Sue bares her soul for show
Sue Holderness publicity shot for Calendar Girls.
Her most famous character, Marlene Boyce, may have had a boob job, but in her latest role, Sue Holderness will be putting her natural assets on show.
That’s because she is appearing once again in the hit stage show, Calendar Girls, which will be coming to De Montfort Hall in Leicester between Monday, February 20 and Saturday, February 25.
Sue, 62, said: “I have done the show twice before playing the part of Annie, as I wanted the character with the emotional content, but this time, I will be playing Celia.
“It’s nice to come back in and play a part that is jolly and fun.
“As a cast, we all keep coming back as it’s a wonderful show to be in as you know it’s touching a chord.
“People come because it’s a real feel good story that came from a small idea.
“I was actually very nervous of doing it in the beginning, then I went to see it and I thought it was one of the funniest and most moving plays I had seen.
“You get the truth of those ladies’ lives and how it affected them, I think it’s got everything.
“And it’s now huge fun to be in a play with a lot of other girls and as for taking your clothes off, you don’t see anything but you still have to do it.
“The most nerve-racking part of it all was when we all first met for the first time and had to take our clothes off to do the photoshoot for the publicity shots.
“You had to be brave enough to bare all in front of your fellow actors and I had just got my bus pass the first time I did it.
“But that’s what the women themselves had to do when it came to doing the calendar so we knew exactly how they felt and really, there is something very liberating about it.
“In this industry, you always feel the pressure to look your best and be aware of the bags under your eyes or how big your bum is but now I’m much more at peace with how I look.
“I mean I would love bigger boobs and a smaller bum but if you are happy and healthy, that’s the main thing and I think that’s what the show has taught me.”
Sue had the chance to experience her longed for bigger boobs in her most famous role as Marlene in Only Fools and Horses alongside Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst.
She said: “I don’t know how I got the part as until that point, I had played middle-class roles mainly.
“I was only supposed to be one day’s work but they liked her and I got to be in every series and special.”
Sue got to work closely with the creator and writer of the series, John Sullivan, as he also wrote the spin-off series, Green Green Grass, which starred Marlene and Boycie.
Sue said: “Getting the spin off was the most exciting thing that happened to me but I was also very nervous about it as spin-offs can be a bit hit and miss, and how do you follow a show like Only Fools?
“But we were very lucky to get four series from it and it was great to work with John again.”
John Sullivan sadly died in April last year at the age of 64 from viral pneumonia.
Sue said: “It was such a tragedy to lose him.
“I was very lucky to do a lot with him and I don’t believe there is anyone who can write family sitcom comedy like him.
“Only Fools does not date and you can watch every episode with the whole family.
“I got to play this wonderful cocky tart and I just loved her.
“She had amazing clothes and she was just bliss, I could have played her every day for the rest of my life.”
Sue will be appearing in Calendar Girls at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall from February 20 to 25.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kettering
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.