as she shows off her glamorous side… ‘i can shake my booty! i’d love to do “strictly”!’ ‘eastenders’ actress Shona mcgarty tells OK!’s laura hills all about growing up on albert square, what it’s really like working with danny dyer, and those singing career rumours
hona McGarty is posing for the camera jump in the background and pull a Who are you closest to on set? in a floor-length sequin gown when OK! stupid face. It’s so funny seeing them I spend a lot of time with Maddy arrives for a catch-up with the EastEnders looking at their phones thinking, is Hill [who plays Nancy Carter] Sactress – and we can’t help noticing the that Whitney from EastEnders?’ outside of work. She’s a really glamorous look is a far cry from the outfits her When she’s not busy filming for lovely girl and so down to earth. character Whitney Dean wears while pulling pints up to 12 hours a day, Shona can We’re actually quite similar to in The Queen Vic! either be found spending time with each other, in that we don’t take Since joining the soap eight years ago, her boyfriend of nearly three years, things too seriously. Shona, 24, has become one of the show’s most electrician Ryan Harris or indulging recognisable faces, and her involvement in a her other passion – singing. Earlier Do the cast ever go out recent depression storyline involving the Carter this year, the actress performed together after work? family – which is headed up by Danny Dyer’s with the Philharmonic Orchestra at We try to, but our schedules colourful publican Mick – has once again given her Henley Festival, and was recently are so hectic that it makes it a chance to shine. ‘It’s weird having people know rumoured to be considering quitting hard. Some weeks we start who I am. I always get recognised when I’m in the Albert Square to pursue her hobby work at seven in the morning, toilet!’ says Shona. ‘I’m a bit naughty, though, I like full time – not true, as it happens! so there’s not much room for to play up to the fact that I’m familiar to people. ‘I enjoy my time at EastEnders but singing is my hangovers or feeling tired. Like, I’ll see a group of girls taking a picture and I’ll first love. I really enjoy performing, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to jump ship and What’s it been like working so closely with start releasing music,’ she reveals. Danny Dyer? Here, Shona – who lives in Danny is a great laugh but he’s also very Staines, Surrey with Ryan – chats professional. He has people in stitches on set about life on the Square, working but the minute he has to be serious or film an alongside Danny Dyer and why emotional scene, he switches. He’s completely marriage and children couldn’t be on the ball. I don’t think he realised how hard it further from her mind… is making a soap that airs five days a week. He appreciates the workload a lot more now. You look amazing, Shona! Thank you. It’s so nice to get glammed up! ‘i’ve got Whitney has become a bit more my boyfriend glamorous recently, hasn’t she? I never thought I’d say this, but into I really love her style at the moment. She’s had a bit of a “eastEnders”!’ makeover and she’s looking much more grown up now. It’s nice to be Do you get on well with Kellie Bright, who plays able to wear tight-fitting dresses, Linda Carter? but I still can’t imagine her in one Kellie is brilliant, she’s a complete pro and a of these gowns. brilliant actress. In fact, she’s brilliant at most things, as people are now seeing on Strictly Come Have you ever stolen anything Dancing. She’s very multi-faceted. from her wardrobe? I’ve never told anyone this before, Does she practise her Strictly routines around but a few years ago I stole the set? something from Stacey Slater’s Oh yeah, she was practising her samba in The Vic market stall and wore it to Lacey a few weeks ago! It must be difficult for her to fit it Turner’s birthday party. When all in. It can’t be easy memorising all her lines and I turned up, Lacey [who plays dance routines each week. Stacey] couldn’t stop laughing at me. But I did return it the You’re a good dancer too, aren’t you? following day! I can shake my booty! I’d love to do Strictly one day, the outfits are gorgeous. I’m more of a You’ve been on EastEnders for shimmy and shake my bum kind of girl, though. eight years now – has the time I can’t imagine doing something slow, like a waltz. gone quickly? Honestly, it’s flown by. I’d just Was it fun doing the EastEnders dance routine turned 16 when I started so for Children In Need last month? I’ve done a lot of growing up I loved it so much that I was turning up to on the show. There are always rehearsals even when I wasn’t supposed to! I rumours that I’m leaving but was partnered with Richard Blackwood [who they’re not true, I’m really plays Vincent Hubbard], which was so nice as we enjoying it. haven’t filmed any scenes together yet. 64 . ;
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WWW.OK.CO.UK 65 The dancing was a great workout, too, I felt amazing by the end of it. I should really start doing more things like that to get myself moving.
Do you ever work out? I’d love to say that I go to the gym every day, but I don’t. I’m naturally a very hyperactive person and I think that keeps me in shape. I’m forever running around at work, especially after lunch. People give me that look that says: ‘Calm down Shona,’ but I can’t.
