Welcome to the unofficial Jill Halfpenny website!

On this page, I've tried to reference press articles about Jill. Click on the article to read it.

Some articles are also in the Photo Gallery.

- 2009 -

Listen to the interview:

Jill Halfpenny (Kate) dropped by for a chat

Lorraine: If you were in Kate's shoes, would you choose man or career?

It would depend on the man. If it was Jude Law, I'd choose the man every time. Love's the most important thing.

Liam: Have you enjoyed your storyline with Phil? Would you like to stay in EastEnders for a while?

Yes, I've really enjoyed the storyline. It's been challenging and exciting. Working with Steve is good too. And yes, I'll stay in the show as long as they want me.

Kirsty: Which soap do you like working in best, Coronation Street as Rebecca or EastEnders as Kate?

They're both very different. I do like playing Kate as she's a stronger woman. She's forthright and says what she thinks. Rebecca (in Corrie) was more downtrodden and vulnerable. I still liked playing her though. I like variety.

Edd: When you were told that you were going to be an undercover policewoman, what did you think?

I thought it was fantastic. When I first joined, I didn't know that I was going to be an undercover cop, they kept it quiet from me too! I was taken into the office and told I wasn't a manicurist!

Jessica: Are you a good manicurist?

No, I'm not a good manicurist and I bite my nails terribly. I hate getting them done as well, it takes so long and the upkeep is horrendous. It costs a fortune as well!

Andy: What's the oddest thing about being on the Square after being used to seeing it on TV?

smoody20: What's it like to be part of such a big storyline?

It's great being involved in it and, hopefully it's one that people are enjoying. It's nice to be given the opportunity to be involved in such a big story.

ilovejill: What is Phil like as a person? Is he like his character?

No he's not like his character. He's great fun, we have a giggle on set. He's played Phil for so long now that you only see a few sides of him. In this storyline, you'll see a softer and maybe more charming side of him. You'll see him melt a bit, which is quite touching to watch.

Donna: How did you become an actress?

I got an agent at 12 then did Byker Grove, then went to drama school. I did my exams too. I did it by the book really. But everybody is different. A lot of people don't train. As with any trade, I'd say go and get a bit of training. It's great to have that back-up.

Alan Burke: Who did you play in Byker Grove?

I played Nicola Dobson, best friends with a girl called Donna. I eventually had an entire family.

Rachel: How many of the cast from Byker Grove are you still in touch with?

Funnily enough, I went out at Christmas with six of them. I see Ant and Dec sometimes. I went to the wedding of the girl who played my sister Debbie about a year ago.

danielle4joel: What type of music do you like?

I like a broad variety, but I'm quite old fashioned - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald. I'd happily listen to that for hours on end. I do like my pop though, I like a bit of a boogie!

Mark74: Did you ever think you would be a glamourous soap star when you were young?

I don't think I really thought about it. EastEnders was only cockneys when I was growing up - you tended to have a much smaller cast and it never changed. The turnover now is a lot quicker.

Chaderzz: Was the audition for EastEnders hard?

I had three. In the first one I had to read about six scenes. The second was harder, because you know they like you and you start thinking about what they liked. You ask yourself more questions so that one was nervewracking.

AP: Is there much difference between working on EastEnders and Corrie?

decentguy: What's it like being new to the cast?

You feel like the new girl for a little bit. It's only in the last month or so that I've started not to feel like the new girl, because newer people come in! It's very friendly. But it's like starting a new job at work and trying to remember everyone's names - and trying not to call them by their character names.

Charlotte: If you could be invisible for a day what would you do and where would you go?

I might go into my boss' office and listen to the storyline conference. Then I'd follow my boyfriend to lots of different places. Just spy on people generally and be nosey!

gazzereth: How do I get a job on EastEnders? I'd like some tips about starting on television.

Bales1983: You were nominated for a sexiest woman award, how do you feel about that?

Ha, look at me! I don't know - it's nice but it's quite funny. You never really see yourself like that. It's hard to imagine yourself as sexy, but other people might think it! My best friend saw the pictures in FHM and was in hysterics. I didn't think it was that funny!

SweetSery: Who would you like to play if you could play anyone else in EastEnders and why?

I think I'd quite like to play Sam. I quite like the way she's cheeky and if you're blonde, you get to play those roles. As a brunette, I tend to play down to earth, solid characters. I'd like a flighty character. Or maybe Kat, she's quite flighty in the way she thinks.

Martyn: Have you had any police input into your role?

