Harriet Thorpe joined EastEnders in May as Linda Carter’s fierce mother Elaine Peacock.
Actress Kellie Bright has praised the addition of Harriet Thorpe to the cast of EastEnders.
The veteran actress of stage and screen arrived in the BBC One soap in May as the latest incarnation of Linda Carter’s feisty mother Elaine Peacock, previously played by Maria Friedman.
Elaine has arrived as the new co-owner of the Queen Vic pub and will be joined by her partner George Knight (Colin Salmon) and his daughters Anna (Molly Rainford) and Gina (Francesca Henry) in June – much to the chagrin of daughter Linda (Kellie Bright)
Speaking at a press event to launch the Knight family, actress Harriet Thorpe discussed Elaine’s presence in the show and what she brings to the table.
Describing her vision of Elaine, Thorpe revealed: “Elaine loves life and she loves her family and her daughter and she loves her new family. And yeah, she isn’t afraid to put the cat amongst the pigeons.
“She’s fearless, she’s funny, and she’s – I think the word is probably frank. But I think she’s just… she’s happy. She has a family around her who she loves. So what else do we need?”
Additionally, after many of those present at the event joked that the veteran performer needed no mentorship, Thorpe revealed her gratitude for having soap legend Gillian Taylforth as her mentor when joining EastEnders.
Thorpe then revealed her gratitude to executive producer Chris Clenshaw for giving her the part of Elaine and the type of role she is.
“I think coming in as a woman who’s almost 66 – free travel, we love that, pension – it was so important to honour women of my age and what Chris talked about is [that] we don’t retire now,” noted the Absolutely Fabulous star.
“It’s women who say, ‘What’s next? Don’t put me out to pasture with a little skirt and blue rinse.’ Excuse my French – f**k off, doing that!”
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She added: “And I want to honour the women who’ve gone before me and the strong women I know in my life and I, in real life, brought my kids up on my own and it’s all normal, it’s all okay and that’s the beauty of being together as men and women.
“But also to honour the women who, as I’ve said, whose shoes I fill, and to be a 66-year-old, I’m – almost – a 66-year-old woman who’s here now, let me be more rock chick!”
Thorpe’s on-screen daughter Kellie Bright then interjected: “The show needed a Harriet Thorpe. Just putting it out there, the show needed a Dame Harriet Thorpe.”
Thorpe then concluded: “It was Chris’s wisdom to allow that voice.”
Read More
- EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap?
- EastEnders boss wants to keep Linda Carter as “heart of the Square”
- EastEnders’ Colin Salmon on personal reason he took George Knight role
- EastEnders’ Kellie Bright fears “everlasting” Linda and Sharon feud
- EastEnders spoilers: Gina Knight to be “spiky” and clash with Elaine
- EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw explains the “Knight in Shining Armour”
- Sam Mitchell to return to EastEnders ‘before the autumn’ after surprise exit
- EastEnders’ Danielle Harold pays tribute to Lola’s story
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
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