CORRIE star Chris Harper has told taking on the role of child groomer Nathan Curtis reduced him to tears.

The actor said interviewing young victims of sexual exploitation as part of his research for the character took its toll but described the experience as "life-changing."

Chris, who is currently appearing at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal in Strangers On a Train, worked with the NSPCC to prepare for the part and is now an ambassador for the charity.

Tanning shop boss Nathan was jailed following a harrowing child sex ring storyline which reached its conclusion in October and won praise from Corrie fans.

His co-star Lucy Fallon picked up a British Television Award this week for her performance as Bethany Platt.

He said: “Corrie writers lined up a campaigner, she’s 21 and a survivor, called Lucy and that opened my eyes very quickly to a story about someone who has been through sexual abuse either in a relationship or through a grooming relationship.

“I did my own stuff talking to probationers and police officers and detectives that I know. But it was really the work with the NSPCC and another charity, Voicing CSA.

“The chances are he (Nathan) comes from a massive background of unhappiness.

“We never sympathise with him though, we don’t want to know his back story. We just want to know that people like him exist.

“When I met Lucy I was also with a press officer from the NSPCC and she met me on the stairs and asked if everything was okay and I burst into tears.

“It had been such an emotional week. I had met them and I had also been at a charity event for the launch of Voicing CSA.

“I’d really come face to face with not one, two or three but 100 survivors of sexual abuse.

“Each with a completely different story and it ranges from care homes, to football teams. No group in society was free from abuse.

“It was really moving. The role was life-changing for me.”

The NSPCC patron was given a tour round the charity’s Glasgow base yesterday, where he chatted to Childline volunteers who provide a lifeline for children and young people who have experience abuse.

He said: “Actually seeing the volunteers and listening to them and hearing about how much they care and the skillset they have. It’s amazing to see Childline in action, a privilege.

“If a face can help. You go into eight million peoples’ living rooms, three times a week for 9 months. If you are part of a story, it helps, I hope to increase a vocabulary and help people to be able to talk about stuff with their grandkids, or their mums or whatever.

“What we don’t want is someone to say, in ten years time, do you remember that storyline with Bethany ten years ago. Well that was happening to me and I didn’t say anything about it.”