Coronation Street fans are about to see one of Weatherfield’s younger stars branch out and she’s doing it with another soap favourite by her side. Sydney Martin aka Betsy Swain, has teamed up with a Hollyoaks regular for an upcoming project that brings two rising soap talents together in a completely different story.
Sydney Martin Teams Up With Hollyoaks’ Isabelle Smith
Martin has joined forces with Hollyoaks actor Isabelle Smith for a brand-new role away from the cobbles. The pair will star together in the short film Favourite, marking their first on-screen collaboration.
Martin has played Betsy Swain on Coronation Street since June 2024, where viewers have watched her character navigate tense situations involving her mum Lisa and possible stepmother Carla Connor. She will continue on the ITV soap, but this project lets her explore a different kind of storytelling.
Isabelle Smith joins her as co-lead in the film. Director Georgia Leigh-Taylor announced the casting on Instagram, and Martin quickly shared the post, telling followers she “couldn’t wait” to get started.
Leigh-Taylor highlighted the connection between the actresses, explaining that they trained at the same acting school and have both built professional TV careers since 2024 while taking on powerful storylines and gaining recognition.
Their Real-Life Friendship Shapes The Story
In Favourite, Martin and Smith play Mel and Ashley during the characters’ teenage years in scenes set in 2012. The film also follows them later as adults in a dual-timeline narrative about friendship.
The director said she felt especially lucky casting them because they are genuine best friends off screen. She said she was excited to watch their natural chemistry unfold on camera.
The project is set for release next year. And Leigh-Taylor previously revealed that casting for three additional roles would begin soon. While Martin remains in Weatherfield and Smith continues in Chester, their collaboration gives fans a rare crossover moment. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Coronation Street spoilers.