EastEnders' Gillian Taylforth reflects on Kathy's most 'gruelling' and 'scary' storyline

How did you get the role of Kathy?

Originally, I went in to read for [café owner] Sue Osman, but they decided I was more Kathy Beale. They worried that I didn’t look old enough to have a son of 16 [Taylforth was 29 when she appeared as Kathy in the very first episode], so I told them I’d have a couple of late nights… I got called back in with a director, who told me to put my hair up and pull it back, and then I came back again for a read-through with some of the cast.

I read, and then at about four o’clock they said, “You can go now,” while everyone else was still there. I thought that was me done. Then my agent rang to congratulate me: “You’ve got the part of Kathy Beale.” So that was that.

Did you have any notion that it would be such a hit?

Not at all. Julia Smith said to us: "When this goes out, you’re going to become household names." I told that to my mum and dad – they were people who kept your feet on the ground – and my dad said: “Yes, so is Domestos.”

Julia Smith, who created EastEnders with Tony Holland and was its first executive producer, had a formidable reputation. Did she deserve it?

Tony was a bit more easy-going, but Julia could just look at you and you withered. We used to do a first technical run with Julia. She’d come round and just stand there. And when you finished it, she’d look at you. And then she’d write something down on her notepad. And she’d look at you again. And you’d think “Oh blimey, the P45 is in the post.” Then you’d get the call in the evening with any changes or to be told that the scene had been cut. She was terrifying. She was fantastic. They both were.

Kathy has suffered a lot over the years — does that take a psychological toll?

Some storylines do. I remember going home with the scripts [when Kathy was raped by James Willmott-Brown
in 1988] and feeling very down and sad about it all. Learning those lines was a dark time. And actually, when it all happened in the Dagmar [wine bar], it was quite scary. Then, doing the big scene in the police station, having to go through it all again… It was gruelling.

You’ve now played Kathy on and off since that first episode 40 years ago — how much of Kathy is you and how much of you is Kathy?

Kathy’s a bit more outspoken than me. I’m not very opinionated and I don’t like confrontations, unless I’m really pushed, but Kathy is very strong, bolshie, and she’s not afraid to say what she thinks. I wish I was a bit more like her sometimes. But I protect her and if I think something’s wrong, I will say so. Just recently, I’ve had to say, “Oh, I don’t think so...” Because I’ve invested in her for 40 years and I love her.

Who is your ultimate EastEnders’ female icon?

I loved Dot Cotton, but it would have to be Angie Watts. Her and Den were just fantastic together and she was a tragic heroine. I was Angie’s best mate and we had such great fun together. And Anita Dobson [who played Angie] was someone you could learn so much from. She really was absolutely fabulous.

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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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