Georgia Bourke Interview

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Georgia joined the Channel 4 soap at the beginning of the year as strong-willed Lacey Kane, and is currently involved in an ongoing alcoholism storyline centring around troubled mum-of-three Martha.

Here, Georgia chats about her nomination and life at Hollyoaks.

Congratulations on your nomination for 'Best Newcomer' at the Inside Soap Awards. How does it feel to be in the running?
"I was really shocked when I found out, to be honest! The first I heard of it was when another member of the cast texted me, so I really wasn't expecting it. It was a big shock, but it's obviously really nice to be recognised for the work that you're doing."

How do you rate your chances?
"I'm just happy with the nomination, really! Obviously I'm up against Steven Roberts [who plays George] as well, and not only is he a good friend, I think he's a brilliant actor. So I'm not going to be holding out any hope, but it's lovely to be nominated."

Why do you think soap fans should be voting for all things Hollyoaks this year?
"I think people should vote for Hollyoaks because it's always underrated, and the show has got great storylines running all of the time. Even though I know what's going on most of the time, I'm still shocked by what I see on screen and still get really excited when I watch the show.

"There's loads of action going on in Hollyoaks, there's lots of great characters and it's just going to get better."

Are you looking forward to the Inside Soap ceremony itself in London next month?
"Definitely - I've been here for about eight months now and it's my first awards ceremony. I'm really looking forward to it, because I don't know what to expect. I've never been there before, so it's always exciting to go to new events."

How have you found your time at Hollyoaks so far?
"I've really enjoyed it. To be honest, it's gone so quickly, which I think is usually a good sign as they do say that time flies when you're having fun! I've been lucky to have some good storylines and I've been working with brilliant people, so I couldn't have asked for anything better. It's been a brilliant job so far."

Was it daunting to join such a big show?
"Yeah, it was really daunting, because I grew up watching Hollyoaks, so at first it's strange when you're going around work and spotting people who you used to watch when you were younger!

"It's really daunting, but everyone is so nice and welcoming here, so it was really nice to just sink into it and get on with my work."

How well do you get on with your on-screen Kane family?
"We get on really well. We spend a lot of time together outside of work, and we've got a nice little family relationship going on, as we do like to annoy each other a bit and wind each other up!

"We do have a laugh most of the time, so we're really lucky to have such a nice group of people working together."

We've seen some great scenes for the Kanes with Martha's alcoholism story. How have you found that storyline to film?
"It's been brilliant. The scenes have been a challenge, because it's not something I've dealt with, so the whole storyline was really new to me. But I think Carli Norris who plays Martha is brilliant, so it was great to watch her do her thing!

"While filming the storyline, it's been exciting for us to see what's going to happen, because often we're not sure ourselves which way things are going to go. So the storyline has been really great to film."

Lacey has a very unique fashion style. Would you ever dress like her in real life?
"I don't think so! I'm not into fashion, really, so I'm quite a boring dresser! When I get some of the outfits, I'm just like, 'Whoa!' I tend to like them all, but it's just that I'd never have the confidence to pull them off in real life. There's some quite interesting choices in Lacey's wardrobe!"

Do you get recognised much when you're out of costume?
"Not really! My hair has been completely changed for this role as it's been dyed black. I also wear my fringe down on screen, which I don't do in real life.

"When I'm out, I obviously don't wear Lacey's make-up or any of her clothes, so I never get recognised - only if I'm maybe with a few of the other cast. But it's quite nice to be able to go under the radar sometimes!"

We've all seen Lacey's unlikely friendship with Phoebe, but can we expect more rows for those two as well?
"I don't think it's ever going to be an easy ride for those two! They're both so stubborn and so similar, so there's always going to be a bit of friction there.

"But at the end of the day, they've got to the level now where they respect each other and trust each other. I think there'll always be a little friendship there, but there's bound to be more arguments along the way!"

