Best known for playing Michelle Connor in Coronation Street, Kym Marsh is now starring in The Syndicate Season 4.
In the BBC1 drama, Kym plays Donna, the leopard-print-loving mother of Keeley, a online gambling addict, who works at the local dog kennels, where she’s formed a lottery syndicate with four of her co-workers: Jake (Kieran Urquhart), Colette (Emily Head), Roxy (Taj Atwal) and Gemma (Liberty Hobbs).
Having racked up £425 in debts, Keeley has had to resort to selling mum Donna’s belongings to make some cash, in a bid to keep angry debt collectors from the door. So she’s delighted when local shopkeeper Frank (Neil Morrissey) tells her the gang have won £500 on the lottery! But is everything as it seems?
Kym Marsh, 44, tells us more...
Kym Marsh on starring in The Syndicate
"I love The Syndicate. I love the way Kay Mellor writes and I really liked the character. When I left Coronation Street I said I wanted to play different roles and something completely different to who I’ve played before and I think Donna definitely ticks that box."
Kym Marsh on her character…
"Donna’s a single parent and you get the sense early on that she's not had the easiest of lives. She loves her children — Keeley and her brother Shane — very much, but doesn't always do things right. She works all the hours God sends to try and make ends meet. She’s never gonna win mother of the year but she definitely does love her children. You can't help but like her really."
Kym Marsh on Donna and Keeley’s relationship…
"As mother and daughter, they’re very close but, at the same time, I think Keeley frustrates Donna a lot because she’s a bit of a handful. They’ve got that kind of mother-daughter type relationship, a bit like me and my daughter, Emily; we’re like best pals but we do argue from time to time. So Donna and Keeley are very close — but they drive each other crazy!"
Kym Marsh on how The Syndicate tackles gambling…
"Keeley is in debt from online gambling and we learn that Keeley is selling her mum’s stuff on eBay to make some cash. Although Donna likes the bingo herself, she’s trying to steer Keeley away from gambling — but it’s definitely a case of the apple never falls far from the tree!"
Kym Marsh on NOT filming in Monaco…
"Did I get to go to Monaco? No I did not! I drew the short straw there didn’t I, eh? I was filming in the middle of a housing estate in Yorkshire. So no Monaco for me. I believe they had a wonderful time and I hate them all [laughs]!"
Kym Marsh on winning the lottery…
"If you'd asked me when I was younger, I would have said I’d buy a Ferrari and all sorts of things. However, now I'd probably invest and pay my mortgage off. You know, all the really sensible, boring stuff."
The Syndicate returns Tuesday 30 March, 2021, at 9pm on BBC1.
