Katherine Kelly reveals the “most terrifying thing” in her “rip-roaring” new thriller In Flight

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For the past 13 years since Katherine Kelly departed from Coronation Street where she portrayed the character Becky, the self-destructive, cider-loving barmaid, she has taken on various roles such as a noblewoman, newspaper editor, call center manager, scholar, high-ranking executive at the Post Office (and possibly a spy), counselor for mental health, and even a physics teacher, who incidentally was disguised as an alien.

Year after year, the characters Kelly portrays all share a unique quality: they are distinctly unlike one another. Regardless of whether her roles are working-class or high society, she consistently delivers compelling performances; convincingly portraying both downtrodden and haughty characters. It seems that Kelly’s greatest skill lies in transcending social class boundaries.

She responds with a heartfelt compliment, a bit taken aback. “This is quite an accolade,” I say, reflecting on the challenges it presents, both on and off-screen. Early in my career, I made a deliberate choice to demonstrate my versatility by avoiding roles that strictly adhered to stereotypes. Growing up working-class in Yorkshire, I had an unconventional start at Rada, and it wasn’t until my latest play that I finally got to use my own accent.

Playing Lady Mae in Mr Selfridge was crucial for me after Corrie, as she held the highest position in the series. This has never been a problem, though occasionally I need to remind people that I prefer comfort in a tracksuit over formal wear.

These days, Kelly finds herself frequently preoccupied with the topic of class. Together with her partner, acclaimed author Tony Pitts, they’ve founded a production company called Make Me Films, with the aim of discovering and fostering emerging talents from working-class backgrounds.

Later on, Pitts will be with us and express his viewpoint that it’s significantly tougher for working-class children to break into the arts compared to when he first started over 40 years ago. Kelly concurs, lamenting, “Gaining access has become more challenging than ever before, and I find it incredibly disheartening that so much untapped talent is being overlooked.

Moreover, Kelly and Pitts are teaming up with Arts Emergency, a mentoring charity and community launched by comedian Josie Long, to set up educational programs and outreach initiatives.

In a period when funding for arts education in public schools has significantly decreased, Kelly points out that “there are children who possess artistic talent but come from less affluent families, and they may not believe they have the right to engage with the arts or creative sectors.” Pitts continues by saying, “You won’t recognize opportunities you aren’t presented with. If you can’t perceive it, you can’t aspire to be it.

In the Channel 4 crime thriller “In Flight”, Kelly’s character bears a resemblance to Corrie’s Becky rather than Mr Selfridge’s Lady Mae. Jo Conran, portraying an airline stewardess, is described as an ordinary woman whose life spirals into a harrowing ordeal when her son is jailed in Bulgaria and she’s coerced into drug trafficking by some truly malicious individuals, who threaten to harm him if she doesn’t comply.

In the six-episode drama, it’s evident that Kelly plays a prominent role, as she appears in nearly every scene. Over a span of four months, from late November through early February, she scarcely had a break in filming.

Each day, Jo wakes up uncertain about her son’s fate. Despite this, she must maintain a welcoming demeanor and manage a smile throughout the day. The contrast between her polished exterior and raw emotions intrigued me, Kelly notes. As the story unfolds, Jo becomes increasingly proficient in her tasks, but there’s never a moment where she seems to be triumphing or in command of the situation. Instead, she consistently climbs up despite her mistakes, followed by corrections. She blunders and then corrects herself, repeating this pattern.

For Kelly, what makes this “exciting thriller” particularly nerve-wracking is that Jo isn’t merely battling individual adversaries; instead, she’s challenging both the criminal network and the judicial system in Bulgaria. The idea of being under the control of such systems is the most chilling prospect for her. Similar to Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office, where she portrayed Angela van den Bogerd, a high-ranking executive at the postal service? “Indeed, it’s terrifying.

