Since Carl has turned up, how is Abi feeling? Is it a bit of a whirlwind of emotions for her after their initial shock meeting and that spark of attraction?
They had this shock meeting where they ran into each other in the car park and there was instant electricity, a spark. Then he turned up in her life and turned out to be Kevin’s brother, which was gutting because he'd awakened something in her. I think with Abi, with her being an addict, there was that rush, that adrenaline that she hasn't had for a very long time. It completely turned her from red to blue.
After finding out that Carl is Kevin’s brother, how has that confused her feelings?
Well, she wanted to shut it down because it would just devastate everything. She's been given this whole life with Kevin, the kids are secure, she's got a child now who’s safe and she’s all sorted. Her life is calm and loving, and that is something she's craved for. But a massive part of who Abi is is dangerous. There's the addiction element; she thrives on risk-taking and danger. That part of her life, which was dormant, has now come up. There's like an animal inside her and she's absolutely fighting this with everything she's got.
How exciting is that to play? Knowing that Abi's always going to take risks and jeopardise everything?
I love it because she just implodes all the time and the consequences are devastating. But yeah, it's really exciting to play, I've been so lucky to be able to play all those different elements of her. Certainly, with the Seb storyline and the PTSD, I've loved that. But this is that other element where it's just dangerous and I'm so lucky to be able to play all these different things.
While she's trying to fight this attraction with every ounce of her being, Carl seems to find it quite amusing. Does that get to her or does it almost make him more attractive?
He is really cheeky, he's sort of playing her and she knows he is, but as much as she hates him, this attraction is much stronger than that.
How is her marriage to Kevin? Obviously, he's going through his cancer, she's trying to support him but she's still also dealing with her own trauma after losing Seb and then Mason’s murder. Do you think it’s all putting a strain on their marriage?
Yeah, I think it is. Kevin's pushing her away quite a lot because of this illness. He's trying to fight it in his own way and he's scared. In his fear he's secluding himself a little bit and that's quite hard for Abi. She has got her own stuff she’s dealing with and you kick off to the people you're close to a lot of the time, or you let out those feelings with the person you're closest to. That's Abi. She's been struggling with one thing or another for a very long time so this guy coming in who just adores her and fancies her and has awoken this life in her, she finds irresistible. It’s going to be very hard for Abi to fight this.
Kevin starts to notice that Abi doesn't like Carl or there's something not quite right. Do you think he has an inkling of what it might be?
At this point, I don't think he has an inkling, no. I’m reading it thinking poor Kevin but I’m also thinking poor Abi because she’s really fighting it, telling him to go away and leave her alone but he’s just pursuing her relentlessly. Her marriage to Kevin is based on gratitude, safeness, loyalty but Carl is tempting her with something else.
When Abi finds out that Carl’s business is struggling, does she think it would be a good idea if he went back to Germany, get him out of the way?
Yes, she's absolutely like, "You need to go back", it's her last attempt to say, "I need you out of my life." She's thinking of the kids, she's thinking also of what she’s got with Kevin and what they've got really works. They do love each other but she'd forgotten what it was like to feel alive. So she just wants Carl to go in the hope that that feeling will disappear.
What's it been like working with Jonathan and having a new person brought into that household?
Yeah, it's been good. He's fitted in really well, is a really nice guy and he's a really good actor. You can't ask for more. He's great, he fits in, he's easygoing and he's a team player. The Websters is just a brilliant place to work, the group that we’ve got at the minute are like the golden ticket, it’s the perfect job.
So you as an actress, do you want to see Abi go off the rails, or do you want to see her stay with Kevin?
I can't call it. I don't know. I love, love working with Michael Le Vell. I love him to bits but this is exciting for Abi so we’ll have to see.