Is Lacey definitely joining the Hollyoaks sixth form in September?
"Well, we're not allowed to give away storylines, but Lacey did go to the open day at the sixth form a few months ago, so I suppose it's the next gradual step for her on the show!"

Which characters would you like Lacey to interact with next?
"Brendan would be interesting, because obviously he works with Ash. Lacey and Brendan are both quite strong-willed characters, so it'd be interesting to see whether she'd bow down to him or whether she'd hold her ground!"

Who are your best friends on set?
"I really get on with Mandip, who plays Phoebe. That's great because we've been able to work together a lot recently. We spend a lot of time together outside of work. It's the same with Steven and Lucy Dixon, who plays Tilly. We do a lot together, including Cluedo nights and games nights, so we try to hang out as much as we can."

How long have you been acting for?
"I've been acting probably for the last two or three years. I was doing a little bit at school, but then obviously with exams to concentrate on, I put that to one side for a while. For the last two years, I've been auditioning a lot and doing a few little jobs here and there, so I've been really lucky to get Hollyoaks now.

"I'm at Hollyoaks full-time so I'm fortunate with how it's turned out. I just finished my A-Levels in July last year, and then I got the job in October or November. It's really nice that I can put all of my effort into Hollyoaks now."

As a newcomer to soapland, have you learned much from the established cast?
"Oh yeah, definitely, because there's so many experienced actors at Hollyoaks who have been doing jobs for years. There's always something to learn and people are always really helpful.

"If you ever want any help, you can ask people what they think and the crew and directors are really helpful with steering you along. As a young actress, it's a great experience."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks sixth former Lacey Kane makes a move on older guy Ally Gorman next week, convinced that there is a romantic spark between them.

Lacey shared a moment with Ally (Dan O'Connor) earlier this month and is now keen for things to develop further, even though the mysterious Australian is her sister Ash's boyfriend.

Keen to impress Ally, Lacey starts dressing more provocatively around the Kane house before finally attempting to kiss him - but will she get the reaction she is hoping for?

Digital Spy recently caught up with Georgia Bourke, who plays Lacey, to hear about the shock storyline and more.

What has this storyline been like to film?
"I didn't really see it coming so it was a bit of a shock, but it has been quite fun to film. It's something different, so I think it makes a nice change for the character of Lacey."

Why is Lacey tempted to betray her own sister by pursuing Ally?
"I think part of the reason for that is Lacey and Ash have a bit of a strange relationship anyway. Lacey went out of the family home for quite a few years while she was away at boarding school, so I don't think they've become as close as you would expect.

"Also, Lacey is not a very good judge of character when it comes to boys. As soon as she thinks Ally is showing her a bit of attention, she's keen to jump onto that regardless of the consequences."

Does Lacey feel any guilt about what she's doing?
"I think there are probably a few moments when Lacey realises that it's wrong, but she also thinks that Ally is spurring her on. She's encouraged by that and she's not thinking too much about the fact that it's her sister's boyfriend. To Lacey, he's just this man who's living in her house and giving her attention. She's quite flattered by that."

Has Lacey always liked Ally?
"I wouldn't say she's liked him from day one. When Ally first moved in, her attention was focused on Dylan at college. But when Lacey and Ally were playing Aussie Rules in the park and fell to the ground, there was a moment between them. Since that point, Lacey has always thought that there is something between them, and it's built from there.

"Now Lacey wants things to go further, so at the beginning she plays it cool and it builds over time. Once she thinks that she's getting something back from Ally, she'll step it up a notch."

How does Ally react when Lacey walks around the house in just a towel to impress him?
"Ally is a bit shocked! He obviously sees her as the little girl of the house because she's the youngest in the family, so I think that shocks him. But on the flip side, I think Ally is flattered because he's now got attention from both of the Kane sisters. He's not going to tell her to stop anytime soon."

Lacey also invites Neil around and provokes a row by hinting that he's being too forward…
"She does, and again, that's another example of her trying to get Ally to show his affection towards her. Lacey is not really that bothered that Neil is being left in the firing line because of that - she's just using him to get the reaction she wants from Ally."

