‘Chelle of a year for me
The actress’s last 12 months have seen sadness and real joy. She tells Jenny Morrison why her theatre tour will bring more smiles
ACTRESS Michelle Collins has had a rollercoaster year.
From losing her mum to getting engaged, the actress best known as EastEnders’ Cindy Beale has experienced 12 months of both the best and worst of real-life drama. She prefers the stage version, though.
Michelle, 59, who also played Rovers Return landlady Stella Price in Coronation Street, said: “It’s been horrible.
“A really good friend of mine died of Covid and I was quite ill for a while. We lost my mum, Mary, 80, a year ago.
“She had cancer. She was diagnosed a couple of years ago and couldn’t have her immunotherapy treatment through lockdown. She was on a trial and it was really keeping her going.
“She was the strongest, kindest woman I knew. Fierce, protective, passionate, clever, funny, articulate. She gave (my sister) Vicky and I our drive and hunger for life. We had her for all those years, we were lucky.”
Nine months on from being in hospital herself Michelle looks a picture of health, and has just got engaged to long-term partner Mike Davidson.
Mike, 38, popped the question while the pair were on a hike on holiday in Los Angeles.
Revealing the surprise proposal on social media, Michelle posted a photo showing off her diamond ring, and said: “So this happened in LA.
“He got down on bended knee while we were on the top of Temescal Canyon – basically no one else around, just us. It’s beautiful and I’m happy.
“Ten years this April – about time, I think.”
After two years of coronavirus restrictions Michelle is delighted that audiences are flocking back to theatres.
The former soap star, who spent 10 years playing Ian Beale’s adulteress wife, is currently touring the country as Miss Scarlett in new stage show Cluedo, which is inspired by the classic Hasbro detective board game and based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn.
Michelle said: “It’s the perfect climate for something feelgood like this.
“Because of lockdown people have gone back to board games.
“Cluedo was invented during World
War II, when people were stuck at home during air raids.
“As a child, me and my sister would stay with my five cousins and we’d all fight for the part of Miss Scarlett. Because I’m the bossy one, I would always get it.
“She is one of the most iconic characters, along with Colonel Mustard and Professor Plum.
“Like most women, she has more going on than you see on the surface. “She has a history. She’s very smart, looks glam and dressed up, but she’s the smart cookie.” The show tells the story of a group of disparate people who turn up at a mansion one stormy night at the behest of the one person they have in common – their blackmailer. Michelle, who owns pet rescue dogs Humphrey and Peggy, said: “I’m so excited to be doing Cluedo. Usually I would think a six-month tour, that’s so long, but it’s going to fly by. “Touring can be hard but you get used to living out of a suitcase and my partner will come and see me.
“It’s just the doggies that are the problem. Some theatres are dog-friendly and people are nicer about animals than they used to be, so you just play it by ear.”
Michelle, who is mum to Maia, 25, is performing alongside a cast including Midsomer Murders’ star Daniel Casey as Professor Plum, Wesley Griffith as Colonel Mustard, Etisyai Philip as Mrs White, Judith Amsenga as Mrs Peacock and Tom Babbage as Rev Green.
She said: “I think people are really excited to be getting back to some kind of normality.”
Does that normality include Miss Scarlett killing her blackmailer in the library with a revolver? Or Professor Plum in the study with a candlestick?
Michelle said: “You’ll just have to come along and find out.” ● Cluedo is on at Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre up to and including Saturday, May 14, and Glasgow Theatre Royal from July 4 to 9. For tickets, visit cluedostageplay.com