No. All the research is done by the writer. Whatever is in the scene, they've already found out for themselves. It's all done for me really.

Rachel: Who's a better kisser Steve (Phil) or Sean (Martin in Corrie)?

Well, they're both nice kissers I have to say. I can't really single them out!

hollie: If you could be stuck in a lift with anyone who would you choose?

Eminem I think. I could tame him! I think he's really nice and quite interesting. I'd like to chat to him, to see what he had to say for himself. Purely for anecdotes, somebody like Stephen Fry as he always comes out with funny stories. It would be great to get either of them a cameo in EastEnders!

marty: Would you ever take up an offer from Hollywood if it came along?

haz: Have you ever thought of becoming a singer like Holly Valance?

No, if I did ever sing then I would want to do it in a musical, on stage. I wouldn't do the pop star route.

Sal: Do you get noticed in the street, and if so what do people do when they see you?

Yeah, I get recognised. People usually walk past me and look and then double take. By the time they're behind you, they're pointing at you! It's all very embarrassing. If I'm on my own, I get really embarrassed. It's strange really, I don't get used to it. I really ought to get over that!

emma7: What do you prefer - mad nights out with the girls or staying in watching the telly in your PJs?!

I have to say I really like them both. I love getting dressed up and going out but I really love watching videos, eating food and being daft.

James Ellis

Actress Jill Halfpenny made her debut in Byker Grove but is more famous for being one of the few actresses to have had prominent roles in both Coronation Street and EastEnders. She has recently left the latter, following her victory in Strictly Come Dancing, to work on her new role as Roxie Hart in Chicago in London's West End.

Which previous Roxies do you look up to?

I've only seen the show twice. I saw it when it first opened, when Ruthie Henshall was in it but when I went it was her understudy. The second show was two weeks ago, with Josephina [Gabrielle] in it. Both of them were brilliant - I was left at the end both times thinking: 'How did she do that?' I'm just going to steal little bits from everyone.

Don't you have to be blonde to play Roxie?

No. Roxie is actually a redhead. In the film, they made her blonde, which I suppose is because that's Renée Zellweger's colour. I'm probably going to keep my hair as it is but put a bit of red in on the night. Then again, you could easily deduce that the women in the script probably dye their hair every week - let's face it, they've nearly all been on the run for murdering people.

Have you ever radically dyed your hair?

Not really. When I was 16 I went through a goth stage. I had the black dyed hair, the tartan trousers and the tight black top, but that's about as radical as I ever got.

Have you been listening to the CD and practising at home?

I was, because I wanted to familiarise myself with the music, but then I realised that if you sing along, you start to sound like the person on the CD and that isn't necessarily right for the show.

Most women who have been in Chicago complain they lose their boobs. Have you noticed a difference?

I have actually been warned about this. To be honest, no matter how much weight I lose or put on, it doesn't seem to affect my boobs. I've told my boyfriend to be aware of it though, and that he should enjoy them while he still can.

Will you be playing Roxie with a Geordie accent?

[Laughs] Somehow I don't think I'd get away with that, do you? No I'll be doing my best Chicago accent.

You've played a homebreaker in Corrie, a cop turned gangster's moll in 'Enders and now a murderous wife. You don't seem to go for the happy roles.

No - I like a bit of jeopardy. I've been really lucky in the roles I've been able to play. It gets a bit boring playing the nice girl all the time.

You've never played a nice girl. How would you know?

Have you seen all of my work? Trust me, there's a few episodes of Heartbeat and Peak Practice you might not have seen yet. It's a lot more fun to play a girl with a streak of badness.

What are the major differences between Corrie and EastEnders?

Erm. One's in the North and one's in the South. In all honesty, that's about it. They are run so similarly, from the amount of scenes you have to do a week, the way scripts are given out and the way schedules are on the wall. When I was in Corrie, even though it was very popular, it wasn't on as large a scale publicity-wise. There weren't as many young people when I was there - it's only in the last three years it's got a very high profile in the celebrity magazines.

So Corrie was low-profile when you were in it, and the same could be said for EastEnders now...

Do you think it's me? [Laughs.] Whatever people say about EastEnders, it's never low-profile. That's the mad thing about that job. Obviously it's in London, where people go out to restaurants and bars all the time. The interest in EastEnders from celeb magazines will never go away.

Did you get the push from EastEnders or did you jump?

