kellie bright
Eastenders favourite and Strictly alumni Kellie Bright talks to Richard Arnold about her soap marriage to Danny Dyer and what she gets up to at Christmas with real husband Paul Stocker
Describe your typical Christmas.
I’m always at home. Everyone comes to us… it’s all about the children for me now – I’ve got two boys and my eldest is six. The lead-up, the writing of the letter to Santa… I love all of that. I’m a big kid myself. Everyone in the house has an advent calendar.
So when do you start getting festive?
After my eldest’s birthday – the 5th of December – is out of the way. I focus on his birthday and then I put the decorations up.
Has Christmas changed for you since you had children?
It just makes it really exciting again! Before [I had them], I still really loved it but it didn’t have the same magic as when you were a kid. I think that’s the really lovely thing about having children or being around children.
What are your memories of Christmas of old?
Funny memories… just being around everyone. My granddad would have had a little bit too much wine, always the same thing, but comforting and lovely. I want my boys to have that memory of Christmas when they remember the family being together.
What’s surprised you most about being a mum?
How much hard work it is! That you never get a minute to yourself. I always knew that I would love it… but now I have one who just turned a year old and is teething and hardly getting any sleep. You forget all of that, but now you are back there you wouldn’t change it for the world.
You manage to juggle it all…
In theory! It’s swings and roundabouts – some weeks are full on and some quieter but I live near the studios now in St Albans, so sometimes I can go home during the day and see my baby. Other acting jobs I could be off filming God knows where. I am very lucky that I can come home every day. Long hours, but I am there for bed time and the morning.
What’s the hardest thing?
Coming home and doing the homework! Motherhood is much
harder. Learning the lines is the trickiest bit because after 9pm I’m nodding off!
Back to Christmas, who does the cooking?
Paul, my husband, always does the starter and I will do the roast. He does a Heston Blumenthal prawn cocktail that’s a bit spicy and then I do the shebang. I get everyone else to do the peeling and the prep because that’s the bit I can’t stand!
Do you do a Christmas table?
I do little presents for everybody when they sit at the table.
Are you still a party girl?
I can’t remember the last time I went out because I cannot cope with the next day now I have children. It would be totally different if I didn’t have two boys and have to get up at 5.30 and struggle through the day!
Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
I am doing ‘Veganuary’! I’m going vegan for a month and I am going to stop online clothes shopping.
How will you fill your life?
Exactly! It’s become too easy. Because I have children I don’t go shopping
any more and it’s just become the thing I do.
What about Eastenders? This Christmas the Carters could lose The Vic…
It’s made me think how odd it will be to be here and not be in The Vic. The prospect of losing it taints Christmas but whatever happens, they’ve got each other.
The key to your success is that your chemistry with Danny Dyer is so good…
We are the best of friends. He makes me laugh every day. I’ve always wanted to have a couple in a soap who are happily married, because it never happens. Most of us have a relationship that is up and down and theirs is the same, but beyond everything else they are soul mates.
Their renewal of their wedding vows will be fun!
Who would organise that on Christmas Day in The Vic? If you know anything about Eastenders, it’s not going to go to plan, is it?
Would you renew your vows to Paul?
I loved my wedding, it was everything we wanted it to be, but I feel like I’ve done that. I don’t think I’d gain a lot from renewing my vows. Also – the organising! That alone is enough to
put me off.
And finally, Strictly! Would you go back?
I would love to dance with Kevin [Clifton] again, but going back to watch the show a few weeks ago was weird as I hadn’t been back since my final. I couldn’t go through all of that fear again!
On her relationship with Danny ‘We’re the best of friends!’