Being in a wheelchair is a small part of my life. It has just made me more determined
Actress reveals delight at being nominated for top TV award
Actress Amy Conachan has revealed her joy at being nominated for a top TV award – and says having to use a wheelchair has inspired her can-do spirit.
Amy, 27, has been nominated for Best Actress at the British Soap Awards, to be screened live on ITV in early June.
Despite having joined Hollyoaks less than two years ago, she is on the prestigious list alongside veteran big names such as Catherine Tyldesley, Letitia Dean, Lacey Turner and Natalie J. Robb.
And Amy, from Erskine, reckons having spent her life in a wheelchair is behind her never-give-up attitude.
“It impacts every part of my life but I don’t notice it as much as other people as I’ve always been this way,” said Amy, who has a rare spinal condition.
“It’s definitely given me a determination and stubbornness – I want to prove people wrong.
“It’s not that I’ve always come up against people saying I can’t do things or it won’t happen for me because I’m in a wheelchair.
“But it is in me to want to prove myself more, and if I do choose to do something I’m determined to do it to the best of my ability.”
Amy says she never thought she couldn’t make it as an actress.
She started out at Paisley’s PACE youth theatre, attended by James Mcavoy and Games of Thrones star Richard Madden, before being inspired at Reid Kerr College to earn a place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
When she joined Hollyoaks as feisty science teacher Courtney Campbell, little mention was even made of being in a wheelchair.
“I think it was about a year before there was any storyline that really focused on it,” said Amy. “And that was the story about Courtney being pregnant.
“If it had been earlier, I think I’d have been worried that it just was about the character being in a wheelchair and I was determined that shouldn’t be the case.
“But if I was to get pregnant in real life it would be something that would have to be addressed, so that was fine.” There has been a growing presence of actors with disabilities on mainstream TV soaps and dramas, but Amy is hoping for further progress.
“We are getting there, but we still need more representation on screen.
“And we also need more interesting stories. I think people are a bit bored with the whole ‘woe is me, it’s a shame I’m in a wheelchair’ thing.
“That’s a misrepresentation of life as a disabled person. I’ve had a very positive experience and view being in a wheelchair as a small part of my life.” The unnecessary difficulties facing disabled people was highlighted recently by BBC correspondent Frank Gardner who was stranded on a plane for 90 minutes after his wheelchair was lost by the airline.
Amy feels there has been progress but she is still shocked when she comes up against discrimination.
Voting for the final shortlist closes on Tuesday and, while Amy’s twin sister Joanne is her biggest fan who records every episode, it is mum Karen who is in full campaigning mode.
“She called me the other day to say she’d sent the voting link to about
– Actress Amy Conachan 1500 people. I was saying, ‘Mum, you need to calm down,’” laughed Amy.
However the Soap Awards turn out, Amy is aware she has been a real inspiration to others.
“I get a lot of messages from people saying watching me makes them think they can do it too,” she adds. “It’s lovely to hear.
“But I’d really like people to watch Hollyoaks and just think, ‘I like her, she’s a good actress.”
You can vote for your favourites at britishsoapawards.tv