Nessa's Burning Betrayal

How will Cathy react to sister Nessa's treachery?

We spoke to Melanie Hill about whether Cathy will be able to forgive her sister and if it's the end for Cathy and Roy!

How does she feel to learn of Nessa and Alan’s affair? How does she come across the letters?

She has no idea that Roy has already found one of the letters and confronted Nessa . Cathy is at home and finds the other letters by chance whilst going through some things. It is just an awful realisation for her that her own sister and husband were having an affair and she knew nothing about it.

How does she feel when she realises Roy knew about the affair and is in collusion with Nessa to destroy the letters? Does it feel like a double betrayal because Roy is involved?

She is really hurt that he had found out before her and what’s more he has gone to the house with Nessa to try and help her find the letters to hide the evidence. It is that betrayal more than anything which really hurts her.

What explanation does Roy give her as to why he agreed to help Nessa destroy the letters?

Roy insists that he wanted to tell her but that Nessa was very persuasive and wanted his help to find the letters.

Can she understand why Roy didn’t tell her? She must know that he’s a man with integrity?

No she can’t understand why at all at the moment. She actually can believe it of her sister as she knows her of old but she feels very let down by Roy.

When she tells him to leave her house, is that the end of their relationship as far as she’s concerned?

Yes she is devastated and feels extremely let down. She feels as though he has made the betrayal worse by siding with Nessa, of course that is not what he was doing, he was trying to save her the heartbreak of finding out but she is so upset she can’t see that.

Before this, how happy was she with Roy?

She was very happy, it had taken her a long time to get over Alan’s death and move on and she really was starting to feel like this was a new beginning for her which is why this hits her so hard.

Why does she set fire to the letters?

She just wants them destroyed so she can never see them again, but of course she has read them and what was in them will never leave her even though she has destroyed the letters.

What goes through her head when she sees the fire is getting out of control?

She is terrified she thought they would just burn themselves out in the waste bin but of course they start to burn and she is trapped in the burning room.

Is she surprised that Roy would risk his life to save her?

She is just so relieved when he comes into the room and starts dragging her out, she really thought she was going to die, but even as he is rescuing her from the fire she is talking about the letters, this really has left her devastated and questioning everything.

What’s it been like working with David Neilson?

David is an absolute pleasure to work with. I was worried obviously coming into a show to work with someone who had been part of such an iconic partnership but he made me feel welcome from the start and I love our scenes and the way the writers have developed Cathy and Roy’s relationship.

Can she ever forgive Roy or will she be wary of trusting him in future?

If it hadn’t been for the fire I think it would have been a much longer road back for them but something like that puts things into perspective and I do think they can find their way back from this setback and grow stronger as a consequence.

Can she ever forgive Nessa?

That is a different matter altogether, blood is thicker than water but her sister has committed the ultimate betrayal and made a mockery of a large part of Cathy’s life. It will be interesting to see if anything could make her forgive her. She does care about Alex so she will keep in touch with him.