Katherine Kelly didn't think she'd return to Mr Selfridge because she was unsure if there was a place for her character.
The drama, which stars Jeremy Piven in the title role, will be back next year and Lady Mae will be an integral part of the story.
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She said: "I'm delighted to be back! It's a total bonus that I am; it was never something that was set in stone. I always wanted to return but I was unsure whether there would be a place for Lady Mae.
This series is set 20 years after we first met the character and Kelly has revealed things are quite a bit different for Mae.
"Mae hadn't seen Harry for years and she returns to London to sell her shares; her recent divorce has left her penniless.
"She lived in Paris for such a long time and she feels that there is nothing left in London for her and Harry works very hard to convince her to stay."
The former Coronation Street actress revealed that Harry invites her to stay in order to create a department of ready to wear clothes in Selfridges - another first for the store.
Though this is partly because Harry needs someone who understands what he is going through to stick around for a while.
"His wife's gone, his children have grown up and he feels like he's spiralling out of control. I think that's why he's so desperate for Mae to stay; she's an old friend that understands him," she added.
The fourth and final series of Mr Selfridge kicks off next year.
Tasha is a freelance writer for with a particular interest in the representation of women in film and TV. After graduating with a Literature degree then journalism qualifications with News Associates a few years further back than she’d like to admit, Tasha began her freelance career. She’s worked as a writer, editor and commissioning editor for a number of publications including Digital Spy. She is also a theatre critic. LinkedIn
