Gillian Kearney

Last updated

Gillian Kearney
Born
Gillian Louise Kearney

(1972-05-09) 9 May 1972 (age 51)
Aigburth, Liverpool, England [1]
Alma mater Rose Bruford College
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present
Television Brookside (1986–1989)
Damon and Debbie (1987)
Shameless (2005–2007)
Casualty (2008–2010)
Emmerdale (2015–2017)
PartnerEddie Foo
Children1

Gillian Louise Kearney [1] (born 9 May 1972) is an English actress best known for her early role as Debbie McGrath in Channel 4's Liverpool-based soap opera Brookside and the spin-off mini-series Damon and Debbie , and for playing Jessica Harrison in the long-running BBC television medical drama series Casualty , as well as Emma Barton in the ITV Yorkshire-based soap opera Emmerdale . The role of Emma gained her recognition because of character's involvement in Emmerdale’s most high-profile storylines during her three-year stint.

Contents

Early life

One of four children born to Gerard and Barbara (née Allerston) Kearney, Kearney has three brothers, including Tom, a professional footballer. Her father is a retired civil engineer, and her mother a school care worker.[ citation needed ] Growing up in Aigburth, she attended St. John Almond RC High School, Garston, [2] where she gained nine GCSEs and four A-levels. She later trained at the Rose Bruford College.

Career

Her interest in acting began at secondary school. After repeatedly being overlooked for the lead roles in school productions, she decided to join the Liverpool Playhouse Youth Theatre, where she featured in plays including All Flesh is Grass (as Ema), [3] Katie Crackernuts and Yer Dancin'? It was there, in 1986, that she was spotted by members of the Mersey Television production team; this resulted in her being asked to audition for a role in Channel 4's soap opera Brookside . Kearney landed the role of Debbie McGrath, the girlfriend of Damon Grant, played by Simon O'Brien. When O'Brien decided to leave Brookside, he requested that his character be killed off so he wouldn't be tempted to return to the show. Because Damon was so popular, particularly with younger viewers, it was decided to create a "soap bubble" in which the character would meet his demise: the result, Damon and Debbie , became Britain's first mini-series spin-off from a soap opera. [4] [5] A year after filming her final scenes, Kearney was asked to return for a few episodes. Christmas 1988 saw Debbie McGrath make an unexpected return to visit Sheila Grant, Damon's mother; she arrived with her baby, Simon – Damon's son.

Kearney played the young Shirley in the award-winning 1989 film Shirley Valentine .

She also had the lead female part as Ellie Brookes in Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, a six-part television mini-series written and created by Debbie Horsfield and directed by John Woods. It was produced by Wall to Wall for BBC One originally airing in 1999 before being adapted into a successful stage musical.

In 2002, Kearney landed the role of June Forsyte in the ITV1 adaptation of John Galsworthy's classic novel The Forsyte Saga . She later reprised the role for the second series. Following the success of The Forsyte Saga, Kearney's next role brought her back onto the ITV screen in its newest medical drama, Sweet Medicine . Kearney was cast as Dr Deborah "Deb" Sweet, and starred alongside Jason Merrells, who played her husband, and Patricia Hodge as her formidable mother-in-law. The show was intended to take up the mantle of the popular rural drama Peak Practice , which had recently ended, but low viewing figures saw Sweet Medicine axed after just one series.

In 2005, Kearney landed a role in Channel 4's hit series Shameless , playing the role of Marty Fisher's (Jack Deam) girlfriend, Sue Garland. She left the show along with her on-screen partner in 2007. [6] She had a number of television roles following her departure before landing the role of Jessica Harrison in Casualty, in January 2008. Kearney left Casualty in February 2010, but returned briefly to tie up the loose ends of her character's storyline in May 2010.