Do you watch what you eat? Well, I look at it and then I eat it! I never think, I can’t eat that. I’m through with caring, really. As long as I’m not eating five burgers a day, I don’t worry. Once every couple of weeks I’ll have a McDonald’s, but I think that’s fine.
Does being on TV make you body-conscious? I’ve always been a bit self-conscious, but that’s my personality. I’d probably be that way even if I wasn’t on EastEnders. It’s in my nature to wonder what other people think about me, which I know isn’t a good thing, but it doesn’t often get me down. It’s just something I know about myself. Plus I have good friends and family around me who make me feel good about myself.
There’ve been lots of new and old faces popping up on EastEnders recently, haven’t there? It’s been great! There’s so many exciting people coming back to the show and joining the cast. It’s a really lovely place to work at the moment, everyone there is like family to me. If I could spend Christmas Day with the EastEnders cast, I would.
Are you still in touch with Patsy Palmer, who played Bianca Jackson and left in 2014? We text every now and again to see how the other is getting on. I’m so jealous that she gets to live in Los Angeles now.
What’s a typical day like on set? erkins p It varies, but often we can work from seven in ‘as long y the morning until seven at night. We call the longer days ‘Vic days’ as I’m usually in The Vic as i’m not oroth the whole time. d y eating five b
Is it fun getting the chance to work behind the bar at The Queen Vic? burgers a
racelet I’ve never worked in a pub before so it’s actually
b day, i don’t really hard knowing what to do. I can’t pour a nd
a pint to save my life, they have to set it up so it
; worry’ looks like I’ve done it! allis w What’s it been like filming the depression y b storyline with Danny-Boy Hatchard? Danny [who plays Whitney’s boyfriend] has done so much research into depression and arrings e I think he’s doing a brilliant job with the ; e u q ti u o b s y’ c u l Above and top left: ‘I loved y b
it [dancing for Children In Need] so much that I was turning up to rehearsals even dress
when I wasn’t supposed to!’ laughs Shona. Left: ‘If I could wears spend Christmas Day with the EastEnders cast, I would,’
shona she tells OK! 66 storyline. It’s hard for me as I’m not playing the one with the illness, so I’ve been giving him the time and space to handle it the way he wants to.
It must be nice working on a show that tackles such important issues... I think EastEnders has the perfect balance between humour and drama. The writers always handle it really well.
You were involved in a child abuse storyline when you first started on the show... I had a lot of young girls writing to me saying that it opened their eyes and helped them see that the same thing was happening to them. I don’t necessarily think that was down to my performance – it’s because the writers decided to tackle such a hard-hitting storyline and did it sensitively. It was a pleasure and an honour to be part of.
Do people ever call you Whitney? Weirdly, I get more people thinking I’m Lacey’s character and she gets people thinking she’s me. It must be because I don’t walk around with my hair in a side ponytail like I do on the show!
Is it true you’re planning to leave EastEnders to record a classical album? No, I’ve got no plans to go off and become the next Katherine Jenkins!
Would you like to record an album one day? Definitely, but no time soon. I’ve been singing since I was two, so my passion for it isn’t going anywhere.
It was reported recently that you refused to sing on EastEnders because you thought it would be cheesy… I think that was made out to be bigger than it actually was. I’d never say never.
You’re very private when it comes to your relationship with Ryan. Was that a conscious decision? Yes, I’ve learnt my lessons when it comes to having a public relationship. [Shona previously dated her former co-star Matt Lapinskas.]
What sort of boyfriend is Ryan? He’s great and so supportive. When I first met him he didn’t have a clue I was on EastEnders
opshop because he didn’t watch it. Since living together t
t I’ve really got him into it, though, and now he a watches it all the time.
reedom Have you spoken about marriage and kids? f
y We’ve spoken about marriage but we both b agree that we aren’t ready. I’m a bit too young to be tying the knot. I’m not thinking about children at the moment either. I’ve got two Chihuahuas arrings e – CC Bloom and Coco Chanel – they’re enough nd to keep me busy! OK! a ; stockists: amishi www.amishi.london; ariella ran couture www.ariella.com; dorothy perkins Above: ‘I’ve got no t
www.dorothyperkins.com; lucy’s boutique www.lucysboutique.co.uk; mimi tran www. plans to go off and imi mimitrandesign.com; new look www.newlook.com; m topshop www.topshop.com; wallis www.wallis. become the next y
b co.uk. Katherine Jenkins!’
‘eastenders’ is on bbc one on monday, tuesday, laughs Shona. Top thursday and friday nights.
dress left: The actress
twitter.com/laurachills photographs by Dan with her on-screen Kennedy additional photographs by bbc, twitter boyfriend, Danny- styled by kelvin barron assisted by harry clements wears hair and make-up by marcos gurgel using Bobbi Boy Hatchard, Brown, Ardell Lashes and Unite whose character
shona has depression 68