Kym Marsh: 'It's not in my kids to do drugs'

Kym Marsh: 'It's not in my kids to do drugs'
Kym Marsh: 'It's not in my kids to do drugs' (Image credit: Eamonn and James Clarke/EMPICS E)

As Coronation Street's Michelle Connor faces troubled times with her son, Ryan, Kym Marsh tells TV Times why her own family life couldn’t be more different... Are you excited about your new storylines? "Yes, I’ve not really been that involved in storylines for a good couple of years because of having a baby, so this is the first time I’ve been in the centre of things for a very long time. It’s nice, although, obviously, it’s really intense, trying to split my time between home and work." How is your daughter Polly? "She’s 17 months' old now, and still hasn’t slept through the night. But I’m not someone who enjoys down time, so I’m more than happy to be back, taking centre stage." Michelle, your character, seems to have buried her head in the sand with regard to Ryan? "Yes, Michelle’s desperate, so maybe she doesn’t handle things as well as she could. But I’m not sure I would, either. I think I’d be panicking and not knowing how to deal with it. You don’t really know how you’d deal with it unless you’re faced with it." Do you ever worry about your own kids, (Kym is also mother to 17-year-old David and 14-year-old Emily, from a previous relationship) when it comes to drugs? "I’m very lucky where my kids are concerned; it’s not really in them to do drugs. They’re a bit like me in that sense. They don’t like anybody smoking; they’re just not into all that. My son freaks out if he thinks he’s taken too much aspirin!" What sort of parent are you? "I always say: 'Be a friend first and be a parent when you need to be', and that’s how I run our house. Kids need to trust you so that they can talk to you and, if you’re too 'parenty' all the time, they’re less likely to do that. So I’m very happy with the relationship we have, and I feel that no issue is taboo." How was it when you found out that someone had been posing as your daughter Emily on Facebook? "I know I’ve got people pretending to be me and, to a degree, I’ve expected it. But when it’s your kids, it’s creepy. Who is it sitting behind the computer? Is it just a kid, trying to get friends, or is it a guy who is trying to meet young girls? It’s scary when you think of it. There’s no safety and there’s no protection. If people want to target you, they will. I think that is the downside of things like Twitter and Facebook. These sites need to have a look at what’s going on, with regards to security. They should be able to trace who has set up accounts, and where from." How do you feel about rekindling your romance with Steve McDonald? "It is nice to work with Simon again. We were chuffed when we found out because we enjoyed working together." Will they go the distance, second time around? "Well, it’s Corrie, so anything could happen!... I don’t think I’d like to have a wedding, though. I like Michelle on her own; it’s more interesting." What about your own wedding to Jamie? "It’s going to be a wonderful day; our families are going to love it. We’ll be surrounded by everybody we love, so that’s the main thing. I’ve got my dress, so it’s very exciting. Let’s just hope we get the weather!"

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.