Across both series released so far of the U&Drama series The Marlow Murder Club, Ella Kenion plays DCI Vicky Greenly, with Series 2 released earlier this year. Ella plays Caroline in So Awkward Kids Camp and So Awkward Academy on CBBC, and over the first three series of Swashbuckle for CBeebies, Ella played Captain Sinker. In the BBC three-part drama series Four Lives, which starred Stephen Merchant, Ella played Mandy Pearson, and in the 2019 Netflix film The Knight Before Christmas, she played Old Crone with Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Whitehouse starring in the film. Earlier in Ella’s screen career, she played various characters in the sketch shows We Know Where You Live, The Catherine Tate Show and Swinging, and she later went on to be in the regular cast of sitcoms Gates on Sky Living as Mia, ITV’s Hardware as Julie, and in The Green Green Grass (sequel/spin-off to Only Fools and Horses), Ella plays Mrs. Cakeworthy. Alongside her extensive screen roles, which has also seen her film episodes of Beyond Paradise and Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators, Ella is also an experienced voiceover actor, recently playing Mr. Bean’s Mother-In-Law in Mr. Bean (in which Matilda Ziegler voiced her daughter), and amongst her credits, she has played Mum/Delilah in 101 Dalmatian Street, Queen Bee/Grandma Bee/Mrs. Wasp in The Hive, Stella in Q Pootle 5 and Tara/Vera in The Pinky and Perky Show. On stage, Ella played Ruby in the UK premiere tour of Dusty – the jukebox musical based on the life and music of Dusty Springfield, and, for the National Theatre, she played Mrs Jakob/Mrs Tuesday/Mrs Schlesinger in Emil & The Detectives. Speaking to us, Ella told us about playing DCI Vicky Greenly in The Marlow Murder Club, filming as Old Crone in The Knight Before Christmas, being in the cast of The Green Green Grass and voice work including Mr. Bean.

In the U&Drama series The Marlow Murder Club, you can be seen across both series released so far as DCI Vicky Greenly, was there anything that drew you to The Marlow Murder Club and what is DCI Vicky Greenly like to play?

I was drawn to The Marlow Murder Club because I’m a huge fan of an in person audition! It was such a lovely change to be asked by director Steve Barron what I thought about DCI Greenly and her relationship to Natalie Dew’s character. I love that she’s championing the up and coming female detective. It’s also refreshing to be in a show with all female lead characters.

How was it reprising your role for this year’s Series 2 and how has it been seeing the viewers’ response to The Marlow Murder Club?

It was so much fun to come back and see the team again. We had a different director for part of the series, Katherine Churcher. It’s also much more comfortable to go to set already knowing who your character is and how the other actors like to work.

How would you describe your character Caroline in So Awkward Kids Camp and So Awkward Academy and what is the series like to be part of?

So Awkward is a fantastic show. There’s something so invigorating working with a young cast. Some very, very young. Although they can be a little too exuberant and then suddenly very bored, it is an enjoyable challenge to keep them interested and also calm during the takes. Also, the rest of the actors playing the staff are so good. There’s a wonderful team spirit. Everyone is funny on and off screen and we have such a laugh filming it.

What do you enjoy most about filming for So Awkward Academy and how is it getting into character?

It’s very easy to get into character, I just channel my mother. I get to be really over the top and that’s very freeing.

What was it like filming for an episode of the Death in Paradise spin-off series Beyond Paradise as Dorothy Trowman and Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators – Series 3 as Melanie Montague?

Beyond Paradise was quite the challenge. It was a boiling hot week and I couldn’t have been in more layers with no shade. At one point, while holding a chicken I might add, I nearly passed out and they had to rush me into the stone cottage to cool down. It was really good fun though and I enjoyed giving Kris Marshall a hard time with my chickens. He is very funny.

Shakespeare & Hathaway was such a treat. Jo Joyner is a very old friend so it was lovely getting to work together again and the relationship she has with Mark Benton is great. They had me in stitches. I’d worked with Mark years ago in a film called Planespotting so the whole episode was like mucking about with old friends.

Can you tell us about your time playing Mandy Pearson in the BBC three-part drama series Four Lives, which starred Stephen Merchant?

This was quite a change from my usual work. It was harrowing to tell the story of such injustice. I met with Mandy prior to filming, at their house and pictures of their son Daniel adorned every wall. I felt enormous responsibility to honour them and their loss.

In 2019, you played Old Crone in The Knight Before Christmas with Vanessa Hudgens, how did you find the experience filming for a Netflix Christmas film and what was it like on set?

This was just the best. Filming in Canada, staying in a fabulous resort (out of season) and spending evenings listening to Vanessa sing round a campfire with Josh (Whitehouse) playing guitar. Vanessa’s mum was on set and at the hotel all the time too. She was so sweet. A lot of the cast had worked at Second City, a Canadian sketch show, so there was top-level banter at all times. For the first time in hundreds of years, it wasn’t snowing in Bracebridge that month so every couple of hours, work had to stop while the art department sprayed white foam everywhere. The challenge was that it didn’t stop raining so that kept destroying the foam. I had the best time filming though and would love to do it again. We were all set for a sequel and then Vanessa’s schedule didn’t allow it.