I was definitely told I was going. I had a meeting with Louise [Berridge, EastEnders exec producer], and she said that they couldn't take the character any further and that, even though they'd loved what I'd done with her, Kate was at a bit of a dead end. To be honest, I didn't want to feel like the writers had nothing to write for me. In hindsight, if I was still there I couldn't have done Come Dancing and so I wouldn't have been able to do this. I'm very happy.

Didn't you feel like telling the writers that Kate losing her spark was their fault?

I think they felt that way as well - that she'd been backed into a corner. Circumstances and some storylines left it like: 'Where does she go from here?'. She was such a feisty, ambitious woman at first, and ended up a bit of a loner. She didn't have a history or a family. The fact that the character was only supposed to be in it for three months, and they wrote her in for two years means I'm still happy.

What's snogging Steve McFadden like?

Very bristly. He's got a bit of a beard. The girls would have to come in and powder my chin after.

Do you think someone as attractive as Kate would fall for Phil in real life?

It's funny how many people would come up to me and say: 'I love Phil.' It's about appearance when it comes to female characters, but it's not all about good looks when it comes to male characters - it's about whether they're sexy, and Phil was a bit of a bad boy. You see a lot of unlikely male sex symbols.

How excited were you when you won Come Dancing?

I was very, very excited. I was so tired I couldn't show it that much, except for screaming - I screamed a little bit. Once we'd got changed, we went up to the bar and, can you believe, we kept dancing. Not Latin dance, you understand, just a bit of boogy. I went to the hotel room with my boyfriend afterwards and was shattered. It's only now after the New Year, now things have calmed down a bit, I've started to get more excited about it.

Do you drag your man out to any dance clubs?

He really wants to learn how to jive, and how to cha cha cha. I've told him I'm going to call Darren [Bennett] and ask him to teach my man how to dance.

You excelled at fencing in Drama School. Would you consider going over to Hollywood for a Pirates Of The Caribbean-style movie?

How cool would that be? Maybe I need to get it down on the CV. Doing a bit of sword fighting, jumping on ropes and into water - that would be a dream job.

Are you missing the soap grind?

No. I love a bit of variety. I've gone from soaps to Come Dancing to the stage, and you can't get much more variety than that. At the moment I'm completely engrossed in what I'm doing.

Why do Newcastle women wear so little on a Friday night?

The density of bars in Newcastle is so great. Imagine this: I'm going out on a Friday and I've got a lovely little outfit on, and I don't want to carry round a great blokely coat. Why? Because I don't want to get sweaty. So I get a cab to the first bar, and for £4 or £5 he drops me off outside. I'm outside for literally two seconds. The bars are packed so close together. Cloakrooms don't exist in Newcastle.

Jill Halfpenny – West End Girl

Having just won the second series of Strictly Come Dancing and the Christmas Special with her dance partner Darren Bennet, Jill Halfpenny has certainly proved she can dance. Her departure from Eastenders – she played ex-policewoman Kate Mitchell for two years in the BBC soap – couldn’t have come at a better time because after SCD, musical offers poured in. She is currently training for Chicago in which she made her debut on January 31. Alison Kirkman caught up with her after a day of rehearsals

A: What made you want to take part in Strictly Come Dancing?

J: Well, I'd seen the first series and I thought like it looked loads of fun. I’ve always harboured a want to try out Ballroom dancing since I was a little kid and when the opportunity came by I thought why not? It was something different. They approached a few people from Eastenders but when I got it, I was chuffed to bits!

A: Did you find the training and rehearsal schedule hard?

J: The first four weeks before the programme started were probably the least intense, because we only had one dance — we learned a few other bits and bobs but there was just the Waltz to concentrate on and it was all new. It was really when the show started that the pressure kicked in. We trained for 25 hours a week once the show had started. For the first seven weeks I was doing Eastenders and it was difficult to fit in but I think Sarah [Manners] probably had the worst time schedule wise, she was really busy at Casualty. It was great though. Every Saturday was like a little adventure. You never knew what to expect. One of my favourite parts was choosing the costumes — we were given designs at the start and you could adapt them to what you thought would suit you. It was brilliant — like being in a sweet shop!

A: Will you and Darren keep in touch?

J: Yeah, we’re friends! And hopefully me and my boyfriend will meet up with Darren and Lilia really soon. They're going to come and see Chicago so that’s really nice.

A: Tell me about your dancing background. There was a bit of controversy on the show about how much experience you’d had before taking part...

J: I always said I went to dancing. Always. I did ballet when I was younger, some stage stuff. I went to a local dance school but when I was 14 years old I got the part in Biker Grove and the dancing became very much secondary. It was just something I did as a kid because I performed, you know. I was in plays and stuff like that.