How does Lacey and Ally's kissing scene come about?
"The kiss happens directly after Ally has pinned Neil up against the wall to warn him off. From that, Lacey has decided that Ally does fancy her - she's definitely got the reaction that she wanted.

"Lacey thinks that's the perfect opportunity to kiss him, so it'll be interesting to see how Ally reacts to that because I don't think he's expecting it!"

Do Ash and Callum pick up on any of the goings-on between Lacey and Ally?
"They don't, because up until the kiss it's all been quite subtle. It's just been the odd look or glance - nothing too obvious. Lacey is also quite careful with what she's doing. Although she doesn't care too much about Ash and her feelings, she knows that it shouldn't be happening, so she'll only pursue Ally when nobody else is around."

How do you think Ash would react if she found out?
"I don't think she'd be too happy! I think she'd be shocked at both Ally and Lacey. Her pride is important to her, so she'd probably just go berserk, I imagine!"

Does Lacey see the kiss as the start of something?
"I think she's certainly hoping that something more could develop. Lacey is under the impression that Ally fancies her, so she's really keen to move things forward. She hopes that kissing Ally will perhaps be the start of a relationship."

Were you nervous about filming the kissing scene with Dan?
"It's just part of the job, really. Dan is lovely and we get on well, so it's fine. It wasn't too painful! By that point, we'd done a whole day of filming, so it was just part of the scenes that we were doing and I wasn't too nervous coming towards it. It's always a little bit awkward filming kissing scenes, but it wasn't too bad."

How much of a mistake are the Kanes making by trusting Ally?
"From watching the programme I think they're making a big, big mistake! He's a very, very dodgy character and I think it's clear to the audience that whatever he says is not quite the truth.

"The Kanes don't even know who he is or where he's come from, but they've allowed him into their house and trusted him completely. I think that's probably a massive, massive mistake."

We've waited a long time to find out more about Ally and what he's up to. Are answers coming?
"Yeah, I'd definitely say that explanations are on the way. By Lacey and Ally having this interaction, it's going to maybe bring up more drama and there'll be more developments coming up. You're definitely on the way to finding out who Ally is and what he's about…"

Now that Martha is back on the scene, can the Kane kids ever forgive her?
"You can never say never, but I think especially with Ally around, that's going to be a long, long battle. Martha is very determined, but on the flip side, the kids are very stubborn. They all think they know best so a resolution is never going to be easy, but maybe it will happen over time."

Is there any hope for Lacey and Dylan?
"I think there's some hope for them and it's a shame how things have turned out, because Dylan has been lovely. Really Dylan is what Lacey is looking for - someone who is showing her some attention. For now, Lacey's sights are set on Ally and for the immediate future, that's where her attentions are going to lie, but who knows?"

Do you enjoy working with Mikey, who plays the role of Dylan?
"Yeah, I've really enjoyed working with Mikey. I was in his audition right at the beginning, so I've known him for quite a while now. It's nice to see him come out of his shell, and he's really getting on well at Hollyoaks - he's doing a great job. It's been really nice to see that and he's a really sweet guy."

Do Lacey and Phoebe have more scenes on the way?
"Yes, there are a few more scenes on the way, which I'm quite looking forward to. I really like their friendship and I think they work well together. It's not your typical friendship, and there'll definitely be more depth between them as they learn a bit more about each other."

Could Lacey become a friend to Esther as her bullying ordeal worsens?
"I hope so, because there's been moments in the past which show that Lacey is on Esther's side. The thing with Lacey is that she is quite selfish and self-absorbed, so at the moment, her attention is focused on Ally and she's not completely aware of what's going on with the other sixth formers.

"If something was immediately put in front of her - a situation where Esther was being bullied - I think she would stick up for what's right. I hope they can be friends because Lacey needs more friends, and Esther definitely does! It might or might not happen, we'll have to wait and see."