As of 2 January 2015, Kearney began appearing in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale , in the role of Emma Barton, the estranged wife of James Barton (Bill Ward) and mother of their three sons Pete (Anthony Quinlan), Ross (Michael Parr) and Finn (Joe Gill). Kearney has received critical acclaim for her performance, [7] particularly when it came to the "No Return" week which saw the character hold James hostage and cause a huge crash that endangered the lives of seven Emmerdale residents; after Emma accidentally pushed James off the bridge, he later died. Kearney was nominated for Best Serial Drama Performance at the 2016 National Television Awards. In 2019, Kearney directed the 5Star woman's prison drama Clink .

Personal life

Kearney lived in Crouch End, North London, from July 2000, [8] and then rented a property in Clifton, Bristol, during her time appearing in Casualty. [9] She returned to live in Liverpool after the birth of her son; she also rented a home in Yorkshire where she filmed Emmerdale, and a holiday home on the Atlantic coast of County Clare, Ireland. [10]

In April 2009 Kearney mentioned, during a This Morning television interview, that she was seeing a final-year medical student called Eddie, whom she had met whilst in Bristol. [9] Early in 2010, Kearney announced her engagement to Eddie Foo and their intention to marry later that year in Ireland, [11] but the plans were soon put on hold when she discovered that she was expecting their first child. Kearney gave birth to an 8 lb 3 oz (3.7 kg) baby boy on 26 August 2010. [12]

Credits

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989
 Shirley Valentine Young Shirley
2003
HomecomingDushuriShort
2006
The Other HalfHolly Lamanuzzi
2006
The Lives of SaintsChristella
2006
 London to Brighton Kelly's next door neighbouruncredited
2013
HarriganBridie Wheland
2013
BreakthroughJudithShort
2014
Sealed with a KissGinnyShort

Television

YearTitleRoleNetworkNotes
1986–1989
 Brookside Debbie McGrathRegular role
1987
 Damon and Debbie Debbie McGrath
Channel 4
5 episodes, Mini Series
1990
The Final FrameCassy
Kinesis Films for Channel 4
TV movie
1991
Waterfront BeatHelen6 episodes
1991
 Casualty Mandy
BBC1
1 episode
1995
 Men of the World Jenny
BBC One
1 episode
1996
The Tide of LifeEmily Kennedy
ITV
Mini Series
1996
 Heartbeat Susan Watkins
ITV
1 episode
1997
The Ruby RingElizabeth LangleyTV movie
1998
 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Debra Woolmer
BBC One
1 episode
1998
 Liverpool 1 Julie Callaghan
ITV
5 episodes
1998
The Things You Do for LoveYoung JoanTV movie
1999
 Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll Ellie Brookes
BBC One
Mini Series
2000
Black CabPhil1 episode
2000
 Hope and Glory Kitty Burton
BBC One
10 episodes
2000
 In His Life: The John Lennon Story Cynthia Lennon
NBC
TV movie
2001
 Murder in Mind Catrin Palmer
BBC One
1 episode
2001
 Midsomer Murders WPC Jay Nash
ITV
1 episode
2001–2002
 Clocking Off Lynne Watson
BBC One
2 episodes
2002
The Real Jane AustenJane Austen
BBC Two
TV documentary
2002–2003
 The Forsyte Saga June Forsyte
ITV
Mini Series
2003
 Blue Murder Lesley Tulley
ITV
2 episodes
2003
 Sweet Medicine Dr. Deborah Sweet
ITV
2005
 Where the Heart Is Maria
ITV
1 episode
2005–2007
 Shameless Sue Garland
Channel 4
12 episodes
2007
 Trial & Retribution Gina Casper
ITV
1 episode
2007
 Lilies Miss Bird
BBC One
1 episode
2008
 Primeval Valerie Irwin
ITV
1 episode
2008–2010
 Casualty Jessica Harrison
BBC One
93 episodes
2011
 Justice Louise Scanlon
BBC One
2012
 Silent Witness DI Bridges
BBC One
2 episodes
2013
 Moving On Danielle
BBC One
1 episode
2014
 Suspects Tamsin Shaffer4 episodes
2015–2017
 Emmerdale [13] Emma Barton
ITV
Regular role; 355 episodes
2024
 Vera Deborah McSwain
ITV
1 episode

