Coronation Street's Kirsty Soames' hits her friend Julie Carp after the factory worker questions her "maternal" skills with her baby Ruby, who she is struggling to look after without ex-fiancé Tyrone Dobbs.

Coronation Street's Kirsty Soames hits Julie Carp after being questioned about her "maternal" skills.

The violent former policewoman, played by Natalie Gumede, is struggling to look after her baby Ruby by herself after framing her ex-fiancé Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) for physical abuse and she soon realises she can't cope with being alone.

Natalie explained to ITV.com: "I don't think Kirsty is naturally very maternal. When she was with Tyrone she was quite happy going to work and picking and choosing when she wanted to be a mum to Ruby.

"She knows she loves her daughter from the bottom of her heart but she doesn't know how to deal with her or even how to be around her.

"I think a lot of it comes down to her own childhood. She's actually quite detached from Ruby and approaches her upbringing with a very analytical mind."

When Kirsty's friend Julie Carp (Katy Cavanagh) picks up on the lack of intimacy between her and Ruby, who has been "grouchy" since her father has left, the mum-of-one lashes out and slaps her in front of the baby and Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor).

Natalie added: "Ruby is picking up on the negative vibes in the house. She hasn't had her daddy around who had been looking after her every day. She's grouchy and crying all the time.

"For me, these [attack] scenes are more important than the court case. This is the climax, almost more than seeing Tyrone in court. Kirsty loses her temper and she throws a cup across the room in front of Sally and Julie, and that's when her mask falls.

"Both of them pretend everything's OK but there's this awful moment where Julie realises what Kirsty is really like. Kirsty realises it's over. Julie has seen her for what she is and in a moment of temper she hits Julie."