A:You trained at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art — did you do any dance training there?
J: We did period dance. Because when you're doing things like restoration comedies, sometimes you need to know how to do a minuet! So there was a little bit of that but it was really just to familiarise actors with the style of something like that. We did a little tap — which everyone hated except me! We’d have done more if it was a a musical theatre school but all actors really should be able to move. You’ve got to be body aware and that’s what Webber taught. I always try to keep fit so that if a role comes along that requires some dance I can do it. Like last week I had a chance to train with Cirque du Soleil. It came about because GMTV are doing this series of programmes where they take an actor for a day and get them to do something they've never done before. They were teaching me how to hang from the hoop. I like using my body. I'll always give something a try.

A: You’ve left Eastenders now after being in the show for two years. How did you feel when you were offered the part in Chicago?

J: Really pleased. It's been the smoothest transition I could've possibly hoped for. It's been amazing to come out of one show while still doing something else and then have a rest and a break for Christmas, then start rehearsing for Chicago straight afterwards. It's just been like a whirlwind.

A: How are rehearsals going so far?

J: Really well, we rehearse everyday from 10 til 6 usually. It's not all dancing. We do a couple of hours on the book, a couple of hours on the score, and a couple of hours dancing, so it's like just a mass of information being thrown at you and I'm just like, “oh please stop!”. At the moment I enjoy the dance the most I think. It’s probably the most immediate thing you can do because it's there and within a couple of hours you're dancing it. With the book, you've got to think about it more and the singing obviously is quite a big challenge for me so I've got to work on that. In the second year of drama school we had singing tutorials but, like the dance, it was taught as “an extra string to your bow”. I loved my singing tutorials, I used to think I was the luckiest person, because to pay for singing tutorials, one to one, would cost a fortune.

A: Thank you Jill, it’s been lovely to talk to you and good luck in the show!

J: Thank you too! Right, I’ll be off for my wig fitting then!

http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/d-today200502/dancetoday200502-1.html

Jill Halfpenny is well-known for her two-year appearance in Eastenders as well as for Coronation Street, Peak Practice and The Bill, for theatre work that includes Cooking With Elvis, Studs and The Sound of Music, and for winning Strictly Come Dancing. She is a dazzling stage actress, as Paul Webb discovered when he recently saw her in Chicago at the Adelphi. He went backstage to meet her last week...

You've been in Chicago since January...How long are you here? "I've just extended to April 10, so people will have to hurry to catch me in it!"

You play Roxie Hart - was there an idea of you playing the other lead role, Velma Kelly? "No, Roxie was what I wanted, and what they offered me. Velma's a great part but I've always seen myself as Roxie."

What's your favourite song from the show? "'Roxie'! It starts as a sort of monologue and builds up from there into a big number, and it's great fun to do. It also involves a lot of acting - if you just stood there and sang then it would be very bland. It's a cheeky song, and sort of silly, which is something else I like about it!"

You're from Gateshead originally? And how did you find the American accent? "Yes, I am, and I had no trouble with the accent - not least because it's such an important part of who Roxie is - the way the part is written it's impossible to imagine anyone playing her other than with an American accent."

You must get a lot of fans outside the stage door... "There are usually a few!"

And apart from talking about Chicago, do they mainly talk about you in Eastenders, or Strictly Come Dancing? "Mainly Strictly Come Dancing."

Why do you think that show was such a success? "It's because it appeals to all ages - I get letters from 80 year-old couples and from little girls of 6 or 7. And it was family entertainment - you knew there would be nothing offensive in it. And it was fun, it involved a lot of skill and hard work, and the element of competition meant there was a level of excitement, of people backing their favourites."

When you were a little girl, did you have any favourite stars, people you wanted to be like? "Judy Garland! I first came to her in The Wizard of Oz and then explored her other films, and records. She had such talent, such expression, and she was also someone who had started very young, so I identified with that side of her, too. And she had such expressive eyes - she really lived her songs and you could see that in her eyes."

Did you want to be a stage actress or a film or television one? "I just wanted to be an actress, and I think it's wrong to try to parcel actresses into one sort or another."

Going back to Strictly Come Dancing for a moment, was it hard work? "Yes, very! Considering the finished result was just one and a half minutes of television it was an amazing amount of work - first learning the discipline of a particular dance style and then the choreography of one dance, then having a day to perfect it and then actually doing it on television in front of a vast audience - that was really chilling!"