Theatre

Radio

YearTitleRoleStation
Sex, Latte, Paperclips [13] MichelleBBC
2013
Boots on the Ground [21] Dr CallardBBC Radio 4
2014
Brief Lives [22] DC ArcherBBC Radio 4
2014
Bring Her Back [23] Dr. Moira LeighBBC Northern Ireland

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
2015 Inside Soap Awards Best Bad GirlNominated [24]
2016Inside Soap AwardsBest Bad GirlNominated [25]
2017 22nd National Television Awards Serial Drama PerformanceNominated [26]
2017 The British Soap Awards Villain of the Year Nominated [27]
2017Inside Soap AwardsBest ActressNominated [28]
2017Inside Soap AwardsBest Bad GirlWon [29]
2018 23rd National Television Awards Serial Drama PerformanceNominated [30]
2018The British Soap AwardsVillain of the YearNominated [31]

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References

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  2. ↑ "Saint Benedict's College history". Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  3. ↑ Jones, Catherine; "We've got talent! £25m Culture project launched" Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine , LiverpoolEcho.co.uk , 23 September 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  4. ↑ Plunkett, Jon; "Brookside: the highs and lows" Archived 9 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian , 10 October 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  5. ↑ Williams, Steve; Jones, Ian; Kibble-White, Jack; "Channel 4 at 25: 1987" Archived 8 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine OffTheTelly.co.uk, November 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  6. ↑ "Gillian Kearney as Sue" Archived 29 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine Radio Times , January 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  7. ↑ Metro.co.uk, Duncan Lindsay for (19 October 2016). "Emmerdale: Why Emma Barton is one of the all time best soap villains". Metro. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Leask, Annie; "Interview — Gillian Kearney: Mum's desperate for me to find a good man" Archived 30 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine Sunday Mirror , 22 April 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  9. 1 2 "This Morning television interview with Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton on 16 April 2009". YouTube . Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  10. ↑ Francis, Pam (15 February 2015). "Emmerdale's Gillian Kearney: 'My greatest weakness is chocolate'". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  11. ↑ Wise, Jon; "DOCTOR WOO!" People.co.uk , 10 January 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2010
  12. ↑ Miles, Tina; "Casualty star Gillian Kearney on becoming a mum and her recent Clapperboard role at Liverpool's FACT" Archived 8 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine The Liverpool Echo , 25 September 2010
  13. 1 2 "Gillian Kearney". United Agents. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Macbeth". Everyman Theatre. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "Traverse Theatre Company: Strangers, Babies" Archived 15 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine Traverse.co.uk (Retrieved 16 July 2009)
  16. ↑ Fisher, Mark; "Theatre; Strangers, Babies" Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian , 2 March 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  17. 1 2 Butler, Billy; "Gillian Kearney Interview" Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine BBC (Radio Merseyside), 5 April 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2009
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  22. ↑ "Episode 4 Brief Lives". BBC. Archived from the original on 23 September 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "Bring Her Back by Andy Walker". BBC. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
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  26. ↑ Deene, Sarah (11 October 2016). "This is the BBC's last chance to bag an National Television Award for The Great British Bake Off/". Metro . Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  27. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2017: Full list of winners". Belfast Telegraph . Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
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  29. ↑ Dainty, Sophie (6 November 2017). "Emmerdale wins best soap at the Inside Soap Awards for the third year running". Digital Spy . Hearst Magazines UK . Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  30. ↑ McCreesh, Louise (10 October 2017). "Here are all the nominees for the National TV Awards 2018". Digital Spy . Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  31. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2018 winners list in full: Coronation Street named best soap". The Independent . Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
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