears on Saturday after being unable to open a coronavirus test before returning to work.

The actress – who appeared on Corrie between 2017 and 2019 – blasted the government for “forgetting about disabled people” as she “physically couldn’t manage to open the packing”.

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Melissa was unable to open a coronavirus test [/caption]

Melissa tweeted: “Just cried in a covid testing car park because I physically couldn’t manage. Have to be tested for filming next week.

“Assumed an assistant would do the test for me. Not allowed. I couldn’t open the packaging. Couldn’t snap off the stick. Couldn’t undo the test tube.

“The testing assistant just kept apologising that she couldn’t help. Not her fault at all. Just our s*** government forgetting about disabled people again. Gonna go home and have a cup of tea with Bourbon biscuits.”

It’s unclear why the assistant couldn’t help Melissa as according to the GOV UK website, the test “can be done by the person themselves (self-administered) or by someone else (assisted).”

The star – who will appear on BBC One’s new drama LIFE this autumn – later told a fan the issue had “hopefully [been] sorted”.

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She told her followers that the assistant wasn’t allowed to help her [/caption]

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Melissa was born without her right forearm[/caption]

Melissa – who was born without her right forearm – is a disability campaigner and describes herself as “Not a disabled actor but an actor with a disability”.

On an online acting profile she says: “I was lucky enough to be born with only one arm so I get to enjoy half price manicures and can afford to lose the ‘other glove’.”

The profile adds: “I, like many disabled actors, are continuously fighting to change the way disability is seen in this industry.

“For me, having a disability has never been a disadvantage. Unless I’m trying to cut steak or tie up my hair.

“For me it’s about experiencing situations differently to people without disabilities and therefore having a different take on the world.

“It’s about showing that talented disabled performers can be raw, gritty, vulnerable, beautiful, sexy, real and it coming from a very personal and unique place.

“So its not a disadvantage. It’s an ability to see things from a completely different angle and take on characters in different way.”