‘I’ve never been the type to dream of a wedding’
Emmerdale actress Olivia Bromley on real-life romance, her character Dawn’s big day and wardrobe malfunctions
Olivia Bromley is set to have her moment in the spotlight as wedding bells ring in the Dales for Dawn and Billy. The couple are due to marry on Valentine’s Day, but with Emmerdale’s vengeful psychopath Meena (Paige Sandhu) still on the loose and Dawn’s ex Alex (Liam Boyle) desperate to get close to their son Lucas, it’s unlikely the day will go without a hitch.
There’s been no news of Meena since she fled to Scotland, but soap sources have told us we may see the killer back on our screens shortly. And with the wedding date set for Dawn and Billy (played by Jay Kontzle), this could be the perfect opportunity for Meena to get her revenge.
We catch up with Olivia to hear about Dawn’s big day, and find out what makes the star tick in the romance department…
Hi, Olivia. Congratulations are in order! How does it feel to be involved in a big soap wedding?
Thanks so much. It’s been really fun. For Dawn to have her fairy-tale moment is so unexpected and I’m really enjoying it. It’s been a refreshing change.
This is your first TV wedding. Did you enjoy getting dolled up for it? I loved it. On the day we filmed the wedding we were all dressed up and nervous, so it felt real.
Do you personally have any wedding-day dreams?
I feel quite unusual, as I’ve never been one of those people who’s dreamt of their wedding. I’ve never made that fairytale plan. It’s more like,“Oh, it’ll be nice to be together and have a party.” However, I’m a bridesmaid for quite a few weddings this year, which I’m really excited about. One is in Ibiza and another is in France. If they go ahead I’ll have some really hot, fun abroad weddings to look forward to.
‘The day we filmed the wedding I was so nervous it felt real!’
Valentine’s Day is round the corner. What’s your idea of romance?
I know it’s cheesy, but it’s all about the little things for me. I love it when my partner leaves me a little note. Not gifts, just those tiny day-to-day actions that are thoughtful.
Which qualities do you value most?
Humour and positivity. Life throws a lot of obstacles at you. When you’ve got a teammate who you can face those with and share a laugh with, and know that they’ve got your back in a positive way… that’s
so important to me.
Prior to the wedding, Dawn gets the sense she’s being followed…
Dawn has a rough history, so she’s very aware of danger and her senses were always off with Meena, but her ex Alex has also come back into the picture. She senses something is awry but she can’t put her finger on what it is. The real scare comes when she finds her dress vandalised.
Our sources tell us her wedding dress is put through the wringer…
The day was punctuated by my wardrobe malfunctions! There were instances where I fell over and had to get a whole new wedding dress because there was a massive mud patch on my bum.
The Meena storyline has been long running in Emmerdale. Did you enjoy working with Paige?
It’s been absolutely brilliant. Meena turns the soap into a whole different genre, which is amazing. Her character is so manipulative, but Paige has fun with how dark it all is and it makes it really enjoyable.
Could you sense that something big was coming for Dawn?
This storyline has all happened so fast, I’ve barely had time to think about it. To be honest, I’ve found it challenging being so busy, but I’ve loved getting into it. I’m really lucky.
Have you been stopped by fans?
The hatred towards Meena is intense! In the supermarket some people stop me and say,“Watch out
for that Meena.” I’ve also had so many people say they’re rooting for Billy and Dawn, which I didn’t expect. They’ve had a rocky road!
On that note, how’s it been working with Jay?
We get on really well. He brings such energy to the set so if I’m in a bit of a grump, within a few seconds I’m laughing. He’s a big kid.
Do you have any funny stories from the set?
There was one scene where Jay was so enthusiastic, he knocked me flying. I was in the mud, but he didn’t even notice. We were both so in the scene we just carried on.
Dean, who plays your on-screen dad Will, is a bit of a music man and you’re also in a band. Have you ever performed together?
I suppose we’re like the Von Trapps [laughs]. He’s a fantastic singer. We have an Emmerdale band that various cast members sing in, but because of Covid we haven’t been able to do any gigs.
What’s life been like outside of
Emmerdale?
The soap has been life for the last few months, to be honest. I’m usually based in London, but I’ve been spending a lot of time up north working, so I’ve been able to see my family a lot, which has been really nice.
Can you tell us a bit about what’s in store?
Billy and Dawn are so close to what they hope will be the happiest day of their lives. However, it’s a soap wedding so things aren’t going to go smoothly, are they? The question is, who is it that’s planning to sabotage them?
Emmerdale is on Monday to Friday, ITV, times vary