They ANSWER!
JIMMY ESSEX Hollyoaks’ Adam Donovan ...faces your questions!
Adam is the go-to man if you want your barnet styled – but how will 32-year-old star Jimmy manage to deal with our readers’ hair-raising questions?
“Who is your best friend among the Hollyoaks cast?”
Me and Jess Ellis, who plays Tegan, get along really well. She took me under her wing from day one, so even though we’re never really on screen together, she’s the person I get along with the most. She’s so funny, and we like the same sort of rubbish TV. We both like documentaries – the weirder the better!
“What’s it like having Lisa Maxwell [Tracey] as your screen mum?”
It was surreal at first, because I’ve seen her on telly for years. Her first day was a bit nerve-wracking for me, but as time’s gone on I’ve got to know her really well. Now it’s just like having another mate on set. I’ve been to her house, and we meet up outside of work. She’s got a lot of experience in the business, so it’s nice to pick her brain.
“What’s the naughtiest thing your dog has ever done?”
“Can you tell us a secret about working with Nikki Sanderson, who plays Maxine?”
Nikki has boy humour – she loves anything to do with farting! She’s also got the funniest laugh you’ll ever hear. I can’t even explain what it sounds like, but when you hear it you’ll never forget it!
“Adam is a whizz with the curling tongs – but how would you fare if one of your cast mates asked you to do their hair?”
I’d panic! When we started the show, we had some lessons, just to make it look as if we knew what we were doing. But I think if I were them, I wouldn’t let me anywhere near their hair! I cut my own hair as I haven’t got any so it’s easy just to shave it. I don’t think anyone in the cast would ever ask me to do theirs, though.
“Who would win a fight between the Donovan brothers?”
As characters, Adam would definitely clinch it. But in real life, Luke Jerdy – who plays Jesse – would absolutely kick my butt! Having said that, Grace is definitely scarier than any of her brothers. And I think that in real life Tamara Wall [who plays Grace] would be able to beat us all up as well!
“I saw on Instagram recently that you went on a trip to New York. What was your favourite thing about the city?”
“Can you tell us a secret about Nikki Sanderson [Maxine]?”
The food! I’m a big foodie, and we ate out all the time – we spent a fortune, but the food was insane. Other than that, just seeing the landmarks was fantastic as it feels as if you’re walking around a film set the whole time. Being able to share that with my partner was amazing – it was the best trip of my life.
“What’s it like working with the little boy who plays Toby?”
His name is Lucas, and he’s so confident – he’s really, really fun. We mess around a lot on set. On one of our first days filming together, I hid behind a box in Price Slice and was going to make him jump, but I headbutted the box and cut my head open! So he brings out the kid in me and I get in trouble!
“What do you make of Adam’s dress sense since he won big on the scratch card?”
It’s ridiculous! He and Maxine have pushed the boat out with what they’re wearing – but they’re tacky really, aren’t they? They think the bigger the better, but it’s not, unfortunately. And the decor in their new house definitely
reflects their taste in clothes.
“If you could cast any actor in Hollyoaks, who would it be and why?”
My favourite actor is James Mcavoy, I think he’s so cool. Everything he does just blows me away. So maybe he could pop up in Hollyoaks as a longlost Donovan brother.
“Is it true that you were once on The X Factor?”
Yes… but I’m a bit embarrassed about it! I shouldn’t be, but it makes me cringe when I look back now. It was incredible, though. I was in it the same year as Rachel [Adedeji, aka Lisa], so I knew her from The X
Factor – and now we’re
in Hollyoaks together!
“What would be your go-to song on a karaoke night?”
I’m a cringe karaoke singer! I always tell myself that I’m not going to sing karaoke, and then as soon as I get a drink I’m like, “Yeah, go on, I’ll get up!”. Me and Jess Ellis do it the whole time – she always sings Valerie by Amy Winehouse, and I’ll do a Michael Bublé song. I think I’m a right little jazz singer!
“What’s the naughtiest thing your dog Stevie has ever done?”
When I was house-training her, she chewed up a few things that she l’m a big fantasy buff, so I’d love to be a superhero! My favourites are Spiderman and Speed, the guy that runs really fast. I’ve always liked the idea of being able to get everywhere really quickly. So to be in any kind of Marvel film or supernatural show would be my absolute dream. shouldn’t have – she chewed my speakers! I got given these really, really nice speakers for my birthday, and I came home one day and she was just sat there with big bits of speaker in her mouth! She was young so I couldn’t tell her off, but I was really angry. I didn’t speak to her for a while.
“What’s the best night out that you’ve ever had with the Hollyoaks cast?”
Halloween! I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Halloween party like that where everyone goes all out – people do their make-up, and the costumes are absolutely brilliant. I went as Frank-nfurter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, so I was in a pair of pants and some massive heels. It made me really respect women that night, because I could not walk around in a pair of heels. It was horrible – my feet were killing me!
“What would be your dream job if you weren’t in Hollyoaks?” …asks reader Tracy Wills, via email