You Ask… Kate Spencer
KATE SPENCER Corrie’s Grace Vickers ...faces your questions!
“Did you always want to get into acting?”
As bad girl Grace, Corrie’s Kate served up a shock soap twist with the truth about baby Tiana’s parentage – but are there surprises in store as she answers your questions?
“Did you always know that Grace would return after the truth was revealed about Tiana?”
I didn’t! I knew the secret that Tiana wasn’t Grace’s baby, but it wasn’t until I read the script where she was pregnant again that I realised, ‘Oh, I think she’ll be back!’ It was really exciting because Coronation Street is an incredible place to work.
I also really wanted to
explore different parts of Grace’s personality, and find out who she is!
“We loved the big twist with Tiana! Were you expecting such a massive reaction?”
I was a bit nervous about what the reaction would be! But I had an operation two days beforehand, and I was on vocal rest. I remember watching it with my mum and she was so shocked, and I couldn’t say anything to her! I had loads of messages too, but I couldn’t leave voice notes because I couldn’t speak. It was an amazing, yet really weird, time.
“What’s the best thing about working with Lorna Laidlaw [aka Aggie]?”
She’s just hilarious, and she has so much energy! Lorna is lots of fun, but she has a strong work ethic too, and that’s great for me because I’m still learning the job. Apart from one episode of Doctors, Coronation Street is my first TV role, and working with Lorna, I feel as if I’m in the company of acting royalty. She comes up with amazing suggestions on how to play scenes, and she’s a joy to watch.
“When you joined who were you most excited to meet?”
Corrie,
Sally Dynevor [Sally Metcalfe], because I’d met her before in America. I did a semester at Columbia University in Chicago, and I saw Sally in a restaurant over there. My mum is a huge Corrie fan, so I asked Sally for her autograph to give to her. She wrote it on a napkin, and I held on to it for three months until I came home. I don’t think Sally remembered me, it was nine years ago!
“Did you always want to act?”
Dancing was my first love. Mum tells me that I wanted to be a dancer in music videos when I was younger. But when I got to secondary school and
started drama class, I was like, “This is it. This is what I want to do!” I love being able to tell stories and to be in somebody else’s shoes. I also love being able to say things that I’d never normally say, with no consequences – and Grace has a lot of those lines!
“Is your boyfriend in the acting industry as well, and does he help you rehearse your lines?”
No, Paul is a coach and used to be a pro athlete. He does help me with my lines, though – which was handy when I did my self-tape for the Corrie audition. He played Michael, and got quite into it. He loves it. If I’m in a scene with Michael and Aggie, for example, he’ll do different voices for them. His Aggie is quite highpitched, and it can be really distracting when I’m just trying to learn lines. It’s very different from Lorna’s interpretation of the character!
“Where’s your favourite place to go on holiday?”
Just when I started filming Corrie, I had a holiday to Belize and Barbados. In Belize, I went sky-diving, which was a lot warmer than doing one in Nottingham where I live. My favourite holidays were with my family when I was younger. We had a caravan and we’d travel around Europe. There was one where we drove through France, Germany and Switzerland – that was incredible. I’m very close to my family and those trips were so much fun.
“With Grace pregnant, are you excited about working with a newborn baby?”
I’m excited and a bit terrified. The little girl who played Tiana was eight months old when I started, so a newborn will be a bit scarier. But it’s an amazing opportunity for me to learn, and I love taking those chances. I don’t have any children myself, although I have a little goddaughter who I haven’t seen in ages because of the restrictions,
I am. I actually lost four stone about five years ago, partly through training and also eating better. I love running, and I did five half-marathons in 2020 – I ran one this morning too! I have the Hamilton soundtrack and Jason Derulo on my running playlist. I’ve been doing some boxing with my boyfriend during lockdown as well, but I’m not a good student, and he’s a pro. I always think I know better! and I miss her. She’s just started speaking and her mum has sent me videos of her recognising me on television, which is so sweet!
“Do you reckon Grace is winning over Corrie viewers now that she’s turned over a new leaf ?”
I hope so, because they are seeing a different side to her now. The reason Grace did what she did with Tiana was because she was so broken and hurt after her miscarriage. Now she’s pregnant again, the baby is her priority and I think that’s definitely coming across. Grace isn’t all bad!
“Where’s your fave place to go on holiday?” “Is it true that you are a big fan of running and exercise?” …asks reader Tilly Sains from Basingstoke