Gillian Kearney

Gillian Louise Kearney[1] (born 9 May 1972 in Liverpool) 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 Barton gained her recognition because of character's involvement in Emmerdale’s most high-profile storylines during her three-year stint.

Gillian Kearney
Born	Gillian Louise Kearney 9 May 1972 Liverpool, England[1]
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Television	Brookside (1986–1989) Damon and Debbie (1987) Shameless (2005–2007) Casualty (2008–2010) Emmerdale (2015–2017)
Partner(s)	Eddie Foo
Children	1

Early life

One of four children born to Gerard and Barbara (née Allerston) Kearney, Gillian Kearney has three brothers, including 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. 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 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 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 which was 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 has a rented home in Yorkshire where she films 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

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
1986–1989	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	ITV	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
2015–2017	Emmerdale [13]	Emma Barton	ITV	Regular role

Theatre

• Macbeth ... Lady Macduff, Witch; Everyman Theatre, Liverpool; 6 May – 11 June 2011[14]
• Strangers, Babies ... May; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh; 23 February – 17 March 2007[15][16]
• The Flint Street Nativity ... Mary; Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool; 7 December 2006 – 20 January 2007
• Hedda Gabler ... Hedda Gabler
  • Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool; 23 March – 15 April 2006[17]
  • West Yorkshire Playhouse (Quarry Theatre), Leeds; 17 February – 11 March 2006[17]
• A Man of Principle ... Ruth; Colin's Bridewell, Liverpool; 26 October 2004[18]
• A Midsummer Night's Dream ... Hermia; Albery Theatre, London; 16 March – 12 May 2001[19]
• King Lear ... Cordelia; Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester; 9 September – 23 October 1999[20]
• The School for Wives ... Agnès
  • Comedy Theatre, London; 6 May – 2 August 1997
  • Piccadilly Theatre, London; 11 February – 26 April 1997
  • Theatre Royal, Bath; 9–14 December 1996
  • Festival Theatre, Chichester; 26–30 November 1996
  • Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle upon Tyne; 18–23 November 1996
  • Richmond Theatre, Richmond; 11–16 November 1996
  • King's Theatre, Edinburgh; 5–9 November 1996
  • Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead; 8–26 October 1996
• The Rivals ... Lucy; Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester; 8 February – 23 March 1996
• When We Are Married ... Nancy Holmes; Festival Theatre, Chichester; 24 July – 17 August 1996
• The School for Scandal ... Maria; Everyman Theatre, Liverpool; 1992
• Othello ... Desdemona; Everyman Theatre, Liverpool; 1992
• Alice in Wonderland ... Alice; Everyman Theatre, Liverpool; 1991
• The White Devil ... Giovanni; Everyman Theatre, Liverpool; 1991
• Your Home in the West ... Sharon; Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester; 28 March – 13 April 1991

Radio

Year	Title	Role	Station
	Sex, Latte, Paperclips [13]	Michelle	BBC
2013	Boots on the Ground [21]	Dr Callard	BBC Radio 4
2014	Brief Lives [22]	DC Archer	BBC Radio 4
2014	Bring Her Back [23]	Dr. Moira Leigh	BBC Northern Ireland

References

1. Birth Registration Details Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Ancestry.co.uk (Retrieved 16 July 2009)
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. "This Morning television interview with Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton on 16 April 2009". 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. "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. Butler, Billy; "Gillian Kearney Interview" Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine BBC (Radio Merseyside), 5 April 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2009
18. Underwood, Mitya (25 October 2004). "My Play's a Winner". The Free Library. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
19. Billington, Michael (24 March 2001). "Dawn French's mildly funny Bottom". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
20. "Courtenay Stars in Manchester King Lear". What's On Stage. 31 August 1999. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
21. "Boots on the Ground". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
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.

External links

• Gillian Kearney at IMDb