‘I love playing Kat – she’s a part of me’
Eastenders spin-off Redwater is finally here – hurrah! Star Jessie Wallace, 45, tells Closer what to expect…
In Kat And Alfie: Redwater, kat and Alfie are transported to a sleepy fishing village in ireland in search of kat’s long-lost son [fans will remember that at just 14, kat gave birth to twins after being raped by her uncle Harry]… Jessie: This is a new chapter for Kat [Jessie] and Alfie [Shane Richie]. It’s about finding out who Kat’s son is and building a relationship with him. There are some emotional scenes, but I can’t give too much away! You’re a long way from Walford, with the “dark and gritty” Redwater being likened to Broadchurch. How different was it to being on Eastenders? It was completely different – this was more like doing a movie. You have plenty of time to work on a scene, so it was more laid-back. On Eastenders, you’re filming up to 26 scenes a day so it’s very fast. I love Kat, though. I’ve played her for so long and she’s a big part of me. I don’t want to say goodbye to her, really. kat gets a new look, as well… Yeah, she looks a bit different now! Kat’s
more bohemian with the long hair; there’s no trace of leopard-print, PVC or red lippie any more! We wanted something softer, and I loved this look because it’s more like how I dress and the clothes are more comfortable to spend the day in! Do you and shane enjoy working together? We just know each other so well, on and off screen. The very first scene we did together was when Alfie came into The Vic and started making all these fancy cocktails at the bar, throwing stuff in the air. Then Kat comes in, he smiles at her, and she’s like: “Tsk!” All the crew were watching on the monitors, saying: “These two should be together!” He makes me laugh all the time, though we’re like brother and sister – we’ll argue and then not talk to each other for a few days. so, is it more fun filming on the irish coast than london’s east end? I just fell in love with the place, and the weather while we were filming was great. I even went into the sea – but it was freezing! I got brain freeze and couldn’t even talk…