Sheridan Smith says ‘overwhelming fear’ being a mum helped on new drama as she admits ‘crying throughout’
SHERIDAN Smith has opened up about her latest role which left her “crying throughout” the entire filming process.
The actress will portray ordinary mum Kathy in the upcoming ITV drama No Return, who finds herself trapped on the holiday from hell as her son is arrested.
Sheridan, whose son Billy is nearly two, opened up about how she wept the entire time during the read-through of the series as her character fights to prove her son's innocence.
The four-part series, which was written by Shameless's Danny Brocklehurst, deals with Kathy's 16-year-old son being arrested in Turkey after being accused of sexual assault on another boy.
The situation escalates for the family as the son potentially faces a 12-year jail sentence, with Sheridan's character doing her utmost to prove her boy's innocence.
Delving into the role, Sheridan explained: “Playing roles before I had Billy to playing ones now I’ve had him, is totally different.
“People had said you can’t understand the protectiveness and the overwhelming fear when you have a child and, he’s not even two yet, but I feel it.”
The 40-year-old added how she could barely contain her anguish over the storyline at the initial meeting with producers and fellow cast.
She said: “I’ve never been to a read-through like the one for this. It was so powerful. I mean, I cried all the way through.
“I read it and was gripped - I had to know what happened. It gave me that jelly belly feeling of ‘what would you do in that situation?'"
No Return will air on ITV early next month.