Gillian Kearney

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Gillian Kearney
Born Gillian Louise Kearney[1]
(1972-05-09) 9 May 1972 (age 52)
Liverpool, Merseyside, England[1]
Occupation Actress
Years active 1986–present
Television Brookside/Damon and Debbie (Brookside: 1986−89, D&D: 1987)
Shameless (2005–07)
Casualty (2008−10)
Emmerdale (2015−)

Gillian Louise Kearney (born 9 May 1972, Liverpool, Merseyside) is an English actress best known for playing Jessica Harrison in the long-running BBC television medical drama series Casualty, her early role as Debbie McGrath in Channel 4's Liverpool-based soap opera Brookside and the spin-off mini-series Damon and Debbie as well as Emma Barton in the ITV Yorkshire-based soap opera Emmerdale.

Early life

One of four children born to Gerard and Barbara (née Allerston) Kearney, Gillian Kearney has three brothers: Matthew, Peter and Tom, a professional footballer. Her father is a retired civil engineer and her mother a school care worker. Growing up in Aigburth, she attended St. John Almond RC High School, Garston,[2] where she gained nine GCSEs and four A-levels.

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 production team at Mersey Television, an event that resulted in her being asked to audition for a role in Channel 4's Liverpool-set drama series Brookside. Kearney landed the role of Debbie McGrath, the girlfriend of Damon Grant (played by Simon O'Brien). When O'Brien decided to leave The Close, 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 — 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.

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 hit Shameless playing the role of Marty's girlfriend Sue. 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 has been appearing in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She plays 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).

Personal life

Kearney lived in Crouch End, North London, from July 2000,[7] and then rented a property in Clifton, Bristol, during her time appearing in Casualty.[8] She returned to live in Liverpool after the birth of her son, has a rented home in Yorkshire where she films Emmerdale, and a holiday home on the Atlantic coast of County Clare, Ireland.[9]

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.[8] Early in 2010, Kearney announced her engagement to Eddie Foo and their intention to marry later that year in Ireland,[10] 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.[11]

Credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1989
 Shirley Valentine Young Shirley
2003
 Homecoming Dushuri Short
2006
 The Other Half Holly Lamanuzzi
2006
 The Lives of Saints Christella
2006
 London to Brighton Kelly's next door neighbour uncredited
2013
 Harrigan Bridie Wheland
2013
 Breakthrough Judith Short
2014
 Sealed with a Kiss Ginny Short

Television

Year Title Role Network Notes
1986-1987
 Brookside Debbie McGrath
Channel 4
 Regular Role
1987
 Damon and Debbie Debbie McGrath
Channel 4
 5 episodes, Mini Series
1990
 The Final Frame Cassy
Kinesis Films for Channel 4
 TV Movie
1991
 Waterfront Beat Helen
BBC One
 6 episodes
1991
 Casualty Mandy
BBC1
 1 episode
1995
 Men of the World Jenny
BBC One
 1 episode
1996
 The Tide of Life Emily Kennedy
ITV
 Mini Series
1996
 Heartbeat Susan Watkins
ITV
 1 episode
1997
 The Ruby Ring Elizabeth Langley
Showtime
 TV Movie
1998
 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Debra Woolmer
BBC One
 1 episode
1998
 Liverpool 1 Julie Callaghan
BBC One
 5 episodes
1998
 The Things You Do for Love Young Joan TV Movie
1999
 Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll Ellie Brookes
BBC One
 Mini Series
2000
 Black Cab Phil
BBC Two
 1 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 Austen Jane 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 Shaffer
Channel 5
 4 episodes
2015-
 Emmerdale [12] Emma Barton
ITV

Theatre

Radio

Year Title Role Station
Sex, Latte, Paperclips [12] Michelle BBC
2014
 Brief Lives [20] DC Archer BBC Radio 4
2014
 Bring Her Back [21] Dr. Moira Leigh BBC Northern Ireland

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Birth Registration Details Ancestry.co.uk (Retrieved 16 July 2009)
  2. ↑ Saint Benedict's College history
  3. ↑ Jones, Catherine; "We've got talent! £25m Culture project launched", LiverpoolEcho.co.uk, 23 September 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  4. ↑ Plunkett, Jon; "Brookside: the highs and lows" Guardian.co.uk, 10 October 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  5. ↑ Williams, Steve; Jones, Ian; Kibble-White, Jack; "Channel 4 at 25: 1987" OffTheTelly.co.uk, November 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  6. ↑ "Gillian Kearney as Sue" RadioTimes.com, January 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  7. ↑ Leask, Annie; "Interview — Gillian Kearney: Mum's desperate for me to find a good man" Sunday Mirror, 22 April 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 This Morning television interview with Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton on 16 April 2009.
  9. ↑ http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/557810/Emmerdale-Gillian-Kearney-interview
  10. ↑ Wise, Jon; "DOCTOR WOO!" People.co.uk, 10 January 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2010
  11. ↑ Miles, Tina; "Casualty star Gillian Kearney on becoming a mum and her recent Clapperboard role at Liverpool's FACT" The Liverpool Echo, 25 September 2010
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Traverse Theatre Company: Strangers, Babies" Traverse.co.uk (Retrieved 16 July 2009)
  15. ↑ Fisher, Mark; "Theatre; Strangers, Babies" Guardian.co.uk, 2 March 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Butler, Billy; "Gillian Kearney Interview" BBC.co.uk (Radio Merseyside), 5 April 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2009
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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