AS HER MATERNITY LEAVE COMES TO AN END,
‘CORONATION STREET’ STAR JENNIE MCALPINE TELLS ok!’s LAURA HILLS ABOUT RETURNING TO WORK AS A MUM OF TWO
Coronation Street ACTRESS JENNIE MCALPINE TALKS ABOUT BEING A MUM OF TWO AND BEING PROUD OF HER POST-BABY BODY
When we settle down for a chat with Jennie Mcalpine at The Courthouse Hotel in London, the actress is warm and enthusiastic, despite the fact she’s missing her eight-month-old daughter Hilda. After a big hug, Jennie can’t wait to get her phone out and show us pictures of her gorgeous daughter and four-year-old son Albert – the children she shares with husband Chris Farr.
We’re with the Coronation Street star to hear all about her return to the cobbles after heading off on maternity leave last August. ‘It feels a bit like going back to school after the summer holiday, I’ve got butterflies!’ Jennie says as she reveals she’s days away from filming her comeback scenes, which will air in September.
Having joined the ITV soap at the age of 17, Jennie, now 35, reveals she has grown in confidence since starting out in the industry. ‘Even at that age I was aware I probably wasn’t cast as the glamorous leading lady. I
used to find photoshoots and award ceremonies daunting because this industry can often focus on how you look,’ she says. ‘But the older I get, the more comfortable I’ve become in my own skin.’
Here, Jennie opens up about growing in self-esteem, life as mum of two and going back to her day job…
Jennie, you look great!
Thank you! This is only the third time I’ve worn make-up since giving birth to Hilda eight months ago.
How are you finding life as a mum of two?
I’m definitely less organised than I was the first time around. I’m either really late or really early to everything I go to, and my baby bag is always missing something. I was at a mum and baby group recently and I had to borrow wipes and a nappy bag from another mum because I’d forgotten them. She was probably thinking, what is Fiz from Corrie doing stealing my nappy bags? [Laughs.] Is it hard going to mum and baby groups when you’re well known? It’s something I’m aware of, but I don’t let it stop me going to anything. The thing about mum and baby groups is that you’re just there as a mum, none of us talk about our jobs – we talk about nappies and a lack of sleep! I’ve met lots of new friends by going to groups, we’re always asking for advice from each other in our mummy Whatsapp chats.
Have you found it helpful having that support network? Chris is a brilliant dad and together I think we do a pretty good job of juggling parenting with full time jobs. He’s busy running our restaurant Annies [in Manchester] and my hours at Corrie can be full on so sometimes we can be like ships passing in the night, which is a shame because we love all being together. While I’ve been off work I’ve really enjoyed spending time with other mums. I’m pretty shy so it can be hard to put myself out there like that. But if I didn’t go to play groups
‘I’m pretty shy so It can be hard to put myself out there’
I’d probably have felt quite lonely at home. You need the company and support of other new mums when you have a baby and it’s been one of the most enjoyable things about being off work, I’ve made friends for life.
You recently shared a picture of a mum showing off her stretch marks on Instagram.
Why were you inspired to post it?
It was for a Mothercare campaign called #Bodyproudmums. I thought the message was so important. A lot of new mums feel pressure to look a certain way, but we should be proud of how we look and embrace the change in our bodies. It’s good to show off a realistic image of what motherhood is really like and to be proud of what our bodies have achieved.
Have you always found it easy to embrace the changes in your own body?
I’ve never been one to worry too much about what my body looks like. I have stretch marks everywhere but I’m proud of them because they are a mark of my babies, so I wouldn’t change them. I love my body even more now I’ve had a baby, I’m constantly amazed by what it can do. As all mums who go to play groups will know it’s really hard to eat healthily as they always offer free cake. But life’s too short not to treat yourself so I’ve been enjoying that while I’m on maternity leave.
You joined Corrie 18 years ago. How has your confidence changed in that time?
Even at that age I was aware I probably wasn’t cast as the glamorous leading lady. I used to find photoshoots and award ceremonies daunting because this industry can often focus on how you look and not what you do. But the older I get, the more comfortable I’ve become in my own skin. I’ve also found the confidence to know what clothes suit me and make me feel good about myself. Although, to be honest, how I look has never been the most important thing to me.
Do you think starting out as an actor at 17 would’ve been harder if social media was around?
Definitely, it makes you so much more critical of yourself. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for young actors starting out in this industry now. Back in my day, people only knew who I was if they watched Corrie or read TV magazines – now the internet means new cast members become instantly famous. It can be hard seeing negative comments about yourself, they do stick with you.
