Kym Marsh shocked soap fans in 2019 when she suddenly quit Coronation Street after 13 years.
And now the real reason the actress, 49, walked away from the £100K ITV role has been revealed as she now earns double her salary.
Kym, who portrayed Michelle Connor, reportedly quit the Cobbles to cash in on her acting talents and explore new roles, according to The Sun.
The former Hear’Say singer now runs a firm called Pade (Warrington) Ltd and annual accounts for the last two years indicate she’s earned around £500,000 in that period.
Kym has most recently taken on her raunchiest role ever in Channel 5 drama The Imposter and stripped down to her underwear for a steamy sex scene just minutes into the latest episode.
The actress got hot under the covers with her on-screen lover in the bedroom scene that aired shortly after the new series hit screens this week.
The real reason Kym Marsh, 49, quit her £100K ITV role in 2019 after 13 years has been revealed as she now earns double her salary
Kym, who portrayed Michelle Connor, reportedly quit the Cobbles to cash in on her acting talents and explore new roles
Speaking about the show, set in a sprawling family-run seaside hotel in Australia, Kym said: ‘Episode two was particularly raunchy.
‘It’s the flashback to London where she first meets her Australian lover. There was quite a lot of stuff that I believe they’ve had to tone down.
‘I spoke to the executive working on it and he said, “Hey, you did it so convincingly”, and I was like . . . thanks.’
The new show follows main character Amanda, played by Kym, as tensions boil over amid a family drama that sees Amanda’s siblings attempting to cut her out of the inheritance they will one day be granted.
The sibling rivalry forms the heart of the drama as they all battle for the attentions of family matriarch Helen, who is played by Jackie Woodburne.
And there are deadly consequences for the siblings along the way.
Kym found fame in band Hear’Say in 2001 after appearing on ITV series Popstars. She went on to have two number one singles with the band before going solo.
In 2006, the TV star took on the role as barmaid Michelle in Coronation Street, which saw her win two Best Newcomer awards in 2008.
The former Hear’Say singer now runs a firm called Pade (Warrington) Ltd and annual accounts for the last two years indicate she’s earned around £500,000 in that period
Kym has most recently taken on her raunchiest role ever in Channel 5 drama The Imposter and stripped down to her underwear for a steamy sex scene just minutes into the latest episode
In 2017, she won Best Female Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards for a stillbirth storyline that mirrored her own tragic loss of baby Archie in 2009.
More recently, she played canteen worker Nicky Walters in BBC school drama Waterloo Road, and she regularly presents the BBC’s Morning Live on breakfast TV.
Kym, who took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, is currently in rehearsals alongside Lisa Faulkner for the stage adaptation of 1990s thriller Single White Female.
It comes after Kym was seen out for the first time with her new boyfriend last month as the loved-up couple enjoyed a day out in Bakewell.
Her new union comes eight months after she ended her whirlwind romance with Samuel Thomas, who is 19 years her junior, in February after six months together.
The actress identified her man, Tom, when she shared a series of photos to her Instagram – confirming their romance and tagging his account.
Heading out this weekend, they walked hand-in-hand through the Derbyshire town after picking up some shopping.
Kym dressed casually in a cream tracksuit which consisted of a cropped hoodie and wide-leg trousers.
She went makeup free for their day out and pulled her hair back into a practical bun.
In 2006, the TV star took on the role as barmaid Michelle in Coronation Street, which saw her win two Best Newcomer awards in 2008; pictured with Frank Grimes as Barry Conner in 2013
In 2017, she won Best Female Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards for a stillbirth storyline that mirrored her own tragic loss of baby Archie in 2009
The couple are said to have met through friends and Kym has been intermittently sharing images with Tom – but only identified him in the latest post.
Earlier this month, a source told The Sun: ‘They have already enjoyed a night away together and he’s met her daughter Emilie, so things are moving fast.
‘He’s also been on nights out with her pals and was the centre of attention, which is no surprise because he’s so hunky. Kym always throws herself fully into everything – including relationships.’
It was reported last month that Kym was back on the dating scene, with the star reportedly joining Hinge and giving strict instructions to the next man that enters her life.
On her profile, Kym highlighted that her future lover needs to make her ‘laugh until her ribs heart’ to be in with a chance.
According to The Sun at the time, Kym described herself as an ‘actor and presenter’ who loves to ‘lie-in, go on dog walks and have roast dinners’ on her ideal Sunday.
She also showed off her humorous side and joked dating her is like ‘being on the Truman Show, but it’s never boring!’
Her dating profile includes pictures of her cuddling two dogs and pouting for the camera, the publication reports.
Kym ended her romance with ex Samuel before Christmas, after the pair finished touring with the show 101 Dalmatians: The Musical.
Kym found fame in band Hear’Say in 2001 after appearing on ITV series Popstars. She went on to have two number one singles with the band before going solo; pictured Danny Foster, Noel Sullivan, Suzanne Shaw, Kym and Myleene Klass
She was forced to defend herself after revealing her romance with Samuel, who is the same age as her oldest son, having gushed on social media that he is her ‘soulmate’.
Amid her break-up, sources told The Sun at the time that once their tour finished, Kym found it more difficult to spend time with him.
Kym shares her son David, 30, and daughter actress Emilie, 28, with her ex David Cunliffe.
Kym is also a mother to 14-year-old daughter Poppy, whom she shares with ex-husband and Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas, as well son Archie who was born 18 weeks premature in 2009 and passed away shortly after birth
Kym and Jamie first met on a train as they made their way to the 2007 TV Quick Awards before developing a romance in July 2008 – a year before Kym’s divorce from ex-husband Jack Ryder.
