Gillian Taylforth wishes she was more like her EastEnders character Kathy Beale.
Gillian Taylforth wishes she was more like her EastEnders character Kathy Beale
The 69-year-old actress has portrayed the character since the BBC soap’s debut in 1985, and has now admitted she wishes she was as “strong-minded” and assertive as Kathy in real life.
Speaking with the Daily Mirror newspaper, Gillian said: “Sometimes I wish I was a bit more like Kathy – she has a lot of opinions, and I’m one of those people who sits on the fence. I’m not that strong-minded, but she is and I love that.
“She’s got a great sense of humour, too – that’s something we share. When I’m out and about, people shout ‘Kathy!’ at me. And if people don’t recognise me to start with, as soon as I talk, they know it’s me – it’s the deep voice!”
Gillian – who left EastEnders after her character Kathy was presumed dead in 2006, before returning to the soap in 2015 – added she has “amazing relationships” with her fellow soap stars, and shares “something special” with Adam Woodyatt, who plays her on-screen son Ian Beale.
She said: “I have amazing relationships with everyone at EastEnders, but there’s something special with Adam.
“He’s played my son for 40 years, and he never calls me by my name, it’s always ‘Mum’, even when we’re not on set, and he’s ‘Son’ to me.
“We’ve got a close bond – he can see if I’ve forgotten my lines, and he’ll say them to remind me. The moment we reunited when Kathy came back, there were tears everywhere – it was a magical moment.”
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