BAFTA award-winning actress Sheridan Smith says she was in tears over her latest role in ITV’s gripping new drama No Return.
Written by Brassic, Shameless, Clocking Off and Ordinary Lies writer Danny Brocklehurst, the four-part drama tells the harrowing story an unassuming family who are caught up in a living nightmare whiile holidaying in Turkey.
Sheridan, the star of television dramas Cilla, Mrs Biggs, The C Word and Four Lives, plays a mum whose world spectacularly falls apart when she's left desperately fighting for her son’s freedom.
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Looking forward to an idyllic all-inclusive luxury break in Turkey Kathy Powell, played by Sheridan, and her husband Martin, played by Michael Jibson, are blissfully unaware of the horrific ordeal about to unfold.
The holiday is meant to be a chance to unwind and spend time together until 16-year-old Noah, played by Louis Ashbourne Serkis, accepts a seemingly innocent invitation to a beach party from fellow holidaymaker Rosie, who is staying at the same hotel.
With themes of parental love, guilt, grievances, and the issues around consent for teenagers, No Return is produced by Manchester based executive producer Nicola Shindler (It’s A Sin, Ridley Road), Richard Fee (The Stranger, Safe) and series creator and writer Danny.
Sheridan, 40, who welcomed her son Billy in May 2020, described Kathy as 'a woman with a fire in her belly' as she told the Manchester Evening News and other media that the role of Kathy was like no other that she has taken on before.
"She's a lioness. I've played mums for quite a while but not to this extent," she said.
"This has never been done. I've never read anything like it before.
"It's intense high drama. She's a great character. She's fiercely loyal, fiercely protective.
"It's someone I could relate to."
Sheridan, who shot to fame as Emma in The Royle Family and as Janet Keogh in the sitcom Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, said the story moved her to tears.
"I've never been to a read-through like the one for this. It was so powerful," she said.
"There's a huge pressure to then bring it to life once you get on set. I cried all the way through the read-though.
"There's a pressure there and I really wanted to do my best for Nicola and Danny."
She added: "I've never played a character like this. From the first 10 minutes in it's a rollercoaster and I've not had such an intense role like that."
No Return was filmed last summer in Manchester and Bolton with Spain doubling for Turkey.
"We filmed all the interior stuff in Manchester," said Sheridan.
"We were all doing really hot acting but we were actually freezing.
"When we got to Spain it just brought the whole thing to life. It brought it together."
And the Doncaster stage and screen star told us that she enjoyed being back up north for filming.
"I love it. I always love going up north. I'm a northerner and I'm near my mum," she said.
"I love going back there. The people are so supportive and welcoming."
