TV: A The Bay returns, which is what you can expect from the upcoming six episodes

The 47-year-old actress – who joined the cast of Season 3 and was previously known for her role on police series White Collar – is reunited with her co-star Daniel Ryan, who plays DI Anthony “Tony” Manning.

Thomason, who was born and raised in North West England, first rose to fame through roles in Pie In The Sky, Playing The Field and Where The Heart Is, although he was almost 15 years before The Bay on came onto the market. She worked in the USA, where she settled with her husband and child.

She proved a hit with fans after replacing Morven Christie as the lead character in the crime drama last year, and as series four returns, she talks about swapping Malibu for Morecambe and more.

Also returning to the ITV drama, co-written and co-written by Daragh Carville, is Ryan, whose previous TV credits include Innocent and Home Fires.

Happy Valley fans will also be pleased to know that Joe Armstrong, who starred in the first series, and Karl Davies, aka Catherine Cawood’s son Daniel, are among the guest stars, which also include Claire Goose and Christopher Coghill.

We learn from Thomason and Ryan what to expect in the next six episodes.

MARSHA THOMASON

Can you talk about what it was like to come back and see all the actors again?

“Last year I was the new girl so I was a bit nervous while this year I felt a lot more confident coming in and it was just so beautiful.

“We’ve all become friends and we’re all in touch when we’re not filming.

“It’s especially nice to come back and see everyone as I live in LA, they would meet up for dinner or drinks and send pictures so I’d be sorry I missed out so it was great to come back.”

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JENN AND MANNING IN THIS SERIES?

“Jenn and Manning’s (played by Daniel Ryan) relationship is a little difficult this year.

“Manning has some personal stuff going on that Jenn stumbles across quite accidentally, so it’s going to be a little messy.

“On the other hand, Jenn also has some personal issues in her own life that infiltrate work. It was really fun playing that aspect.”

WHAT DIFFERS FROM SERIES TO SERIES ON THE BAY?

“What I love about The Bay is that you have this core group of characters that have pretty much progressed through all four series, but in each series there’s a whole new family, a whole new set of different characters. Each series the center of the story changes. Each series feels like a different show.”

HOW IS MORECAMBE AS A LOCATION AND WHY IS IT WORKING SO WELL FOR THE SERIES?

“Morecambe is a character on our show. It’s so iconic and so distinctive. It’s a place in itself. The character of this place really adds to the heaviness and drama of the show.”

HOW DID YOU FIND COMING BACK FROM LOS ANGELES TO FILM THE BAY?

“I’m happy to come back to Manchester to shoot because I’m from Manchester and have come back a few times over the last few years.

“It feels like Manchester are trying to pull me out but I haven’t. I love you Manchester, but I have a life elsewhere!”

“It’s always a pleasure to come back. My husband is also from Manchester and our families are still there so it’s actually a real gift because I can come to work and spend time with my family. A double bonus.”

Daniel Ryan

GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE MAIN STORIES IN THE UPCOMING SERIES?

“The focus of the story this year is a family that loses their mother in a house fire. We follow them through the series as they try to rebuild themselves and their lives and investigate the crime.

“The focus on a father who is now left alone with his children and how difficult it is for him to deal with it.”

AND WHAT DOES MANNING SAY?

“He doesn’t seem quite himself. He’s still down and grumpy, but he’s always been a late worker, always in the office, but seems to flirt out of the office and take private calls quite often.

“The team starts to get suspicious, and he becomes the subject of office gossip that he might be seeing someone else.”

WHAT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MANNING AND JENN IN THIS SERIES?

“It was really good that we started Jenn last year who was brilliant. Tony gained respect for who she is.

“She’s obviously very good at her job and that’s what he wants. It felt like he was pretty easy on her last year.

“This time he’s very happy to go hard on her because she’s part of the team now. There is a respect there and they get along really well.”

THEN WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THIS SERIES?

“I have a strong feeling that it’s our best yet. What I love is that you never feel like you’re walking through formulaic drama. Each series feels like a new show.

“Our guest stars are the most important people in each series, we are there to make these great stories of tragedy possible.

“This year is another, more complex case, one that involves more than one crime.

“It’s richer and deeper than we’ve done with our characters before, and there’s more for people to absorb.”

ITV’s The Bay returns on STV on Wednesday at 9pm and the series will also stream on ITVX.