Kym Marsh to front new BBC One show about online dating cons - For Love or Money
The Coronation Street star will be delving into the dark world of “romance fraud”
Kym Marsh will be swapping the Corrie cobbles to become a serious TV detective, as she fronts a brand new documentary series for BBC 1.
The 43-year-old, who is best known for playing Michelle Connor on Coronation Street, will join reporter Ashley Jean-Baptiste in For Love or Money, which explores the rapidly growing world of romance frauds.
The five part series for BBC Daytime will follow the duo as they “expose the sophisticated techniques fraudsters use to pull at individual’s heart strings, so they can empty their bank balance.”
Fraudsters who trap their victims in romantic relationships are now increasingly common, with innocent parties having been conned out of £50 million in 2018 alone.
Marsh and Jean-Baptiste will also be providing “take-home advice to ensure that viewers can tell if the person they’re talking to online - for whatever reason - is who they say they are."
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For Love or Money marks Marsh’s first project after choosing to take an extended break from Corrie after 13 years.
The project is a personal one for Marsh, having herself been a victim of identity fraud.
“This series has been a real eye-opener,” she told The Mirror.
"It was relatable to me as, in the past, I discovered that my identity had been stolen so a scammer could use it.
"I feel really passionately that this series is going to stop people in their tracks and really analyse who they are talking to online.
“Most importantly, give them all the information they need to tackle potential romance scammers.”
BBC Daytime also announced Night Force, a new series that looks at the world of shift workers, and Call That Hard Work, which aims to explore different and diverse working environments.
Carla-Maria Lawson, Acting Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak, said of the new shows: “Mornings on BBC daytime are really resonating with audiences. It's clear viewers appreciate modern, topical formats that reflect contemporary Britain.
“These new titles complement the slate of recent popular factual successes such as Fraud Squad NHS, Critical Incident and Defenders UK. I believe these new formats will enhance our offering to viewers of shows that give a fresh take on relevant issues.”
