I could never choose between mine as Vi does!”
I love her affection for the two boys, especially Stuart. She’s a bit like my mum – she was a lovely woman, but she could ask the silliest questions at the worst time and make people feel a bit insulted. She’s in Walford, trying to make a space for herself, and in doing so she keeps putting her foot in it. “I like the idea that she’s an interloper. “She’s quite a character!” promises Gwen. The Highway brothers are both strong presences on Albert Square, and it seems that Vi will make a similar impact… That was quite exciting, and I felt trendy! Then they offered me the role. “I told my agent, ‘I’d like to work, can you look for something special?’ So when she told me about EastEnders, I did my first ever Zoom audition. “To be honest, I was approaching an age where most people would have put their feet up and sat in a conservatory to watch the flowers grow – but that’s not good enough for me!” laughs Gwen. And the star tells us that after many years working mainly in theatre, she is thrilled to be back on the box… Gwen’s enjoyed a highly successful acting career on the small screen, stretching from the 70s to the present day, starring in hit shows such as Duty Free, Fat Friends and Coronation Street. Watch out, Albert Square – TV legend Gwen Taylor is joining EastEnders as Callum and Stuart’s fearsome grandmother, Violet Highway.
