The 38-year-old programme producer has addressed Ofcom complaints following Lucy Fallon’s portrayal of Bethany Platt’s abuse.
Kate explained that she doesn’t think the backlash has been at all justified, telling the Radio Times: “Not at all. A lot of the criticism came when people had watched one or two episodes that had been particularly dark and challenging.
“But this is a serial drama and there was light, heart and optimism as part of that longer journey. For me, this was a feminist story because Bethany took the power back.”
She also spoke about killing off many female characters during her time on Emmerdale, saying she now hopes to bring a beacon of hope to the women of Weatherfield.
Kate said: “The presence of strong women was the backbone of the show as Tony Warren created it. The tone and content of the stories have moved on, and so have the female characters, but that strength has still to be there for it to be truly Corrie.
“On Emmerdale, I was uncomfortably aware that I’d been responsible for the deaths of a number of women characters and I didn’t want to repeat that. I did feel like I was punishing the women.
“When the sense of the downtrodden is relentless, the audience starts to disengage. So on Coronation Street, I wanted to see the characters face trauma, but to come out the other end. There had to be journeys of triumph and strength.”
Kate’s latest storylines have seen an element of hope following life changing ordeals.
Michelle Connor came to terms with the stillbirth of her baby, and Bethany reported her “boyfriend” Nathan to the police for grooming her and allowing her to be abused by his friends.
The full interview can be found in the latest issue of Radio Times, which is available now.
Coronation Street continues tomorrow night on ITV at 7:30pm.
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