EastEnders' Kellie Bright says 'it's hard enough as it is' amid TV confession
Kellie Bright has shared a candid confession about her time growing up in front of the cameras, declaring that it's a "hard enough time as it is" going through puberty without doing it in the public eye. In a recent chat with fellow soap icon Natalie Cassidy on an episode of the Life with Nat podcast, Kellie, best known for playing Linda Carter in the long-running BBC Soap, revealed that she'd known Natalie for about 11 years.
It turns out that Kellie, who first joined EastEnders in October 2013, shares a common background with the host; they've both appeared on TV since they were children.
The actress revealed that people would mention that they remembered her from shows such as 1985's 'T-Bag' or 'The Upper Hand', where she appeared from 12 to 18.'
READ MORE: Tamzin Outhwaite addresses painful co-parenting journey after Tom Ellis split
READ MORE: EastEnders newcomer has famous family members who have also starred in BBC soap
She said: "I mean, no one wants to go through puberty on telly, do they? It's a hard enough time as it is." Natalie then burst into laughter, noting that they did "actually live out" their puberty on TV.
Kellie has appeared on TV since she was a child (Image: Getty Images)
Reminiscing about the time, Kellie added: "But it was normal, right? For you and me, it was our normal, so in no way did I ever question it or think, 'Ooh, this is a bit strange or odd or different."
She explained that it was "just the way it was" at the time and that it was only in "hindsight" when she had children of her own who reached a similar age to her as a child actor that she thought, "Goodness me."
Kellie went on to add that when she imagines her children working "in that world", she thinks "no, no, no". It follows reports that Kellie has announced a new career venture away from Albert Square.
The British Soap Award winner announced that she had ventured into the world of crafts, posting on Instagram that she'd launched a creativity and craft club for adults.
She explained that it would be a "sanctuary for like minded folks" and looked forward to uniting people via their shared passions. In the caption announcing the news, she noted that it was a project "many years" in the making.
Kellie explained that it was "just the way it was" at the time (Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)
Kellie wrote: "This is it…. Meet Me at Mabel's has arrived!!!! A creativity and craft club for grown ups!! Based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Something I have spent many years dreaming about… and here I am doing it!
"As lots of you know I love making things! Crochet, sewing, knitting, absolutely anything and everything creative. I want the space to be a place of sanctuary for like minded folks."
Kellie went on to say that she hoped it would be a place to "quieten a busy mind" and embrace "what it is to be part of a community".
She added that her own love of the pursuit has helped her calm her "overactive brain".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
24 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Gregg Wallace breaks silence after Rod Stewart brands him 'tubby bully'
Gregg Wallace has responded to Rod Stewart's 'hurtful' comments against him, revealing that he is actually a big fan of the singer. MasterChef's Gregg Wallace has broken his silence after Sir Rod Stewart called him a "tubby, bald-headed, ill mannered bully". The 60-year-old initially stepped down from the franchise after the BBC announced it was looking into historical allegations of misconduct against him. He was then officially fired after the bombshell Silkins review, commissioned by MasterChef production company Banijay UK, upheld 45 allegations against him, including a case of "unwelcome physical contact". In the wake of the news that the BBC was investigating Wallace, Sir Rod alleged in a post that the scorned host had 'humiliated' his wife Penny Lancaster when she was on the show in 2021. He wrote: "So Gregg Wallace gets fired from Masterchef. Good riddance Wallace. You humiliated my wife when she was on the celebrity version of the show, but you had that bit cut out didn't you? "You're a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya. Sir Rod Stewart." In a new interview with The Sun, Gregg replied to the hitmaker's remarks, stating: "I'm actually a Rod Stewart fan. "I've been to see him twice. So that hurt me. Somebody like that carries a lot of weight. But there was no bullying and no harassing." Talking about Sir Rod's Instagram post on Loose Women in December, host Penny confessed: "I didn't realise my husband had sent that post out until it was out. And of course, you can imagine the influx of inquiries there were." She explained she was on jury duty at the time and didn't realise what had happened until later, saying she was left "shocked" by Rod's message. She explained: "When I did turn my phone back on I got a message from a friend saying, 'Oh my God, how amazing was that message your husband put out!' And I was like 'What message? What has he done?'." Penny explained: "I most definitely was witness and victim to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Gregg Wallace, and unfortunately, a lot of those involved in the production team were also witness to that. "I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set." Wallace's MasterChef co-presenter John Torode followed in Wallace's footsteps after he was also axed following a report that included an accusation that he had used racist language. Wallace went on to say that he had unfollowed John and his wife Lisa Faulkner on social media, insisting that the MasterChef co-presenters "never got on that well". He added that he understands he said offensive things and that those on the receiving end were perhaps "too intimidated or nervous" to report the incidents at the time. Wallace went on to apologise to those he had upset and said he "doesn't expect sympathy".
