Jessie Wallace

[eefanincan]

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Jessie Wallace talks up Stepping Out
25th August 2009
By Simon Fitzjohn
croydonguardian.co.uk

Jessie Wallace may be a household name thanks to her five-year stint as Kat Slater in Eastenders, but fame would certainly not appear to have gone to her head. In our ten-minute phone chat to promote comedy production Stepping Out, Wallace is plainly at ease, dropping in anecdotes and displaying a commendable slice of self-awareness. And the Enfield-born actress positively raves about Richard Harris’ work, which opens September 8 at the Leatherhead Theatre.

She says: “It is just a great, funny piece of work. All of the characters are really different and extremely well-written. I was sent the script with the view to play Sylvia, and when I read it it seemed a really fun part to play. She speaks her mind, and I have been able to base her on a lot of people I know.”

Knee-deep in rehearsals, Wallace admits she is having to get to grips with a different way of working. And she reveals the play, which documents the exploits of a dance troupe preparing for a charity gala, has sprung up its own set of challenges.

Wallace adds: “First and foremost I am not used to rehearsals as there were none in Eastenders. We used to film four episodes a week and you would just learn the lines, turn up on set and bang, bang you were done. I suppose I am a perfectionist and it was quite frustrating at times watching an episode back and realising you could have done better. So I’m loving the whole process, although the dance moves are proving a problem! There are a couple of tap-dancing sequences, and to be honest it is probably only the fact that I did Strictly Come Dancing that has got me through it. I wasn’t any good on SCD, but I would never have been able to do these routines without that background.”

Wallace originally started out as a make-up artist for the Royal Shakespeare Company before switching from back-of-house to centre stage in 1999. And the actress reveals she maintains very simple aims for the rest of her career.

Wallace adds: “I just want to keep acting. I am just so busy at the moment and I am loving it. People still want to talk about Eastenders, but with my work and my young daughter I honestly don’t get the time to watch it now. We go out on tour after the run at Leatherhead and I have never toured before so that should be an experience. Hopefully the play will transfer to the West End as that would be amazing. But I will be taking Christmas off anyway to spend with my daughter and we shall have to see what happens from there.”

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Jessie Wallace is a guest in episode 102 of 'King Of'. It's in the comedy video section, for contributing members only...

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Jessie Wallace announces: I'm engaged
EastEnders actress Jessie Wallace has got engaged to Vincent Morse after being set up by co-star Charlie Brooks.

Jessie – who stars as Kat Moon in the BBC1 soap alongside Shane Richie (Alfie Moon) – was introduced to Vincent by Brooks (Janine Malloy) six months ago and she admits the catering company boss is her 'Mr. Right'.

She told OK! magazine: 'Vince is my Mr. Right, there's been a huge gap in my life and I've had relationships but there was always something missing. If not one thing, loads of things missing. But Vince has got everything I've been looking for. I knew literally straight away I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I do believe there's one person out there for you and the more time we spend together the closer we become, it's like we're one person. I never thought I'd see the day when I got married. I've never been this happy with a man before.'

But the 39-year-old actress – who has six-year-old daughter, Tallulah, from a previous relationship - revealed her and the 50-year-old businessman's first date was a 'disaster'. She added: 'We were set up last December by the ex-partner of my good friend Charlie Brooks, who's pals with Vince. He thought we'd be perfect for each other so we went out on a blind date but it didn't go very well. I remember telling Charlie the date was a disaster! I think it was because I'd never been out on a blind date before. We were sitting opposite each other eating and I was nervous and the whole evening was just really awkward.'

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ooof...

[eefanincan]

Sounds like she's well rid of him.

[Skylace]

I agree eefan. What a nightmare!

[SpursFan1902]

Why do people do crap like that? If he didn't want to get married or got cold feet, fess up!

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