Desperate Measures star reacts to Varisha's big decision in episode 2

Rowan's finances won't cover the debt and she isn't eligible for a loan, so there's only one option: rob the bank where she works.

As part of her plan, she plants a hidden camera on the jacket of her colleague Varisha, who accompanies the branch manger to the vault with the deposits from the the safes beneath the tills.

To carry out the heist, Rowan needs to know exactly what happens in the underbelly of the bank and the footage from the camera will give her that crucial insight.

But her plan hits a wall when Varisha discovers the camera.

"What are you thinking?!" she asks Rowan. "I could go to jail for this. How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends."

After Varisha urges Rowan to go to the police, she informs her that she can't be a part of her scheme. But later that day, Varisha's mum, whose dementia is worsening, is severely injured after an accident – which sees Varisha throw her hat in the ring.

With the money from the robbery, she will be able to afford the care that her mum desperately needs, giving the pair of them some respite from their current woes.

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Speaking to RadioTimes.com about Varisha's decision, Sunetra Sarker said: "There are a lot of people who cannot afford to put their parents who need full-time care in the right places, in a place where they feel comfortable.

"This is absolutely rife. Unless you win the lottery, you're not going to be able to do it, so when you see an opportunity which perhaps means your life can move on, there's a reality there.

"We're all facing a lot of new challenges financially and these are questions that people consider. How am I going to make it work?"

She added: "The gun isn't held to Varisha's head. She sees the opportunity and goes with it."

Sarker went on to say that the thriller raises an important question about the status of women who are middle-aged and beyond: "They get a job, they've been there for a while and then all of a sudden, they aren't top of the tree anymore. There's not that same security for women of a certain age.

"So to show some of the concerns that women have as they get older, staying in a job, and to show the sisterhood of friendship in work, that's really important."

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Desperate Measures continues tomorrow night at 9pm on Channel 5. Looking for something else to watch? Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage.

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