She played troubled Becky McDonald on Coronation Street for six years, and Katherine Kelly has credited the experience for making her a better actress.
Since leaving the cobbles behind, Katherine has gone on to star in several highly-acclaimed dramas including Mr Selfridge, Happy Valley and The Night Manager. And later this month she will be headlining ITV's Him and BBC Three's Doctor Who spin-off Class.
What to Read Next
But Katherine reckons she should be thanking one show in particular.
Speaking to The Independent, she said: "I always thought, 'OK, Becky's drunk again, but why is it this time? Is it because she's happy she's getting married? Is it because her marriage is failing and she's drinking herself into oblivion?'
"That was the challenge - to find a different way of playing it. In a way, I embraced the inevitable repetition of the show and tried not to play the same thing twice, no matter how it was written.
"And I was a better actor for it - massively. I just think you get out what you put in, and if you put a lot in... it's like a ping pong match with the writers, and they will pick up on what you're doing and send you something great back.
"And when do you get that time on television to make mistakes? You just don't really."
She went on: "I actually used my RADA training more for Coronation Street than I did for any other job because it was like I was in a Greek tragedy. I'd read the script and think, 'This is absolutely insane, what I'm supposed to do now on these cobbles in a back street in Manchester'."
Him begins on ITV on Wednesday, October 19 at 9pm, and Class is available online on BBC Three from Saturday, October 22.
Read more news, spoilers and gossip on our Coronation Street homepage
Want up-to-the-minute soaps news and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account.
Digital Spy Soap Scoop video - hit play below for all the latest Coronation Street gossip, from Steve McDonald's devastating news to David Platt's vengeful plan against killer Clayton.
