{"id":33215,"date":"2023-05-25T21:00:11","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T19:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1836101"},"modified":"2023-05-25T23:14:58","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T21:14:58","slug":"eastenders-star-kellie-bright-the-show-needed-a-harriet-thorpe","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/eastenders-star-kellie-bright-the-show-needed-a-harriet-thorpe\/","title":{"rendered":"EastEnders star Kellie Bright: \u201cThe show needed a Harriet Thorpe\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Harriet Thorpe joined EastEnders in May as Linda Carter’s fierce mother Elaine Peacock. <\/p>

By Lewis Knight\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 25 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Actress Kellie Bright has praised the addition of Harriet Thorpe to the cast of EastEnders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The veteran actress of stage and screen arrived in the BBC One soap in May<\/a> as the latest incarnation of Linda Carter\u2019s feisty mother Elaine Peacock, previously played by Maria Friedman.<\/p>\n

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 \u2013 much to the chagrin of daughter Linda (Kellie Bright)<\/p>\n

Speaking at a press event to launch the Knight family<\/a>, actress Harriet Thorpe discussed Elaine\u2019s presence in the show and what she brings to the table.<\/p>\n

Describing her vision of Elaine, Thorpe revealed: \u201cElaine loves life and she loves her family and her daughter and she loves her new family. And yeah, she isn\u2019t afraid to put the cat amongst the pigeons.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s fearless, she\u2019s funny, and she\u2019s \u2013 I think the word is probably frank. But I think she\u2019s just\u2026 she\u2019s happy. She has a family around her who she loves. So what else do we need?\u201d<\/p>

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.<\/p>\n

Thorpe then revealed her gratitude to executive producer Chris Clenshaw for giving her the part of Elaine and the type of role she is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think coming in as a woman who\u2019s almost 66 \u2013 free travel, we love that, pension \u2013 it was so important to honour women of my age and what Chris talked about is [that] we don\u2019t retire now,\u201d noted the Absolutely Fabulous star.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s women who say, \u2018What\u2019s next? Don\u2019t put me out to pasture with a little skirt and blue rinse.\u2019 Excuse my French \u2013 f**k off, doing that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Harriet\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Harriet Thorpe as Elaine Peacock and Kellie Bright as Linda Carter in EastEnders.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC, Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

She added: \u201cAnd I want to honour the women who\u2019ve 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\u2019s all normal, it\u2019s all okay and that\u2019s the beauty of being together as men and women.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut also to honour the women who, as I\u2019ve said, whose shoes I fill, and to be a 66-year-old, I\u2019m \u2013 almost \u2013 a 66-year-old woman who\u2019s here now, let me be more rock chick!\u201d<\/p>\n

Thorpe\u2019s on-screen daughter Kellie Bright then interjected: \u201cThe show needed a Harriet Thorpe. Just putting it out there, the show needed a Dame Harriet Thorpe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thorpe then concluded: \u201cIt was Chris\u2019s wisdom to allow that voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read More<\/strong><\/p>\n