16th December 2006
REAL LIFE: Sally Whittaker. Born in Manchester, where she still lives with Emmerdale writer Tim and children.
CURRENT FORM: Coronation Street’s Sally Webster. Baked bean obsessive and mother to wayward daughter Rosie, and Sophie.
PREVIOUS FORM: Trained at Oldham Repertory Theatre. Television includes Juliet Bravo. Has been in the Street since 1986, when some tasteful centrefolds in fan magazines made her popularity soar among the British Armed forces.
HOBBIES: Sally is a very dedicated mum, although she manages to make it to London for the occasional night out.
WILL IT WORK? Sally is one of the most fabulous, talented people in the business. We last met at the Coronation Street Christmas storyline party, where she enjoyed a glass of white wine and I many more glasses of red. But then that’s why she is slim and gorgeous and I would need at least two tummy tucks to get down to her size. If she puts on three stone, I have high hopes for our future friendship.
9th December 2006
REAL LIFE: Adam-Jon Fiorentino. Born in Australia;
currently lives in UK, with actor girlfriend Deone
Zanotto.
CURRENT FORM: Hollyoaks in the City’s Troy.
PREVIOUS FORM: Television and theatre, including
Neighbours.
HOBBIES: Watching box-set TV, eating and drinking.
WILL IT WORK? I’m extremely worried about Adam-Jon’s
four times a week visits to the gym; if I buy a pair
of trainers in the New Year sale, that’s about as much
exercise as I get all year. The good news is that he
prefers staying in to going out – with a good
home-cooked dinner and a bottle of red (great); the
bad, that he would like to be enjoying this with his
girlfriend (not so good). The fact that he (as I do)
loves the American hospital drama House, though,
starring the brilliant Hugh Laurie, means that I might
be able to lure him off the sofa with Deone and onto
my chair. A girl can but dream.
2nd December 2006
REAL LIFE: Georgia Slowe. Born in London and currently
lives in north London with her two sons and a dog.
CURRENT FORM: Emmerdale’s Perdita Hyde-Sinclair:
compassionate and vulnerable, but determined to get
her own way.
PREVIOUS FORM: Trained at ballet school, from which
she went into acting – aged 12 in BBC production of
Mill on the Floss.
HOBBIES: Writing (she is just completing her second
novel) and walking with her dog.
WILL IT WORK? Georgia lives a very active life, but as
I love dogs, I am happy to join her in long walks –
okay, strolls – with the canine. The reward will be
hanging out with her in Soho because she likes the
restaurants there, and, as I am practically a fixture
in the area, she will be easy to bump into. She also
enjoys drinking champagne, as she says that it always
feels like a celebration. Hurray! Triple bottles of
Dom Perignon all round!
25th November 2006
REAL LIFE: Diane Parish. Born in London, where she
still lives, in the East End.
CURRENT FORM: EastEnders’ Denise Fox. Feisty and
formidable.
PREVIOUS FORM: RADA trained. TV includes Waking the
Dead, Clocking Off and The Bill. Was first black
actress to win Royal Television Society Award for Best
Actress (for Babyfather).
HOBBIES: Spending time with her family and writing
screenplays.
WILL IT WORK? Diane enjoys spicy food, especially
Jamaican and, as she enjoys cooking, I will be able to
sit on my ever increasing rear with a glass of Rioja
in my hand while she sweats over the saffron. Her
daughter, Kenya, also likes to join in the cooking
and, with Diane being homebird, it seems we will not
be hitting the town very regularly, which is a bit of
a downer. I hope that we won’t have to watch repeats
of EastEnders instead. At the moment, it’s hard enough
the first time round.