Monton's Sinead Moynihan stars in the ace drama comedy series, Drop Dead Gorgeous as a glam model travelling the world.  But who needs the world when you can shop 'til you drop on the Precinct ?

Sinead Moynihan was a normal Salford girl who got spotted by a talent scout in a local café and became a top model.  Then she was spotted by a tv exec and won the starring part in Drop Dead Gorgeous…playing a normal girl who gets spotted by a talent scout and becomes a top model… 

The show was a huge hit on BBC3 earlier in the year, and is currently being repeated on BBC1 before the new series is aired in September. Sinead's about to become a megastar – but she's still got to get the shopping in….

Do you come here often ?

We used to live in Winton and come shopping on the Precinct with our weekly amount of money, which wasn't very much. We'd go to Iceland and a butchers and then we'd go to Marks and Sparks for a treat.  It was funny, I liked it.  I also used to come on the bus with my friends from school and we'd get chips and trainers and stuff.  I grew up around here…

Did you go nicking ?

Loads of people I knew did, but I never stole anything, I wasn't brave enough !   Even though I was a tearaway and naughty I was dead scared of my mum – and still am – and she said that if I ever got caught doing that she'd kill me.  I was more scared of my mum than the police.

So where do you go shopping now – Harvey Nicks ?  Selfridges ?

I hate it when people who have got somewhere or are earning a bit of money don't go where they used to – I still go to Aldi and Netto with my little boy, Dylan, and stick him in the trolley.

So what delights of the Precinct are you after today?

I think I'd better get my nana something for her garden as Dylan takes everything out of it.  It's a good job she's not here…she stops and looks at everything, even things she would never buy.  But she's great, she helps everyone out in Monton, and goes around all the nursing homes in Eccles doing Holy Communion and stuff. 

My boyfriend's from Salford, so I'll get him a Salford Star t-shirt, definitely. I'm also looking for a few summery dresses and tops for myself.  It's hard to get jeans because I've got long legs but I saw a really nice top that would be good for the beach – an orange, ginghamy thing.  I love Audrey Hepburn so I'm looking for a picture of her – she's my icon.  I wear the perfume she used to wear, even though I don't like it that much…you'd think I'd know better at 25 but I don't.

The Precinct's about to be tarted up and the area's getting a makeover, how does it feel ?

I never thought Salford would become like this.  I suppose it was inevitable that it would happen one day but the house prices are ridiculous.  It's really bad, I don't know how anyone can afford to buy one.  I looked at houses in Broughton Green and couldn't believe how expensive they were…and there's too many flats now

All for the BBC no doubt…

I don't know whether people will necessarily relocate from the BBC in London because they're used to living there and to come up here is a bit of a shock.  It would be good to give the jobs to people from this area and they should give apprenticeships to kids and train them up. If they're coming in and taking over the whole of Salford, they should give that opportunity back to people.

Did you always want to be an actress ?

Me ?  Nah, I didn't do drama or anything at school.  I never took any lessons in it or anything like that.  I went to Eccles College and did Creative Writing, Psychology and English Language but I couldn't be bothered going and they threw me out.  My mum was like `They've thrown you out !'…and I was, like, 'Oh well'.

I was modelling for years and then someone saw my picture on the net and asked me to audition for this part – it was my first audition and I got it.  It's great because the series is shot on location in Salford and stars three people from Salford – me, Andy Knor and Linzey Cocker, who plays my sister.  We never knew each other before we auditioned and then I found out that Linzey's nana lives behind my nana.  In the series we have a massive fall out and it tears the family apart…

So are you going to be mega or what, after Gorgeous is shown ?

I'm hoping to get into presenting because I like doing that…and I never shut up…