MICHELLE Keegan took the lead in her first role since Coronation Street in tonight's episode of Ordinary Lies.

The 27-year-old plays Tracy in the Warrington-based drama with the focus this week being on her clubbing holiday to Ibiza.

Or so her car showroom colleagues think because she and Viv (Cherelle Skeet) are actually off to the Dominican Republic.

At first it appears that the pair are enjoying a free holiday courtesy of Tracy's boyfriend Jimmy, better known by his catchy alter ego 'DJ Strangewaves'.

It is also an excuse for the show's producers to get Michelle in a bikini.

But, of course, the 'free' holiday comes with a price – Tracy and Viv have somehow been convinced to smuggle drugs over the border with some very tense scenes.

Ordinary Lies is about how a mistruth can spiral out of control and explores what happens when a secret bubbles to the surface.

Most viewers agreed that Jason Manford's character's conundrum was pretty dark when he said his wife died to get himself out of a scrape at work in last week's episode.

But Tracy's dilemma is truly bleak in comparison and shows that Ordinary Lies creator Danny Brocklehurst can shift the series' tone to fit the characters' individual stories.

Speaking of Jason, unfortunately where the episode falls down is in the follow-up to his character Marty's story.

You might expect him to be fired or at least suspended after lying to his boss in such a dramatic way but he and his colleagues act as if nothing had happened.

There was nothing to acknowledge the farcical situation apart from a half-hearted exchange between Marty and Grace (Rebecca Callard).

Episode two also continues with Jo Joyner's story as head of admin Beth.

After last week's revelation that her missing husband Dave was getting suspicious late night calls from her colleague Marianne (Manjinder Virk), the pair lock horns.

This also leads into a cliffhanger but what was admirable about the episode was that Tracy and Viv's story was left very much unresolved with more to come.

There are plenty of funny moments to enjoy in the episode too.

Tracy's boyfriend proves how thoughtful he is by buying her a cherry flavour laxative and Viv shows who is boss by insisting she cannot be searched by customs because 'I'm English'.

Then there's the moment Kathy (Sally Lindsay) brings her 'heartbroken' dog to work.

- Episode three of Ordinary Lies is on March 31 at 9pm on BBC One and focuses on PA Kathy.