The Bay's Marsha Thomason teases heartbreak in new season of ITV show - with huge change
DS Jenn Townsend is bracing for a rollercoaster ride in the upcoming season of The Bay, with her personal life on shaky ground and her domineering mum crashing at her place.
The drama returns for a fifth season on ITV, premiering on March 5, prompting Marsha Thomason, who plays the family liaison officer, to reveal that her alter ego is reeling from a tragic loss - her father's death off-screen due to Alzheimer's.
"She's taken a couple of weeks off because her father has died from Alzheimer's," shares Marsha. "So she's grieving." Marsha, 49, took over as the show's lead detective after Morven Christie left her role as DS Lisa Armstrong in season three.
READ MORE: Martin Lewis stuns co-stars as he falls to the floor minutes before ITV show ends
READ MORE: Coronation Street legend Jack P Shepherd 'lets slip' David Platt's fate in huge bombshell
Now fully settled in Morecambe, DS Townsend is confronts new challenges that will push her to the limit both at home and on the job. This season, Jenn and her beau Chris (played by Barry Sloane) are hitting yet another rough patch, barely having weathered last season's storm involving his ex-wife Jacqui.
With her professional duties demanding more and more, Jenn is stretched to breaking point. "Things aren't so great between her and Chris," Marsha admits. "Jenn is dealing with a lot. She's very stressed."
To top it all off, Jenn's recently widowed mother Anne decides to move in, hoping to offer support, but their fraught relationship is far from soothing.
"Her mum's a lot," Marsha jests. "She's constantly in her ear, putting her down, it's never good enough." Despite the mother-daughter tension, Marsha is full of praise for her fellow actress Suzanne Packer.
"She is incredible, and plays the role wonderfully but I would kick that mother out of the house! " In true Jenn fashion, she dives back into work sooner than anyone anticipated, using her career as an escape from her troubles. "She doesn't want to deal with her own emotions," explains Marsha, "She throws herself into her work but she isn't on her A game because she's dealing with so much."
Meanwhile, the MIU is in disarray. The station is crumbling - plagued by leaks, broken toilets, and constant murmurs of budget cuts. To add to the turmoil, they've lost a member of their squad. DC Eddie Martin has departed after two series, as actor Thomas Law heads back to EastEnders to reprise his role as Peter Beale.
Stepping into the breach is DI Tony Manning (Daniel Ryan), who introduces the fresh face of Lou McClaren, brought to life by Olwen May. DI Manning himself is navigating some personal waters. Following last season's rocky run-in with his ex-wife's new beau, the seasoned detective finds comfort in a blossoming romance.
"He's got a new lady in his life, so that is serving to be a source of happiness when he leaves the office. He's not going down the pub and being a lonely cop, but he is still obsessed with his job."
The mysterious lady is portrayed by the fresh face Tara Lynne O'Neill, famed for her role in Derry Girls. But even as Tony seems to find peace, he's hiding something deep within.
Daniel teases, "Something else is bothering him," hinting at a twist that will unfold later in the series. The fifth series opens with a bone-chilling moment as a mother and son stumble upon Hannah Dawson's body at Glasson Dock.
The university student, plagued by mental health struggles and a previous suicide attempt, clearly met with foul play - the tell-tale bruises on her neck suggest she was suffocated, and it's likely she knew her assailant.
Jenn and Karen (played by Erin Shanagher) dive into their investigation, starting with Hannah's mother Julie, brought to life by Leanne Best. Marsha found Leanne's portrayal of a bereaved mother overwhelming: "I couldn't hold it together," she confesses, "I was bawling my eyes out."
For Leanne, however, sharing the screen with Marsha was nothing short of a dream. "I was a huge fan of hers for a really, really long time," she admits, adding, "As a young northern actress, you pay attention to the Great Northern actresses that you love."
Behind the scenes, another star made an impact. Shaun Evans, renowned for his role as the youthful Inspector Morse in Endeavour, took the helm as director this season, impressing the cast immensely.
For Daniel, being under Shaun's direction was daunting. He reflects, "He's played the King of the cops," and shares his anxiety: "When you get directed by Morse and you just think, 'please don't think I'm rubbish.' That was my main concern."
