Barnsley actress goes out with ‘all guns blazing’

The Barnsley-born former Coronation Street star teased elements of the upcoming fourth, and last, series of the period drama.

Katherine and her family are heavily involved in the charity-run Lamproom Theatre, Westgate, Barnsley.

“It’s really nice to know you’re ending something. Because you don’t want to hold anything back,” she said.

“You can kill who you want, get someone as drunk as you want. You don’t have to think, ‘Oh, if we have a green light for series five, we’ll have no-one left.’ You can just go out with all guns blazing.”

The hit drama is inspired by the turbulent life of charismatic American retail entrepreneur Harry Selfridge, played by Jeremy Piven.

The fourth series focuses on his dramatic fall as he loses his hold on the empire and social status he worked so hard to create.

It is 1928, nine years after events in the preceding series, and the Jazz Age continues to swing along with Harry doing a little too much indulging.

Alluring socialite Lady Mae Loxley has returned to London from her sojourn in Paris running a fashion house.

“Lady Mae comes back, but only because she’s got nowhere else to go. But she stays to save Harry,” Kelly said of her character.

Katherine – who will also appear in the second series of BBC One’s Happy Valley in 2016 – was absent during the third series of Mr Selfridge following the birth of her daughter Orla, her first child with husband Ryan Clark.

“Lady Mae’s known Harry since the day he arrived in England. No-one else can talk to him the way that she can.

“She’s there to save him from himself. And he knows that. Whether she succeeds or not is another matter,” the 36-year-old stated.

The main regulars also return for the final series.

n Mr Selfridge is broadcast on ITV at 9pm on Friday, January 8.