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
S
hona McGarty is posing for the camera
in a floor-length sequin gown when OK!
arrives for a catch-up with the EastEnders
actress – and we can’t help noticing the
glamorous look is a far cry from the outfits her
character Whitney Dean wears while pulling pints
in The Queen Vic!
Since joining the soap eight years ago,
Shona, 24, has become one of the show’s most
recognisable faces, and her involvement in a
recent depression storyline involving the Carter
family – which is headed up by Danny Dyer’s
colourful publican Mick – has once again given her
a chance to shine. ‘It’s weird having people know
who I am. I always get recognised when I’m in the
toilet!’ says Shona. ‘I’m a bit naughty, though, I like
to play up to the fact that I’m familiar to people.
Like, I’ll see a group of girls taking a picture and I’ll
jump in the background and pull a
stupid face. It’s so funny seeing them
looking at their phones thinking, is
that Whitney from EastEnders?’
When she’s not busy filming for
up to 12 hours a day, Shona can
either be found spending time with
her boyfriend of nearly three years,
electrician Ryan Harris or indulging
her other passion – singing. Earlier
this year, the actress performed
with the Philharmonic Orchestra at
Henley Festival, and was recently
rumoured to be considering quitting
Albert Square to pursue her hobby
full time – not true, as it happens!
‘I enjoy my time at EastEnders but singing is my
first love. I really enjoy performing, but that doesn’t
mean I’m going to jump ship and
start releasing music,’ she reveals.
Here, Shona – who lives in
Staines, Surrey with Ryan – chats
about life on the Square, working
alongside Danny Dyer and why
marriage and children couldn’t be
further from her mind…
You look amazing, Shona!
Thank you. It’s so nice to get
glammed up!
Whitney has become a bit more
glamorous recently, hasn’t she?
I never thought I’d say this, but
I really love her style at the
moment. She’s had a bit of a
makeover and she’s looking much
more grown up now. It’s nice to be
able to wear tight-fitting dresses,
but I still can’t imagine her in one
of these gowns.
Have you ever stolen anything
from her wardrobe?
I’ve never told anyone this before,
but a few years ago I stole
something from Stacey Slater’s
market stall and wore it to Lacey
Turner’s birthday party. When
I turned up, Lacey [who plays
Stacey] couldn’t stop laughing
at me. But I did return it the
following day!
You’ve been on EastEnders for
eight years now – has the time
gone quickly?
Honestly, it’s flown by. I’d just
turned 16 when I started so
I’ve done a lot of growing up
on the show. There are always
rumours that I’m leaving but
they’re not true, I’m really
enjoying it.
64
Who are you closest to on set?
I spend a lot of time with Maddy
Hill [who plays Nancy Carter]
outside of work. She’s a really
lovely girl and so down to earth.
We’re actually quite similar to
each other, in that we don’t take
things too seriously.
Do the cast ever go out
together after work?
We try to, but our schedules
are so hectic that it makes it
hard. Some weeks we start
work at seven in the morning,
so there’s not much room for
hangovers or feeling tired.
What’s it been like working so closely with
Danny Dyer?
Danny is a great laugh but he’s also very
professional. He has people in stitches on set
but the minute he has to be serious or film an
emotional scene, he switches. He’s completely
on the ball. I don’t think he realised how hard it
is making a soap that airs five days a week. He
appreciates the workload a lot more now.
‘i’ve got
my boyfriend
into
“eastEnders”!’
Do you get on well with Kellie Bright, who plays
Linda Carter?
Kellie is brilliant, she’s a complete pro and a
brilliant actress. In fact, she’s brilliant at most
things, as people are now seeing on Strictly Come
Dancing. She’s very multi-faceted.
Does she practise her Strictly routines around
the set?
Oh yeah, she was practising her samba in The Vic
a few weeks ago! It must be difficult for her to fit it
all in. It can’t be easy memorising all her lines and
dance routines each week.
You’re a good dancer too, aren’t you?
I can shake my booty! I’d love to do Strictly one
day, the outfits are gorgeous. I’m more of a
shimmy and shake my bum kind of girl, though.
I can’t imagine doing something slow, like a waltz.
Was it fun doing the EastEnders dance routine
for Children In Need last month?
I loved it so much that I was turning up to
rehearsals even when I wasn’t supposed to! I
was partnered with Richard Blackwood [who
plays Vincent Hubbard], which was so nice as we
haven’t filmed any scenes together yet.
this page: shona wears dress by ariella couture; faux fur stole by new look;
and earrings by amishi. facing page: shona wears dress by ariella couture.
Below and facing page bottom:
‘It’s so nice to get glammed up!’
the actress tells OK!. Facing page
top: ‘I’m a bit too young to be tying
the knot,’ says Shona, who is
happily loved up with boyfriend
Ryan Harris
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.
shona wears dress by lucy’s boutique; earrings by wallis; and bracelet by dorothy perkins
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.
‘as long
as i’m not
eating five
burgers a
day, i don’t
worry’
What’s a typical day like on set?
It varies, but often we can work from seven in
the morning until seven at night. We call the
longer days ‘Vic days’ as I’m usually in The Vic
the whole time.
Is it fun getting the chance to work behind the
bar at The Queen Vic?
I’ve never worked in a pub before so it’s actually
really hard knowing what to do. I can’t pour a
pint to save my life, they have to set it up so it
looks like I’ve done it!
What’s it been like filming the depression
storyline with Danny-Boy Hatchard?
Danny [who plays Whitney’s boyfriend] has
done so much research into depression and
I think he’s doing a brilliant job with the
Above and top left: ‘I loved
it [dancing for Children In
Need] so much that I was
turning up to rehearsals even
when I wasn’t supposed to!’
laughs Shona. Left: ‘If I could
spend Christmas Day with
the EastEnders cast, I would,’
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.
shona wears dress by mimi tran; and earrings by freedom at topshop
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
because he didn’t watch it. Since living together
I’ve really got him into it, though, and now he
watches it all the time.
Have you spoken about marriage and kids?
We’ve spoken about marriage but we both
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
– CC Bloom and Coco Chanel – they’re enough
to keep me busy! OK!
stockists: amishi www.amishi.london; ariella
couture www.ariella.com; dorothy perkins
www.dorothyperkins.com; lucy’s boutique
www.lucysboutique.co.uk; mimi tran www.
mimitrandesign.com; new look www.newlook.com;
topshop www.topshop.com; wallis www.wallis.
co.uk.
‘eastenders’ is on bbc one on monday, tuesday,
thursday and friday nights.
twitter.com/laurachills photographs by Dan
Kennedy additional photographs by bbc, twitter
styled by kelvin barron assisted by harry clements
hair and make-up by marcos gurgel using Bobbi
Brown, Ardell Lashes and Unite
68
Above: ‘I’ve got no
plans to go off and
become the next
Katherine Jenkins!’
laughs Shona. Top
left: The actress
with her on-screen
boyfriend, DannyBoy Hatchard,
whose character
has depression