As Megan on Brookside (with Diane Burke)

(TX: 11/06/1999)

With Tony in the caravan, lives about to change

7.1 [293] Groundhog Day (TX: 28/09/2003)

Karen and Dean, keeping their claim for the club

7.5 [297] The Call-Up (TX: 26/10/2003)

Can you tell us of how you got started in acting, and how it progressed from there?

 I went to dance school at the age of 7 and was hooked on the camaraderie, the music, and the fancy costumes. I then progressed to a musical theatre group and from then on in I was hooked! The film Calamity Jane has a lot to do with it too. Doris Day is an idol of mine.

You were introduced into "Brookside" as Megan Brindley. I remember there was a lot of intrigue due to you being cast as the newly-discovered sister of Jacqui Dixon (Alex Fletcher), and how the two of you showed such a resemblance in looks and voice was great casting. Were you and Alex from the same area of Liverpool?

 We were friends from dance school but we are from different areas of the city. I'm a Bootle girl. I went for a completely different role but Phil Redmond thought we looked so much alike so he wrote that part in. I still see Alex now and again and she has a lovely little girl.

In between Brookside and Dream Team, you were completing a Performing Arts Degree when the opportunity to audition for Karen Boyle arrived. Were you on a real buzz of going up for this role almost immediately after finishing a huge part of your education?

 Yes, I was planning on moving to London straight after my studies anyway but it happened quicker than I'd imagined.

It sounds like it was a specific casting brief when the search began for the actors who would play the Boyles. Like it was a certainty they had to be Liverpool actors (or at least close to). Do you recall if there was big excitement amongst Liverpool's own actors for the four roles going, especially as they were regular parts on a London-filmed series?

 I remember being cast and they were still trying to find Karens husband for a while. I think they got it right by choosing Stocksy he is a well established actor.

And when you were successful as being cast as Karen Boyle, that must have felt a proud accomplishment as an actress, especially as just mentioned the casting/characterisation was very specific?

 It was a fantastic opportunity, during that summer I'd bagged my degree and landed an acting role. My mum and brother were fans of the show so that made it extra special.

With the Boyle's, yourself, Tony (Alan Stocks) Dean (Michael Ryan) and Donna (Jo Goldie), were straight away thrown into the show's present main story - the ownership battle for Harchester United. How did it feel to immediately feature in the story which dominated the first-half of that season?

 It was pretty hectic as we were still all looking for places to live. I was lucky enough to stay with my cousin for a bit. We all had to gel pretty quickly but it was an easy task as we all hit it off straight away. I'm still close friends with Jo Goldie.

Of course, we couldn't mention the Boyles without the other star of that family - the caravan! Were all the interior scenes really filmed inside it instead of an actual studio setting? How was there any room?!

 Yep, they were all done inside the gorgeous caravan. The first day Alan took a light out with his head and we had to stop for a bit as we were all cracking up.

Frustratingly, for many viewers, by the time we saw Karen make her greatest worth (and to quote you yourself at the time "really come into her own") were in her final episodes. Were you sad yourself not to be around to see the Boyles now the owners of the club since they were at last there?

 Yeah it was sad but as an actor you're used to moving from role to role, that's part of the appeal. I think they toyed with the idea of Karen and Dean becoming a couple but it never materialised. Myself and Alan always knew we were only there for a short period but it was a shame we never got to explore more story lines. I didn't plan on getting so attached, they were a great cast and a lovely warm crew. I'm just glad I've remained good mates with some of them.

It gave us that nice scene where Karen tells Dean she cared too much about him to stay and see him destroy his life. It felt almost that Dean was more suited to Karen than Tony was. Or do you think it was right they didn't go there?

 I think it would have been interesting to explore but I think Karen would have taken some persuading because she was devoted to Tony.

It certainly would have gotten a reaction out of Donna that's for sure! Do you think there was any chance of forgiveness for her from Karen again? As it was another thing we didn't see.

 Karen was all about family so I think eventually she would have forgiven her. I would have liked her to have had a few more run ins with Donna before she left.

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