When you aren't working eight shows a week do you like to go to the theatre, and if so what sort of shows do you prefer? "I do try to see as much as I can but there's no particular type of theatre I like more than another - I'm as happy watching a Noel Coward plays as one by John Godber - it depends what I feel like at the time, whether a particular play catches my attention. The most important thing for me is not the period or the style of play but seeing people on stage who really move me and take the audience on a journey with them, people who really give of themselves in the process."

When you leave the theatre at night do you have a favourite restaurant? "I like Joe Allen's, and P J's Bar and Grill. But Covent Garden has so many great restaurants and bars. It's a wonderful area and I'm lucky to be working in a theatre right in the heart of it. I come in on the tube to Holborn station each day and walk through Covent Garden to get to the Adelphi stage door, and each time I do it I feel excited and cheerful - it's a perfect place to work!"

By Paul Webb

Wednesday March 30

http://www.lastminute.com/site/entertainment/theatre/interview/jill-halfpenny.html

Jill Halfpenny ex-Eastender and winner of Strictly Come Dancing and took part in ChildLine's Bad Hair Day project.

Questions and answers with Jill:

What's your earliest memory?
Playing on my bike and falling into the slats in the drains

What was your favourite subject at school? Why?
English, loved talking about what the characters in the books we were reading did and why.

When you were at school who did you turn to if you had a problem?
Parents

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Actress

What was your favourite childhood book?
Mrs. Honey’s hat and Are you there god, it’s me, Margaret

Which person from your past has had the most influence on how your life has turned out so far?
My mum + dad, who always encouraged me to followed

What's the best thing about your life now?
The fact that I’m pursuing my dream and striving for all my goals and ambitions

What's your favourite food? What’s your least favourite?
Italian is my favourite – seafood is my least favourite

Who is your best friend?
My boyfriend

What could you not live without and why?
My friends + family because without them my life would be lonely and empty

Is there any ambition you haven't yet achieved?
Yes, I have many ambitions with my work which haven’t happened yet – I’ll keep you posted!

Who would be the first person you would turn to if you had a problem? Why this person?
My boyfriend because I can trust him or my mum + sisters for the same reason

Do you have any advice for young people?
Believe in yourself. Follow your dreams and always live to be the best person you possibly can.

JILL HALFPENNY plays Jackie Holroyd in the third episode of the new series of Blue Murder, we caught up with her recently.

What appealed to you about taking on the role of Jackie Holroyd?

I had just finished Uncle Vanya at the Repertory Theatre in Birmingham and it’s always nice once I’ve finished performing on stage to then do TV again. When the role for Jackie Holroyd came up I was keen to take on the challenge.

How would you describe your character?

Jackie’s a single mum who has two children, Ben (Richard Fleeshman) and Bethan (Larner Taylor). She’s a very loyal and devoted mum who works hard, but she’s also a tough cookie with a very strong and independent outlook on life.

How does being a single mum effect Jackie and her children?

It’s never a great situation to be in, but Jackie manages as best she can. Working in the army poses a threat to her life as she may be posted away or killed. It’s not ideal but this is how she earns her living to support her family.

What relationship does Jackie have with Mark Turton who is played by Neil Fitzmaurice?

They have been in the army together for many years. When they get posted away they become each others confidant. They take comfort in each other as Jackie misses her kids and Mark misses his wife Shirley. They have an extremely strong bond and are very trusting of each other.

How does Jackie feel when Mark is arrested under the suspicion he attacked Cathy?
Jackie can’t really believe that it’s true as it’s not in Mark’s nature. He’s a very gentle and caring man. Jackie thinks it’s a lie and that the police are going to realise that they have arrested the wrong man.

Is Jackie unnerved by the thought there is a killer/attacker that is targeting the Cranham Edge Barracks?

She doesn’t believe she will become personally involved and she certainly doesn’t think for one minute that her life is about to turn upside

How does Jackie react when she hears the news that Ben and Bethan are missing?

Jackie is distraught. She is filled with worry and anxiety. All the emotions a mother would feel if her kids disappeared.

Did you enjoy filming the episode?

Yes. It was really good fun and there was a great atmosphere on set. The cast and crew were lovely to work with.

Is there a role you would love to play which hasn’t come your way yet?

Yes, there are a lot of great roles I would like to play. I would love to do a big period drama, and maybe a comedy. I’ve got a list as long as my arm, so I’m really open to all possible roles both TV and theatre.