Former Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh has revealed that several of her explicit love scenes in the new Channel 5 thriller The Imposter were considered so risqué that producers had to tone them down before broadcast.
Scenes Deemed Too Hot for TV
The 49-year-old star, who plays scheming Amanda in the four-part series, disclosed that the second episode is "particularly raunchy". It features steamy flashbacks to her character's early days in London with her Australian lover, Simon, played by actor Don Hany. Marsh spent many scenes "barely dressed" for the role.
"There was quite a lot of stuff that I believe they’ve had to tone down," Marsh admitted. She recalled an executive producer praising her performance, saying, "Hey, you did it so convincingly." The saucy scenes, filmed with a distinctive blue tint, aired just minutes into the drama's second instalment.
The Role of the Intimacy Coordinator
To film these sequences, Marsh and her co-star worked closely with an intimacy coordinator on set. This professional guidance is now standard practice for filming sensitive content, ensuring actors feel safe and respected.
Marsh, a mother of three who turns 50 in June, praised the cast and crew for helping her feel at ease. She confessed to initial nerves about disrobing on camera, citing a dip in body confidence as she has aged. "I’ve done a few things on stage but they are very tame in comparison to this role," she told The Sun on Sunday.
However, she added, "as soon as I set foot on set, I was totally relaxed because they really made me feel so much better about everything."
Embracing the 'Baddie' and Challenging Industry Norms
Viewers have responded positively to Marsh's portrayal of Amanda, the secret love child of family matriarch Helen, played by Neighbours icon Jackie Woodburne. On social media platform X, one fan said she "acted her part beautifully," while another labelled her a convincing "good baddie."
This is not Marsh's first venture into darker roles. In 2022, she played Alex Forrest in a stage production of Fatal Attraction, and in January she is set to star as obsessive flatmate Hedra in a theatre remake of Single White Female. She joked about the casting trend, saying, "It’s as though producers think: ‘Who can we get to play this evil, deranged character? I know, Kym Marsh.’"
In a separate interview with The Telegraph, Marsh also addressed positive shifts in the acting industry regarding ageism and sexism. "There used to be a point as an actress that, when you reached 30, you’re deemed not sexy anymore," she stated. "So at least that’s changing." The Imposter also features singer and actress Dannii Minogue and continues on Channel 5.
