Amber Harrison Interview

Recently nominated for Best Scripted Comedy at the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards, ITV’s G’wed has been a revelation since its release last February. Praised for its distinctive blend of heart and humour, and authentic depiction of life for working-class Merseyside teenagers, the first series had been streamed nearly five million times by mid-April.

We caught up with West Derby-born actor Amber Harrison, who plays Aimee on the show, to discuss her reaction to its runaway success and to find out what we can expect from the highly anticipated third series

Words | Lawrence Saunders

When did your journey to becoming an actor begin?

I first met my drama teacher, Sherril Parsons, at St Edward’s College before joining her drama school, YULA. When I started secondary school, I hadn’t initially planned to pursue drama, but as I took more lessons, my interest grew. Both my older sisters had done drama at St Edward’s, and my mum encouraged me to do the same.

How did you land the role of Aimee in G’wed?

I’d never auditioned for anything before G’wed. My mum messaged Sherril and asked, ‘If you get any auditions, will you send one over=for Amber?’ Within three weeks, G’wed popped up, and Sherril thought I should go for it. I sent in a short personality tape, followed by two self-tapes for Aimee and Mia-Louise. After that, I was called back for two in-person auditions and ended up being cast as Aimee! During the chemistry read, I was the only one who had been given a role at that point, so I had to keep it quiet. I was actually the first person to be cast.

The first series was a massive success when it launched on ITVX last February – with almost five million streams by the middle of April. Did you think the show was going to be that popular? And how did it feel when you realised how well it was being received?

Honestly, no, I didn’t think it would be as popular as it has been, mainly because of how other scouse shows had been received in the past. We were all nervous but hopeful because we knew we had something special. Before it came out, we posted a little teaser clip on Twitter, and it got so much hate – we thought, ‘Oh no, this isn’t going to go well.’ But once G’wed was finally released, we were absolutely over the moon with the reaction it got – the feedback was so positive.

It’s clear there’s a real bond between all the cast members, both on and off screen. Was that chemistry immediate from the first day of filming, or did it take time to develop?

It was there straight away, 100%. We had a rehearsal week where everyone was together every day, and we really gelled. That week helped us so much when we started filming because we already had such a strong bond. We got on like a house on fire! When you put a group of people together, you can’t always expect them to click, but we just bounced off each other. I see them every week – we’re in each other’s pockets! These people are like my second family, and I don’t think the show would be as good if we didn’t have such a great relationship. It’s so rewarding to see how well everyone is doing.

Aimee navigates complex issues involving family, finances, and relationships, all while pursuing her aspirations in acting. How was it diving into the different aspects of Aimee’s journey? Were there any particular scenes or moments that stood out to you as especially challenging or rewarding?

As an actor, it’s a dream to have a role that lets you be funny while also tapping into the emotional side of things. For my first acting job, it was amazing! Aimee’s relationship with her dad always stands out to me – it’s so special. They’re incredibly close, and she knows she can go to him about anything. No matter what he’s going through, she knows he’ll always be there for her. It’s them two against the world!

Are there any aspects of Aimee’s character that you see in yourself?

We’re both very family-oriented and really value our relationships with family and friends. Aimee is also very driven, and I’d like to think we share that quality too.

The third series of G’wed starts filming this summer – do you know yet what Danny Kenny has planned for Aimee in the upcoming episodes?

I know little bits and bobs! Danny is brilliant, and we trust him to get it right. We have Zoom calls with him where we discuss the storylines we’d like for our characters, which I think is really important. Having that input allows us to truly grow with our characters – it’s very inclusive. We’ll have little conversations with him about our characters and their journeys, and then he’ll come back to us with what he’s developed.

Away from G’wed, you’ve also got a role in This City Is Ours. Can you tell us a bit about your character and what it was like being part of such a big production with so many brilliant actors?

It was amazing! I play Young Diana, and Hannah Onslow plays Diana. Hannah is such a lovely person and a brilliant actress. I’m so glad I got to play the younger version of her – she’s just unreal. It’s another Liverpool-based show, and it’s great to see our city doing so well in the film and TV scene at the moment.

Do you have any set goals for your career? Aimee dreams of becoming the first person from Merseyside to win an Oscar since Glenda Jackson in 1973 – do you share that ambition?

Maybe one day… a girl can dream!

The first two series of G’wed are available to stream on ITVX now

Image: Golden Path Productions

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