Coronation Street star Sydney Martin believes Betsy Swain could be "manipulated" by mum Becky

This article originally appeared in Radio Times magazine.

From Sarah Lancashire to Suranne Jones, Coronation Street has nurtured some of TV’s biggest talents. One rising star in Weatherfield right now is Sydney Martin, who arrived on the cobbles 18 months ago to play tearaway teenager Betsy Swain.

So how does it feel to get her break on a drama that has launched so many big careers?

“Being in Coronation Street is a privilege,” Martin tells Feedback.

“I’m following in the footsteps of performers who have grown up on screen and created characters who are national treasures.

“My earliest Corrie memory is watching Michelle Keegan, as Tina McIntyre, being really mean to Gail Platt — and one of my first scenes was in the factory being rude to Carla Connor. It was so intimidating! But Ali King [who plays Carla] made it far less daunting.”

Bolshie Betsy has had a huge storyline: her birth mum, detective Becky, came back into her life four years after supposedly being killed.

Betsy’s other mother, Lisa, has found a new love, Carla, and Becky’s return, having faked her death in an undercover operation, has blown the blended family apart. The tangled plot has gifted Martin some challenging material.

“As a story it’s quite far from reality, but I wanted to find the truth in it. I’m obsessed with subtle, hyper-realistic styles of acting.

"I was inspired by the performances of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal in the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People. To bring nuance to soap is tricky as we work so fast, but I’ve learnt to trust my instincts.”

Martin was cast as Betsy just months after graduating from Manchester’s Arden School of Theatre, having been encouraged to pursue acting by her high-school drama teachers.

“I wanted to be a zookeeper, but wasn’t very good at science! I went to the same school as Sam Aston [who plays Chesney Winter-Brown], so Corrie was always talked about. Growing up in a small working-class area” — Martin is from Rossendale, Lancashire — “I didn’t know acting could be an actual career.”

Martin is looking forward to developing her complex character.

“Betsy has a degree of emotional maturity, and maybe I bring that as I’m 23 playing an 18-year-old. But she is still an annoying teenager. She’s caught between her mums and Carla, and could be manipulated by Becky.”

Where does she see her future? “I love where I work, I’m surrounded by gorgeous people and get to act every day — right now, that’s all I could ask.”

Read more

• Coronation Street star Daon Broni reveals "massive risk" to Costello's family after Becky Swain threat
• Coronation Street icon Amanda Barrie believes creator Tony Warren would be "delighted" with soap's LGBTQ+ representation
• 5 Coronation Street spoilers next week: David and Shona Platt receive heart-wrenching news about their baby in special episode
• Coronation Street's Catherine Tyldesley was asked to return to ITV soap before
• Coronation Street winter preview: Driscoll family drama, Swarla "explosions" and Theo shows his true colours
• Coronation Street boss gives exciting update on Corriedale crossover

Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

Add Coronation Street to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.