Daily Record
24 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Top three most-watched media services in UK revealed with 'traditional TV fading'
One British cultural critic has declared the broadcast age "over" with Gen Z leading the way on streaming Brits used to solely rely on the TV schedule for entertainment. If they wanted to tune into their favourite show or catch up with a soap, they would need to wait until the omnibus or re-run was shown, always at a set time. Now, kids can watch their programme of choice anytime and anywhere. Catch up on demand and iPlayer has revolutionised the nation's viewing habits - as has the rising prominence of other media services bar just TV. According to an annual Ofcom report, YouTube is now the second most-watched media service in the UK behind the BBC and ahead of ITV. In 2024, broadcast TV made up 56 per cent of in-home viewing, the regulator said, but YouTube is "leading the charge" in the streaming takeover of TV sets, with the service now the first place younger viewers go. Ed Leighton, Ofcom's interim group director for strategy and research, said: "Scheduled TV is increasingly alien to younger viewers, with YouTube the first port of call for many when they pick up the TV remote. "We're also seeing signs that older adults are turning to the platform as part of their daily media diet, too. "Public service broadcasters are recognising this shift – moving to meet audiences in the online spaces where they increasingly spend their time. "But we need to see even more ambition in this respect to ensure that public service media that audiences value survives long into the future.' At home, people spent 39 minutes a day on YouTube in 2024, with 16 minutes of this on the household's TV set. Younger adults aged 16 to 34 are driving the trend, watching 18 minutes of YouTube a day on TV, while one in five children aged four to 15 head straight to the app as soon as they turn the set on. Even those aged over 55 have almost doubled the time they spend watching YouTube on their TVs compared with the previous year – up from six minutes a day in January 2023 to 11 minutes in December. YouTube's soaring popularity comes as the platform's content has evolved, with half of its top-trending videos now more closely resembling traditional TV, including long-form interviews and game shows, Ofcom said. On average, people spent four per cent less time watching broadcast TV on sets than in 2023, and just as in the same year, a decline was seen across all age groups except adults aged 75 and over. Ellis Cashmore, a British sociologist and cultural critic, admitted on X, previously Twitter, that he wasn't taken aback by the findings. He said: "Traditional TV is fading. Why? A short story of taste, tech, and trust. "Once, TV was a ritual: same shows, same time, same sofa. It built a national consensus — and broadcast it. But younger generations grew up with on-demand control. They don't want schedules. They want sovereignty." Pointing to the fact YouTube is free, he went on: "Sky, Netflix, BBC - they all cost. With subscription fatigue, rising rents, and student debt, free content wins. Ads? A small price for autonomy... "This isn't just YouTube winning - it's traditional TV losing relevance. Young people don't watch less, they just refuse to watch on your terms. The broadcast age is over. User power has taken the mic." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Of the most-watched TV programmes and films of 2024, Gavin & Stacey, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Mr Bates vs The Post Office came up trumps. Gavin & Stacey: The Finale was the most-watched programme of the year, averaging 18.6 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer on TV sets.
Daily Mirror
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Cat Deeley's forgotten first boyfriend she was rumoured to have secretly married
Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty have split after 19 years together, but Cat was previously in a relationship with a PR expert Mark Whelan and was even linked to Leonardo DiCaprio TV stars Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty have shocked fans by announcing their split after more than a decade of marriage. The couple met while hosting BBC 's Fame Academy together in 2002, but only made their first public appearance as a couple nine years later in 2011. They wed a year later in September 2012 at a ceremony in Rome and have two children together Before Patrick came on the scene, This Morning star Cat was in a long-term relationship with public relations expert Mark Whelan. There were even rumours that the pair had tied the knot - but Cat's reps denied these claims. Sadly, things didn't work out and they parted ways in 2006. Cat's latest break-up comes after Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones' sad split - and now he's joined a notorious dating app on a lads' holiday. Speaking about her then-partner, Cat said Mark "used to be a bad boy, but these days is a lot more mellow." In a previous interview, she said: "He's ten years older than me and very smart and he's introduced me to things that weren't in my realm." READ MORE: Cat Deeley found moving back to the UK 'really hard' before split from Patrick Kielty However, after five years together, the pair went their separate ways. "Mark has been reassessing his life and decided his future wasn't with Cat," a friend told the Daily Star at the time. "He still loves her but knew they wouldn't spend the rest of their lives together." Cat - who was also once linked to Leonardo DiCaprio - confirmed: "We've split up - but I've never talked about my private life and I don't intend to now." After their break-up, she spent two years in a relationship with Jack Huston, a scion of the legendary Huston acting dynasty who starred in the film Twilight: Eclipse, but the relationship reportedly ended as the pair wanted to focus on their careers. While single in Hollywood, Cat also dated actor Michael McMillian after first meeting the True Blood star at a party. The pair were regularly photographed around the movie capital, with Cat telling friends she thought he was 'The One'. But a source told The Mail on Sunday: "It's all over. Cat's disappointed but moving on with her life. She is happy in all aspects of her life apart from her lack of a stable relationship." She went on to tie the knot with The Late Late Show host Patrick in 2012 after a whirlwind nine-month romance. In a candid interview with Tommy Tiernan in January 2023, Patrick revealed that he first met his wife back in 2002 during their time on hit reality TV show, Fame Academy. Patrick explained: "We each had partners at the time and nothing went on, but there was a wee vibe there." That subtle connection lingered, and the two stayed in touch purely as friends, linked by a sweet ritual of exchanging birthday wishes twice a year. Cat shared her side of the love story on The Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy in 2020, recalling a particular phonecall that changed everything. "There was a night before my birthday - I can't even remember which one, it was thirty-something - Patrick called me just to wish me happy birthday," she said. "He asked what I was doing, and I told him we were having a late brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I said, 'It's a shame you're not here - you could come along.'" At the time, Patrick was in a pub at home in Co Down, Northern Ireland. But after the call, he rushed home and booked a 7am flight to Los Angeles. The next day, he strolled into her birthday brunch, leaving Cat in total shock. She later admitted it was then she began to fall for his charm. Reflecting on the bold move, Patrick said: "I've always been a born romantic… If I had a quid for every rom-com I've cried at. I followed my heart all the way to Los Angeles to surprise my now-wife for lunch. Twelve years and two kids later, I think it worked out." However, the TV duo revealed on Tuesday that they are no longer a couple in a bombshell statement. They said: "We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved. "We will continue to be united as loving parents to our children and would therefore kindly ask for our family privacy to be respected. There will be no further comment."