How do you cope with that?
I try to ignore it because 99 per cent of what people say about me is lovely. It’s a shame people find it so easy to be cruel on social media, I’m sure they wouldn’t do it in real life. I think it’s really important to talk about your feelings if you’re feeling down. I’ve had times in my life that have tested me, like losing my dad. I still miss him so much but I feel so lucky he got to meet Albert but it’s sad Hilda will never have that chance. Luckily I’ve got a strong support network around me who I can talk to.
The Duchess of Cambridge has spoken about the importance of teaching children to speak about their emotions. Is that something you want to instil in Hilda and Albert?
Albert is learning about positive mental health already, which I think is great. They had an assembly where the kids learnt the phrase: ‘Too much selfie isn’t healthy.’ It’s important to me to bring them up knowing that how they look doesn’t define them. I’m hoping by the time they are old enough for social media it won’t be as popular as it is now.
You never post pictures of your children’s faces on social media. Why is that important to you?
I will protect the children’s faces from being shown until they are old enough to decide for themselves if they want to be known by the public or not. Until then I wouldn’t put them in the spotlight – my job is public but our home lives are private.
How do you feel about returning to work? It feels a bit like going back to school after the summer holiday, I’ve got butterflies! I’m worried I don’t have enough space left in my brain to learn all my lines but the producers have promised I’ll be eased in gently.
Is there a Corrie crèche?
No there isn’t. Hilda will be going to the same lovely nursery that Albert went to, so I know she’ll have a great time there. It’s probably a good thing Corrie doesn’t have a crèche, I’d always be disappearing from set to see her! We have a great support network around us too, who can help. We’re very lucky.
Were you ever tempted to take more than a year off?
Part of me would have loved to take a few years off but I love my job so I wanted to get back to it. I knew that the longer I left it, the harder it would be to go back.
A few of the Corrie cast have announced they’re leaving recently. Is there any truth in reports that there’s a ‘Corrie crisis’? No, definitely not. It’s just a coincidence that a few people have announced they’re leaving this year. They’ll all be leaving at different times, it’s not like they’re all walking out in one episode.
It was reported that you named Hilda after Corrie character Hilda Ogden, played by Jean Alexander…
She wasn’t, but I do love that there’s that association. I loved Hilda as a character, I have a picture of her up in my dressing room and I have three flying ducks in my house, just like her. It’s quite hard to find a lovely name that isn’t already associated with a Corrie character. Even Albert shares his name with Uncle Albert [played by Jack Howarth]. Hilda was a family name for both me and Chris, so that’s where the inspiration came from.
Have any of your co-stars met Hilda yet? I’ve taken her to set a few times, I even took her to have a picture taken in The Rovers. Alan [Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs] came over to see her when she was only
a week old. He’s one of my best friends so he couldn’t wait to meet her. It was the winter so he bought her a lovely snowsuit thing that she lived in for the first few months. He’s brilliant with babies and such a good dad to his own daughter, Sienna-rae.
Suranne Jones has also visited, hasn’t she? Yeah, Suranne is one of my best friends. We met on Corrie and have never lost contact. I’m so proud of how brilliantly she’s doing in her career. Gentleman Jack is a fantastic show, she was amazing in it.
How has being parents to two children changed your relationship with Chris?
Life is a lot more hectic so we tend to sort out a lot of stuff by text! People ask me if we go on date nights but the answer is, no, not really! We’re so busy that if we get time together we prefer to stay in and watch the TV. The days I gave birth to the kids were the two best days of my life. I love being in that bubble with Chris, in our own world waiting for our babies to arrive. The last time we chatted, you said you were worried you’d forgotten what to do with a newborn! That was something I was worried about. When I fell pregnant I couldn’t remember how to change a nappy! But it’s been like riding a bike; it’s all come back to me.
You said you had no idea how much Hilda would change your life…
It feels like we’re a family unit now that there are four of us. Me, Chris and Albert have always been a team but I love the way she’s fitted into our lives so perfectly. I’ll always treasure the memories we had with Albert when he was an only child but now it feels like Hilda should’ve been there, too. Since she came along our lives have become chaos, but it’s lovely chaos.
Would you like any more children? Logistically, I’m not sure we could right now! We’d need a bigger house and car first. Two children feels like enough for us, but I have no idea how we’ll feel in the future.
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TWITTER.COM/LAURACHILLS PHOTOGRAPHS BY NICKY JOHNSTON ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY ITV, TONY WARD STYLING BY RACHEL GOLD ASSISTED BY MAIA WATKINS HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY JOLANDA COETZER