CORRIE ON , KYM
Soap favourite signs new deal after filming post-watershed thriller
KYM Marsh faces a bizarre chilling start to her new 12-month contract on Coronation Street.
The beauty is taken hostage on the cobbles during the gripping Pat Phelan serial killer storyline – and takes a BULLET into the bargain.
That’s usually not a good sign, contract renewal-wise – especially if you’re heading into your 13th year in the role.
And Kym, 41, admits it did cross her mind for a split second her Street career as Michelle Connor might be in jeopardy when she was told she’d be shot.
“You do go, ‘Oh alright then, what’s going to happen?’,” says the star, relieved at landing another year in a job she loves.
“But it’s great because I’ve obviously never played anything like this before. Being shot was another first for me and it’s always good to get a bit of a challenge.”
Ex-hear’say singer Kym’s character ends up surprisingly central to the Pat Phelan plot which has seen Corrie’s audience swell to more than 9.3 million viewers per episode – its best in three years.
Brutal
This week viewers will see murderous Phelan (Connor Mcintyre) meet a grisly end and Michelle Connor taken hostage during her bistro wedding to Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill). The intense scenes will kick off tomorrow and be screened after the 9pm watershed as they’re so brutal.
Kym says: “It’s great to be a part of something like that because it’s such a big week and you wouldn’t necessarily think Michelle and Robert would be involved with Pat Phelan’s exit.
“We don’t usually cross paths. So to find out we were going to be a massive part of it was great for us.”
This week Phelan will finally meet his demise after a Weatherfield rampage that has seen four people die at his hand so far.
Whether there are more killings in store before his exit is not yet known – but bloodshed is promised. Kym says her scenes took their toll on her mentally and physically, and left her covered in bruises. “I get thrown around by Connor who’s a strong man and I had to throw myself on the floor,” she says. “You do it, but your body doesn’t realise it’s not really happening.”
The pain took her back to her difficult scenes last year when Michelle lost a baby. “I was so tired at the end of the day as I’d been crying and emotional on set,” says Kym. “I’d wake up at 2am with my heart racing. It takes a long time for your body to go back to normal.” Mum-of-three Kym won praise for her portrayal of grieving Michelle, having suffered the loss of a child herself when son Archie, who she had with soap star Jamie Lomas, died at birth. And after struggling for years with anxiety and panic attacks, Kym tells how she has to tap into those feelings when playing certain scenes – but that it’s mind over matter. “I really still do go there, to those dark places – you have to for the scene,” says Kym. “For example, when I was doing all the stuff with Will the stalker, I had to be really scared.
“But afterwards you have to tell yourself it’s not reality and get out of it as quickly as possible. I didn’t dwell on those situations.”
Now she’s looking forward to yet another year on the cobbles. “I’m really excited. I love being a part of the show,” she says.
Kiss
“I’ve loved every second of my time here. I’ve learnt so much from the show and from all the other actors. I was supposedly only in for four episodes, but here I am 13 years later. I must be doing something right.”
Could her future on the Street see her reunited with ex-husband Steve Mcdonald? Kym says it’s possible.
The ex-couple share a kiss before Michelle’s wedding – with groom Robert walking in on them and throwing the wedding into chaos. “It’s funny because fans always ask that question, and we always say they are to Corrie