After joining Central Junior Television Workshop at the age of 13, she was soon being offered small-screen roles such as Clare Anderson in the first series of Lucy Gannon's "Soldier Soldier" and also Mandy, in an episode of "Boon" —both were ITV Central productions. Moving to London at sixteen, Morton applied to numerous drama schools, including RADA, without success. In 1991, she attended Clarendon College of Performing Arts to gain a BTEC award but subsequently left for personal reasons. She made her stage début at the Royal Court Theatre, and continued her television career with appearances in "Peak Practice" and in an episode of "Cracker". At the time, she had a regular role in the first two series of Kay Mellor's successful "Band of Gold" (1995–96).