The narrative in Flight also revolves around a mother’s extreme measures to shield her child. It can be interpreted as, ‘She’s persistently taking these actions to ensure her son’s survival. I believe that at some point, the guilt and awareness of her actions push her towards despair. Yet, she wishes for her son to thrive, so she continues.

By a fortunate turn of events, the same individual played a role in casting her for both “Coronation Street” and her most recent drama. Back in 2006, Tony Wood served as the executive producer for “Corrie”. Today, he holds the position of CEO at Buccaneer Media, which produces “In Flight”, among other projects such as “The Crow Girl” on Paramount+, where she also stars.

In his final week at the Corrie job, Wood recounts, he dismissed another actress based on her audition tape. It showcased a depth and emotional nuance in the character that surpassed all other contenders. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to meet her back then – but that changed with The Crow Girl project.

As you pile on tasks for Kate, she demonstrates remarkable adaptability. She’s not only capable of handling everything thrown her way, but she also asks insightful questions and exhibits a high level of energy. She truly delves deep when it comes to emotionally portraying her role.

Wood’s accolades partially shed light on why Kelly shares the executive producer role for In Flight. To put it simply, she has more than earned this opportunity. As she puts it, “I’m a very ‘all-or-nothing’ person, so if I’m working on something, I give it my all – 100%. So, when I was asked to be an executive producer, I was thrilled and incredibly proud of the show. It’s such a fantastic project that I was happy to associate myself with it in another way as well, by taking on this role. But I don’t want to come off as boastful. Does it sound arrogant, do you think?

This suspenseful, six-episode series, aired over a fortnight, portrays the journey of Jo as she travels from London, Istanbul, and Thailand, although it was filmed creatively in Belfast. Despite the vastness of the skies, the storyline is surprisingly personal and intensely nerve-wracking to watch.

In simpler terms, Kelly states, “I’m not one to dwell on past events. I’m more about moving forward and my mind usually wanders towards the future. When it comes to Jo, I’ve never brought that experience home or let it affect my real life. I’ve always been quite good at compartmentalizing emotions. Generally speaking, I’m just thankful that such situations don’t often happen to me.” In this context, “bringing it home” refers to allowing past experiences or feelings to impact one’s personal life outside of the professional setting with Jo.

This skill proves particularly useful in intense dramas such as “The Crow Girl” and “The Long Shadow,” where she portrayed Emily Jackson, the second victim of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe. She shares that “The Crow Girl” is part of a trilogy, and they are currently filming the next installment this winter; she found the second book significantly darker than the first.

This talent is very helpful in shows like “The Crow Girl” and “The Long Shadow,” where she played Emily Jackson, one of the victims of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe. She mentions that “The Crow Girl” is a trilogy and they are now making the next part this winter; she found the second book extremely challenging to read due to its darkness.

As a devoted cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that the company who initially held the rights decided against adapting it for TV due to perceived challenges. Yet, here we are, having successfully brought this masterpiece to life! The captivating scripts penned by Milly Thomas were not only produced but also resonated deeply with audiences, resulting in impressive viewership numbers. Furthermore, the critical acclaim it received was simply breathtaking.

Initially, I wasn’t too particular, but over time, I’ve become more selective. When I first started in this profession, most of the productions were filmed in London. However, nowadays there is a significant increase in filming across mainland Europe and other UK cities like Bristol (for The Crow Girl) and Belfast (for In Flight). This change often requires me to be away from home for work, and given that I have children, I must have a strong motivation to do so.

After her years at drama school, Kelly exclusively focused on theater, and now, after a break from it, she finds herself yearning for it again. “My passion lies with theater,” she muses wistfully, “and I hope to return to it next year.” However, having young children makes acting in theater particularly difficult, so for the time being, she’ll continue to break free from stereotypes on screens of different sizes.

At heart, Kelly is a dedicated worker who values earning her roles and proving her versatility. She feels honored when given the chance to play diverse characters, knowing that her performance in each role is crucial. In other words, she believes that success is a result of consistently giving her best in every project she undertakes.

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2025-08-05 03:11