Kellie Shirley talks Idris Elba and bringing up twins
We caught up with Kellie Shirley to talk hanging out with Idris Elba, bringing up twins, and running for Barbara Windsor…
Kellie Shirley, 38, was born in Croydon and started her career at the National Youth Theatre, going on to juggle acting with TV presenting. She played Carly Wicks in
EastEnders from 2006 to 2008, and made a return to Walford in 2012 for a brief but dramatic storyline. As one of ‘Barbara’s Revolutionaries’, she’s raising money for Alzheimer’s Research in honour of her friend and former co-star, Dame Barbara Windsor…
Hi Kellie. So, tell us about The Long Run – we hear it’s back for series two?
It is! We’re running for the six weeks up to Christmas and then there’s a special on Christmas Day. It’s vibrant and fun – the episodes are only 25 minutes, so you can race through them.
Isn’t this Idris Elba’s pet project?
Yes. It is about Idris’s life – he’s based it all on his family background. That’s why he’s so passionate about it, I think, as he wants it to be perfect. He plays Walter, a character based on his own dad and it’s based on his early days in London after arriving from Sierra Leone.
It sounds like an absolute dream gig…
Oh it really is – it’s a great part. We film it just up the road from my house and it’s set in the ’80s, so the costumes are amazing. It’s the full shebang – scrunchies, power dressing, shoulder pads, satins, you name it. It’s really hard to pick a favourite, but I have some great accessories –some unbelievable earrings and really over-the-top make-up. And I get to have a perm! What more could you want?
What is your character like?
I play Kirsty De La Croix. She is a mum, married to Bill Bailey’s character, Bagpipes, and they have a toddler – who is mixed race, so clearly she’s played away at some stage. But I don’t want to spoil the storyline, so I won’t say too much!
You look like you have a lot of fun filming?
We really do. It’s the best. The scripts are great, we have an amazing bunch of writers – Bill Bailey is fantastic, Madeleine Appiah, who plays my best mate in it, is off the scale she’s so good and we have some lovely kids or young adults playing the next generation.
What is it like working with Idris Elba? Amazing! He’s really good at getting people involved. I mean, obviously, he is the busiest man in the world – smashing it in everything he does – his music, his clothing brand, being an actor and director. He’s just very inspiring to be around.
But he seems quite downto-earth at the same time…
He is! And that is what is so great about him. It is just what everyone should be like.
You have twins, Louise and Pearl. You must have your hands full!
I do! They’ve just turned four and they’re blossoming into little human beings. It’s just the best. We’re very lucky.
And how are you balancing it with work?
Well my husband [writer Phil Davies] is fantastic. It is proper team work and, if I didn’t have him, it would be really hard. But it’s always a juggle, isn’t it?
You’re good friends with Barbara Windsor. How’s she doing?
Well, obviously, with her Alzheimer’s, she’s going through a really tough time, but she’s so dignified with it, so warm and keen on helping others. Because she is such a lovely woman, everyone is rallying around and wants to get involved with the Dementia Revolution campaign.
When did you first meet?
About 15 years ago. When I was at EastEnders, she was my mentor, and now both she and her husband, Scott, are really good friends. When I come up to town for auditions and stuff, I’ll pop in for a cup of tea and tell her how I got on. She knows so much, she’s got so many stories – I love being in her company. She has an infectious personality. She and Scott are a beautiful couple.
It is such an important issue, isn’t it?
I just hope there is a cure in my children’s lifetime. The truly frightening thing is that, at the moment, one in three of us will get dementia. The government needs to invest in finding a cure now. For those who need our help and for our children’s futures.
In the Long Run is on Sky One and Now TV from Oct 16. Kellie is supporting the Glow Walk, see www.memorywalk.org.uk
‘My twins have just turned four and they’re blossoming into little human beings. It’s just the best’