Coronation Street star Sydney Martin has landed a new project away from the series. Soap fans will be delighted to hear that the actor is teaming up with a Hollyoaks star for the new role.
Martin has portrayed Betsy Swain in the ITV soap since June 2024, with the character being involved in several storylines alongside her mother Lisa and prospective stepmother Carla Connor.
While the actor will continue on Corrie, she has landed a new part alongside Hollyoaks star Isabelle Smith, who plays Frankie Osborne on the Channel 4 soap. It has now been confirmed that the pair will appear in a short film.
The duo have joined the cast of Favourite, a new short film from Georgia Leigh-Taylor. The filmmaker shared the news via Instagram, with Martin sharing the post to her Instagram Stories, saying that she couldn’t “wait” to get started (via Daily Star).
“I’m so thrilled to announce the incredible Sydney Martin and the brilliant Isabelle Smith will be playing Mel and Ashley in my upcoming short film called Favourite,” said Leigh-Taylor, who confirmed that the film is slated for release next year.
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“After graduating from the same acting school, Sydney and Izzy have both been working professionally in television since 2024, building exciting careers for themselves, taking on powerful storylines, and earning well-deserved recognition.”
“Favourite is a dual-timeline drama exploring the lives of best friends Mel and Ashley both as teenagers, and as adults,” continued the filmmaker. “Sydney and Izzy will be playing Mel and Ashley across the film’s past timeline set in 2012.
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“I feel so lucky with this pairing – not only because they’re both incredibly talented actresses, but they are in fact also real-life best friends, bringing an extra layer of authenticity to the story. I can’t wait to see their chemistry unfold on screen.”
In a previous post on Instagram from a week prior, Leigh-Taylor confirmed that the casting search for the remaining three characters in the drama would begin in the near future, with the director adding that it was a story close to their “heart”.
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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