Suranne Jones stars in gripping new three-part drama Maryland

As one of Britain’s most popular and successful actresses, Suranne Jones must get her pick of the TV scripts. However, she’s also coming up with her own projects – she co-created her new three-part drama Maryland with writer Anne-Marie O’Connor.

Suranne, who first found fame on Coronation Street before going on to star in the acclaimed likes of Scott & Bailey, Doctor Foster, Vigil and Gentleman Jack, says: “I had an initial idea and I wrote a treatment. It was basically about two sisters finding out their mother was leading a double life, with the premise being ‘How well do you really know your family?’”

The opening episode introduces us to siblings Becca (Jones) and Rosaline (Eve Best), whose lives have taken them on very different paths. They are brought back together by the news that their mother Mary’s body has been found on the Isle of Man – and they have no idea what she was doing there.

As Becca and Rosaline try to learn more about the woman they both thought they knew, they are forced to confront the problems in their own lives.

As the show’s creator, Suranne had the choice of which sister to play, so what made her choose Becca rather than the more ambitious, high-flying Rosaline?

The actress says: “I wanted to play someone recognisable in a very ordinary way. She has two kids, a husband, and she’s a busy mum. The Beccas of this world are perhaps not represented on screen as much as other people – that person who’s a little bit is stuck, works really hard, but doesn’t think too much about herself.”

She admits though that she may have briefly regretted her decision was when she saw the characters’ costumes. Suranne laughs: “I kept saying [to Eve] ‘Oh my God, you look gorgeous, you look beautiful.’ Because all her stuff is cashmere, and beautiful designer coats and bags and sunglasses.

“And then I went, ‘Right, now it’s my turn!’ and we had to rustle up something for Becca straight off the high dtreet so, the costume envy I had with Eve translates in some ways to the characters.”

While she may not have got the clothes she wanted, at least Suranne got her pick of co-stars, including George Costigan, who plays her father, and Hollywood star Stockard Channing, who takes on the role of Mary’s larger-than-life friend Cathy.

Suranne says: “I always had George in mind just because, I love George. I’ve done about five jobs with him now.

“Stockard we actually manifested! Basically, every day in the writers’ room we’d say, ‘Stockard Channing is going to play Cathy.’ And then she did! We still can’t quite believe that.”

So, no wonder Suranne found this project particularly fulfilling as she got to see her creations come to life. She says: “On the first day of filming when Eve was there, and Dean [Lennox Kelly], Andy [Knott] and George, I was just like, ‘Oh! We have invented these people, and here they are.’ So that’s definitely a new buzz…

“I’m not a writer. I’ve tried, but I think there are better writers out there, [but] I definitely enjoy being a creator and a creative producer. That’s what I’m loving.”