EastEnders star Harriet Thorpe, who plays Elaine Peacock on the soap, has spoken about her future on the BBC drama while attending the British Diversity Awards in London on Wednesday night
Actress Harriet Thorpe, who has played Elaine Peacock on EastEnders since 2023, has spoken out about her future in soaps and revealed she has no plans to retire. The 67 year old actress, who has appeared in series including The Brittas Empire, Absolutely Fabulous, Doctors and Endeavour, exclusively told The Mirror that she doesn’t want to stop acting any time soon.
““You have to stop using the word ‘stop’ because that’s swearing,” she said when asked if she ever plans to leave Albert Squre. “I’m never going to stop. I’m going to go on forever. I love my job. I love everything about it.”
Harriet was speaking on the red carpet of the British Diversity Awards at the Grosvenor House hotel in London on Wednesday, which was hosted by Loose Women star Charlene White and Dr Ranj Singh.
The event was founded by LGBT+ campaigner Linda Riley, and celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion by recognising and bringing together individuals and organisations.
Guests included presenters Angellica Bell and JJ Chalmers and former New Tricks actress Tamzin Outhwaite, along with disco group Boney M, who performed their hits Daddy Cool, Rasputin and Sunny.
Harriet joined EastEnders in 2023, playing Linda Carter’s (Kellie Bright) mother. The role of Elaine was originally played by Maria Friedman from 2014 to 2017, with Harriet taking over the role when Elaine returned to Albert Square and became a series regular. She took over the running of the Queen Vic with her daughter following the disappearance of Linda’s husband Mick (Danny Dyer).
Since she moved to Walford, she has had to deal with her daughter’s alcohol relapse, and was also a suspect in the ‘who attacked Cindy’ storyline for the show’s 40th anniversary earlier this year, and Harriet loves the strong storylines.
“It’s a joy creating Elaine,” she said in 2023. “My strapline for her is ‘don’t sit on the pity pot, get over it, get on with it and crack a smile because you might as well’.”
When she joined the soap two years ago, Harriet said she had no intention of playing Elaine as a shy old lady. “I want to honour 65-year-old women today who are not little nannies with blue hair or a pencil skirt. Elaine is a forthright, amazing woman. She wears a pleather skirt and platform boots. She’s in your face,” she explained.
“I am who I am, my age is immaterial. And that’s also Elaine. She isn’t defined by a number. She can be forthright, strong, a businesswoman – and she’s fearless.”
Harriet also revealed how pleased she was to be playing a true East Ender: “I don’t have to put the cockney accent on. Two generations ago my family were from the East End so this feels like going home.”
“My great grandma was in the East End and she ended up making corsets there. I haven’t let it leave me, and now being able to talk with a cockney accent every day at work is incredible.”
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