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Jenna Kamara

Jenna Kamara is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by Krissi Bohn. The character and casting was announced in July 2012 and she made her first appearance on 19 September 2012. Bohn had quit acting and was working in a sexual health clinic when she auditioned for the role of Jenna, and she said that she really enjoyed being on the soap. Jenna was introduced alongside her mother Mandy Kamara, and it is revealed that Jenna is the daughter of established character Lloyd Mullaney. The three characters made up the first black family unit in Coronation Street. Jenna is initially shocked upon finding out that Lloyd is her father and despite initially being hostile, she later develops a relationship with him.

Development
Casting and introduction In July 2012, it was announced that Krissi Bohn had joined the cast of soap opera Coronation Street as new character Jenna Kamara, in addition to Pamela Nomvete joining the soap as Jenna's mother, Mandy Kamara. It was reported that Jenna would be revealed to be the secret daughter of established character Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles), with a writer from ITV teasing, "Lloyd's past comes back to haunt him when he bumps into an old flame and discovers a grown-up daughter he never knew he had! A long-dead affair is rekindled and secrets and lies come spilling out as Lloyd, his ex Mandy and their daughter Jenna, struggle to come to terms with the secret Mandy has carried for over 20 years." It was also reported that the characters would be regulars on the soap. Discussing her casting, Bohn revealed that she had quit acting about a year prior due to the lack of roles she had received and was working in a sexual health clinic before she was cast in Coronation Street. Bohn made her first appearance as Jenna on 19 September 2012. In the episode, Lloyd goes to Mandy's house as he wants to keep his former romantic partner in his life; however, Jenna answers the door instead and tells Lloyd that she is Mandy's daughter, which makes him suspicious as Mandy had told him that she lived alone. After a confrontation, Jenna then finds out that Lloyd is her biological father as Mandy had an affair with him in the 1980s. After Sophie is involved in a road accident, physiotherapist Jenna nurses Sophie over several months and the pair become closer, with Sophie developing feelings towards Jenna. An insider revealed that Jenna would be breaking "moral code" by being with Sophie, explaining, "Sophie is in a very vulnerable position following the car accident. If Jenna's bosses find out they could end her career. If that wasn't enough, Jenna hasn't come out to her parents. So they may have all these feelings for each other but they are going to have to weigh up whether it's worth the chaos". Charles revealed on This Morning that Lloyd would be shocked at Jenna's new romance but would ultimately support her, saying, "I think Lloyd's a cool cat, really. I think he just wants her to be happy. But there's going to be a lot of tensions". In the storyline, Sophie develops big feelings towards Jenna; talking to Radio Times about Sophie's feelings for Jenna, Vincent explained that since Sophie's accident, Jenna has "made the ride a lot easier" and distracted Sophie from what has been happening, and that Sophie never "dreamt it could happen" but the time went much quicker because she developed feelings towards Jenna. Vincent explained, "It's been gradually growing during the time she has been seeing Jenna. Jenna has seemed very interested in Sophie – she's probably just been being polite and professional, but Sophie has wanted to read much more into it and has made a point of telling Jenna she is a lesbian. She is trying to suss out how Jenna feels" Jenna hints that she feels the same way and the pair end up kissing after Sophie initiates it. Jenna is then suspended from her job when the truth is revealed. Bohn explained that Sophie is "prepared to put herself on the line and say to everyone she made it up when she's going to end up looking like the bad guy. The fact that she's willing to do that for Jenna really opens her eyes, she's willing to lie for her when Jenna won't even stand up and tell the truth." Bohn believed that the relationship would be "interesting" and differ from Sophie's previously relationship with Sian. Bohn had been told that Jenna would probably be gay and she found it interesting that Jenna would come out during her time on the soap as Bohn believed that she would have already done so due to being an older woman; Bohn also found the "patient-clinician issue" an interesting way to explore the character's sexuality. Departure In May 2014, it was announced that Bohn would be departing Coronation Street later that year. Bohn said that she was disappointed that her contract was not renewed but was grateful for the experience she had gained and had "enjoyed every single moment" of her time on the soap, and she added that she was looking forward to "to whatever the future may hold". Coronation Street producer Stuart Blackburn said of the departure, "It is with great regret that we're saying goodbye to Krissi, she's a wonderful person and a great actor who has played a key role in some fantastic stories. We wish her all the very best for her future." Nomvete had already left the soap as Mandy the previous year. Bohn filmed her final scenes in June 2014, and she thanked the crew and cast of the soap for "an amazing 700 days". Bohn's final appearance as Jenna aired on 13 August 2014. In the storyline, Jenna has a "heart-to-heart" with Sophie, which leaves her feeling positive, and she then tells Lloyd that she will be leaving to do volunteer work oversees as she wants to do more with her life. This saddens Lloyd as he has to say goodbye to Jenna. Jenna explains to Lloyd that she feels that she is stuck in a "dead end job" and living with her father at 30 and that she will be going to Burnley to stay with a friend before going oversees. Prior to this, Jenna ended up being duped into having dinner with Lloyd and his girlfriend Andrea Beckett (Hayley Tamaddon), who Jenna is not a fan of, and critics questioned whether the two women would be able to "sort out their differences" before Jenna's exit. ==Storylines==
Storylines
Jenna grew up thinking that Johnny was her biological father. In 2012, Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles) bumps into his former lover Mandy Kamara (Pamela Nomvete) and believes that she is keeping something from him when she is cold towards him. Lloyd ends up meeting Mandy's daughter Jenna, which makes him suspicious as Mandy had told him that she lived alone. Lloyd visits Jenna again and realises that her date of birth coincides with his fling with Mandy. She eventually admits to 28-year-old Jenna that Lloyd is her father, which devastates Jenna. Jenna throws Mandy out and refuses to see Lloyd. However, she later agrees to get to know him and makes up with her mother, with both of them moving to Weatherfield with Lloyd. She is also happy when Mandy and Lloyd get back together. 18-year-old Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) develops feelings for Jenna, her physiotherapist, when she begins to rehabilitate her after an accident. Sophie makes Jenna uncomfortable by getting her expensive presents and buying her drinks at the pub and she tells Sophie that she will have to end their sessions. Sophie ends up kissing Jenna and she responds, although she immediately regrets it due to it risking her career. Mandy is unhappy with Jenna's sexuality whereas Lloyd is supportive, which causes issues between the pair. Mandy also accuses Sophie of damaging Jenna'a career. Jenna ends up losing her job when she admits that she kissed Sophie. Sophie and Jenna become a couple and Mandy eventually accepts Jenna's sexuality. However, Mandy becomes upset when Jenna begins working a cafe as she feels that Jenna has sacrificed her career to be with Sophie. Mandy reconciles with her departure before she leaves Weatherfield following her break up with Lloyd. Jenna grows tired of Sophie trying to break up her mother Sally Webster's (Sally Dynevor) relationship with Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) and breaks up with Sophie as the age gap between them is too big. Jenna takes a dislike to Lloyd's new girlfriend Andrea Beckett (Hayley Tamaddon) and this worsens when it is revealed that Andrea is married to someone else. Jenna is angry when Andrea and Lloyd decide to get back together following a break up. Jenna later decides to leave Weatherfield to do volunteering work and bids an emotional goodbyes to Sophie, Andrea and Lloyd before leaving. ==Reception==
Reception
In January 2013, Bohn explained that Jenna had received an overall "good reaction", explaining, "I think people have enjoyed seeing Jenna come into the show as part of Lloyd's family. Now that the Sophie story is starting, I'm getting a lot more Twitter feedback!" ==References==
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