What are some of your favourite memories from being in the cast of the first three series of Swashbuckle as Captain Sinker for CBeebies?

Swashbuckle was and is a glorious ride. Very hard to pinpoint one or two memories except to say that Richard David-Caine and Joseph Elliott were hilarious and our rehearsals for the sketches we did during the show would leave us breathless with laughter.

You were in the regular casts of the sitcoms Gates as Mia (Sky Living) and Hardware as Julie (ITV), what were both shows like to film?

Excellent experiences for both.

Gates started out being written by Jennifer Saunders so early rehearsals with her were a dream come true. There’s nothing quite like making a hero of yours laugh while saying lines that she wrote. I was utterly starstruck.

Hardware, written by Simon Nye, again, great fun. I knew Martin Freeman when he was at Central Drama School so it was fun working with an old chum. Susan Earl, who plays his girlfriend in it, became a lifelong friend. I’m godmother to her eldest child.

How was it being part of The Green Green Grass – the sequel/spin-off to Only Fools and Horses – as regular character Mrs. Cakeworthy?

This was a proper family show. We were all so fond of each other. All so grateful to be working with legends John Sullivan, John Challis and Sue Holderness. We watched Jack Doolan, who plays Tyler, grow up from stroppy teenager to presentable young man. It was all quite the honour and privilege. Loved it.

Earlier in your screen career, you played various characters in both We Know Where You Live and The Catherine Tate Show, did you have a favourite aspect on working on these types of shows and how different did you find them to your other work?

Sketch shows, including Swinging which was where I met Jo Joyner, are a particular skill. You’ll never work harder, laugh harder or earn less but it’s worth every minute.

You are also an experienced voiceover actor, recently voicing Mr. Bean’s Mother-In-Law in the new series of Mr. Bean, how was it recording for the franchise?

Terrifying. Rowan Atkinson is very shy, very particular and really quite serious! However, he seemed genuinely pleased with my portrayal so happy days. The fun was to play Matilda Ziegler’s mother when I’d last worked with her on my first job out of drama school at the Royal Exchange in Manchester in The Recruiting Officer. She was a lead role and I’d earned their one equity card they have in the year to give to either an actor or stage management. I had terrible imposter syndrome and she helped me so much with my confidence. To play her mother some 35 years later was mad!

Can you tell us about some of your other voiceover roles, which have seen you voice Mum/Delilah in 101 Dalmatian Street, Queen Bee/Grandma Bee/Mrs. Wasp in The Hive, Stella in Q Pootle 5 and Tara/Vera in The Pinky and Perky Show?

I absolutely love voicework. It’s a very different discipline and I do pride myself on being not too shabby at it. Animation is also very different to voicing adverts, corporate videos, narration etc. Sometimes the team like to have all of you on mics in the studio together, sometimes you’re dropping in your voice while the other actors are played into your headphones. Much depends on availability. I’m very happy either way. I hope I can do it until I’m 100.

On stage, you played Ruby in the UK premiere tour of Dusty – the jukebox musical based on the life and music of Dusty Springfield, what was it like touring with the production and how was it taking on the role of Ruby?

I loved being in a musical. My goodness those dancers and singers work hard. It was an absolute privilege and pleasure to see Kat Kingsley deliver an exceptional portrayal of Dusty night after night. Musicals are hard graft though. Physically demanding but nothing quite beats singing and dancing the big numbers altogether. I would love to do more.

How was it performing at the National Theatre in Emil & The Detectives as Mrs Jakob/Mrs Tuesday/Mrs Schlesinger?

Dream come true. Honestly, this was the hardest I’d ever worked. I can safely say that the rest of the cast would say the same. However, to be at the National in their ‘Christmas’ show (that ran from October to March) was amazing.

Where does your love of acting come from and how did you originally get started in the industry?

My father, grandmother, aunt and great uncle were all actors and directors. It never occurred to me to do anything else.

What are some of your favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?

I love The Goodbye Girl by Neil Simon and I could watch Parks and Recreation over and over again. I love Saturday Night Live too. I’ve an eclectic taste, I’ll watch anything anywhere and pride myself on going to far-flung theatres to catch a friend in a play.

How do you like spending your free time?

Open water swimming, walking my mad mini Schnauzer and driving my teenage son mad.

Do you have any projects coming up that you can talk about, and what are you hoping this year brings for you?

I’ve just filmed Targeted Killing for Israeli TV, an action drama miniseries. I’m there for light relief. I’m also in a very moving short film called Motherwound that is doing the rounds in film festivals currently.

I’ve just voiced two wonderful books for tweens about a bonkers Grandmother by Joseph Elliott: Nora and the Map of Mayhem and Nora and the Compass of Chaos. Cannot recommend them highly enough. My adult friends are addicted, never mind their children.

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