Line of DUTY

VICKY MYERS on her journey to cobbles stardom, and a new chapter for DS Swain

CORONATION STREET
MON, WED & FRI, 8PM, ITV1 SOAP

Nearly three years after we first met Weatherfield's DS Swain, when she led the police investigation into Seb Franklin's murder, the tough-talking copcurrently trying to unravel the mystery of teenager Lauren Bolton's disappearance - has landed a promotion, as Coronation Street bosses have made her a permanent character.

TV Times brought actor Vicky Myers, 48, in for exclusive questioning to find out more...

Congratulations on becoming a permanent cast member! How did this come about?

I was coming to the end of my contract last October after being involved in the Stephen Reid storyline. There were questions about what we were going to do with Swain, and Iain MacLeod [the former Corrie boss, who's now Executive Producer for Continuing Drama at ITV] said, 'We need a chat."

There were different pitches, and a couple I thought would be creatively challenging and make interesting stories, so it was a no-brainer!

Did you feel from the get-go that Swain had potential?

Yes, immediately I got her, and I knew what I wanted to do to build this multifaceted character. But at the same time, I needed to not make it about her, because the storyline wasn't about her. 

That said, there were opportunities for me to play around with the script. I thought, I know this woman and I want to know what she's been through, because we have to humanise these characters; that is what makes them relatable.

Swain is currently the 'bad guy' for charging innocent Roy Cropper with Lauren's murder. For the character to have longevity, presumably we need to see her softer side?

Yes, I agree. We've only seen her in a professional environment so far, and I think anybody who has that harsh of an exterior, it's a protective mechanism.