From Yahoo Entertainment news:

Sun Hill actress Melanie Kilburn is thrilled that her on-screen alter ego Laura Bryant has finally made it as a police constable.

"She came into the show as just a woman on a council estate many moons ago, who was supporting Gabriel when he was doing his vigilante police work," says The Bill actress. "As a result of that she decided to apply to be a special officer. And although the evil copper tried to wrong-foot her in the early days, Smithy saw her full potential and really encouraged her."

Finally, on Wednesday August 24, she reaches a turning point, when the character enjoys her first day as a fully fledged Pc in the popular ITV1 series.

"Now she's very pleased to be a Pc," she said, adding that it means fresh challenges for her, too: "You have much more fun things to do as a fully paid up policewoman."

"I can arrest people and handcuff them - which I've thoroughly enjoyed and have already done several times a day. Our police adviser said I was much better than the boys, which pleased me greatly."

Melanie originally joined the cast as a guest artist and when asked to go full-time she "couldn't work out how on earth Laura Bryant on the Cole Lane estate would become a regular at Sun Hill nick."

Over the years, Melanie has clocked up numerous roles on TV, including stints on Soldier, Soldier, Where The Heart Is, Down To Earth and Peak Practice.

Before landing a role in The Bill, her most high-profile part was playing Coronation Street's notorious Eve Sykes, who wasted little time in getting her claws into the hapless Fred Elliott.

"When you join something like the Street or EastEnders, which are on the telly three or four nights a week, all year around, you become instantly recognisable," she said.

Although Melanie's time in Weatherfield proved to be relatively short-lived - just under 18 months in all - she still has fond memories of her time there, saying: "Oh, it was great. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It was so interesting, and really that was because of the part I had to play. She was a great character. And they didn't kill me off. So you never know - those stilettos could crack down the cobbles once more."