Tamzin Outhwaite shares personal connection she felt to her role in Channel 5's The Wives

Tamzin Outhwaite felt a deep connection with her character Sylvie in the new Channel 5 series 'The Wives'.

The ex ‘EastEnders’ actress, 53, stars as a housewife looking into the death of her sister-in-law in the new series, and she could "really relate" to her character having a "rebirth post-divorce".

Tamzin - who has kids Flo, 16, and Marnie, 12, with her ex husband, Tom Ellis - told OK! magazine: "Sylvie talks about the fact that she’s having a midlife crisis. I don’t think she really is.

"I think she’s having a rebirth post-divorce and this is the beginning of her new life. So I could really relate to that."

Tamzin is joined on the programme by fellow soap icons Jo Joyner, known for her role as Tanya Branning in ‘EastEnders’, and Angela Griffin, who gained fame as Fiona Middleton in ‘Coronation Street’.

She teased of the new series: “It’s a feminine feast of friendship and fatalities with a little sprinkle of vodka and tequila.

"The twists and turns are quite unexpected after episode one.”

However, the actress was attracted to the project for more than just the opportunity to work with her close friends abroad.

She described her character, Sylvie, as "Samantha from ‘Sex and the City’", and said the character played an important role in the representation of females on television.

Tamzin explained: "The majority of the people that are watching TV are women of a certain age and we don't often see ourselves on TV. For me, I thought these relationships are brilliant.

"I love the women, I love the fact that it's about the women and I love their relationships. I thought the characters were really well drawn."