SARAH LANCASHIRE has revealed her latest role as a troubled social worker caught up in the murder of an orphan is her most harrowing yet.
The former Coronation Street and Happy Valley star returns to the small screen on Wednesday in the new Channel 4 drama series Kiri.
She gives a heartfelt performance as a social worker who gives a black couple an unsupervised visit with their granddaughter Kiri before she is adopted by a middle-class white family.
Just hours after Kiri is taken to their house the girl is found dead, and Miriam is suspended for her lapse in judgement.
As a murder investigation is launched, she finds herself the subject of intense media attention.
“It is uncharted territory, and very powerful,” Sarah said.
“Kiri reflects the society we are living in now, where everything has to be transparent and people are under so much pressure. The scrutiny is extraordinary and you really get the sense of panic emerging.
“At the script read-through I felt as though I had been blown against the wall.”
The drama does have its lighter moments – like Miriam’s friendship with her perpetually flatulent dog.
“Miriam was quite lonely to play, so the dog and I had a wee love affair,” she said.
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