Chicken Soap for the Soul with Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Special Guest Danielle Henry

This week on Chicken Soap for the Soul, Elisabeth is joined by the endlessly talented Danielle Henry - acclaimed for her roles in Doctors (she played Mandy Marquez) , Emmerdale, My Mum Tracy Beaker, The Beaker Girls, and a recent appearance in The Good Ship Murder.

Danielle opens up about grappling with imposter syndrome, being terrified when first meeting Elisabeth and how much she learned from the ‘school of Doctors’.

Elisabeth and Danielle also discuss the joy of working on finding the connection with a character and why embracing fear can be transformative.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

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Chicken Soap for the Soul with Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Special Guest Daniel Millar

This week on Chicken Soap for the Soul, Elisabeth is joined by the charming and multilingual Daniel Millar - actor, incidental Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch assailant, and a man who's been mistaken more than once for at least two other actors with near-identical names.

Daniel has appeared in a dozen Shakespeare productions, trod the boards at the RSC, and regularly pops up on our screens - including on EastEnders, Holby City, and Doctors, where he somehow managed to play four completely different characters.

In this episode, Daniel shares his journey from studying languages to falling in love with theatre, the nerve-wracking (and character-building) experience of filming a 14-hour day for a single line of dialogue, and how persistence - including hand-written letters - got him his first part. He and Elisabeth also talk about the differences between acting on stage and on screen, and the lessons only experience can teach.

Daniel stars in the sparkling revival of Somerset Maugham’s witty and subversive comedy, The Constant Wife. It’s on at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 19 June to 2 August 2025. Tickets and more information available at rsc.org.uk.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

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This week’s episode of Chicken Soap For The Soul is all about tenacity — the grit, growth, and perseverance it takes to carve out a career in television. Elisabeth Dermot Walsh is joined by the brilliant Merlyn Rice. Merlyn’s journey from a runner, to script supervisor and even a guest star on Doctors led to her eventually assuming the director’s chair - a move she campaigned for over several years, with cast and crew rallying behind her.

With an impressive slate of directing credits under her belt including Coronation Street, The Good Ship Murder, Emmerdale and Sister Boniface, Merlyn shares what it really takes to rise through the ranks in TV. From navigating the chaos of filming on a cruise ship filled with real holidaymakers to the delicate balance of guiding performance and technical teams on set, she lifts the curtain on the brains and collaboration behind your favourite shows.

Whether you’re an aspiring director or curious about how your favourite soaps are made, tune in to hear stories from behind the scenes, the tricky moments that tested her and how Merlyn’s tenacity has shaped a standout career in television directing.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Follow the Brum Radio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brumradio

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Chicken Soap for the Soul with Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Special Guest Stirling Gallacher

On this week’s episode of Chicken Soap for the Soul, Elisabeth is joined by the redoubtable (or in her own words, ‘clownsy actress’) Stirling Gallacher, best known to Doctors fans as the compassionate and clear-eyed Dr. George Woodson, a role she played for over 1,000 episodes. Stirling graced just about every major British soap, from EastEnders to Coronation Street and from Emmerdale to Casualty. But before all that, Stirling’s roots were in comedy, notably playing David Brent’s boss in The Office.

Elisabeth and Stirling talk about navigating motherhood with a baby on set, being told she was "too posh" to play George Woodson, the overwhelming love she received from fans for portraying Coronation Street’s first bisexual woman and the absolute impossibility of staying composed around Ricky Gervais.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Follow the Brum Radio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brumradio

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On this week’s episode of Chicken Soap for the Soul, Elisabeth is joined by the excellent Donnaleigh Bailey, who brought sincerity, spark, and unstoppable energy to her 681-episode run as nurse Michelle Corrigan on Doctors. Donnaleigh currently lights up screens as the delectable, no nonsense PC Jess Heywood on Coronation Street.

Elisabeth and Donnaleigh talk about the joy of teaching drama to kids, how the original Doctors cast helped her prepare her audition for drama school, and the bold letter she sent to casting insisting she simply HAD to play Michelle Corrigan. Donnaleigh also tells the story of the absolute nightmare it was to audition for Coronation Street, feeling tipsy on fake tequila shots, and the genius of the nappuccino.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Follow the Brum Radio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brumradio

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Chicken Soap for the Soul with Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Special Guest Elizabeth Bower

On this week’s episode of Chicken Soap for the Soul, Elisabeth is joined by the brilliant Elizabeth Bower, whose unforgettable turn as Dr Melody Bell lit up over 300 episodes of Doctors. Elizabeth isn’t just brilliantly funny — she’s played a remarkable range of roles, from Spoons to Silent Witness, and from Trollied to Miss Scarlett and the Duke.

Elisabeth and Liz talk about the challenge of playing ‘straight’ after having done so much comedy, about suddenly having to learn to pole dance (and getting some abs painted on for good measure) and about the joy of voicing audiobooks and bringing them to life.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Follow the Brum Radio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brumradio

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chicken Soap for the Soul with Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Special Guest Corrinne Wicks

On this week’s episode of Chicken Soap for the Soul, we are joined by the ravishing and formidable Corrinne Wicks, who played Dr Helen Thompson in the original cast of BBC Doctors. She also appeared on Coronation Street, Holly Oaks, The Bill and Emmerdale.

Corrinne talks to Elisabeth about her road into acting, almost being fired on her first day on Doctors and the importance of having people to support and inspire you. Elisabeth and Corrinne also talk about sexism in the industry, the horribleness of the term ‘axed’ and dealing with scripts when you're dyslexic.

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For more information on Brum Radio Podcasts follow Brum Radio on instagram.com/brumradio

Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Follow the Brum Radio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brumradio

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chicken Soap for the Soul with Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Special Guest Joanna Bending

On this week’s episode of Chicken Soap for the Soul, we are joined by the very lovely and brilliantly talented Joanna Bending. A RADA graduate with a rich stage career under her belt, Joanna was nominated for Best Solo Performer at the 2012 Stage Awards for her powerful one-woman show. On screen, she’s popped up in everything from EastEnders and Holby City to The Sarah Jane Adventures, and of course, as Dr. Michelle Walton on BBC Doctors.

Elisabeth and Joanna reminisce about their days as students at RADA, swap memories of their time on Doctors, and dive into Joanna’s fascinating family (spoiler: her dad’s an actual doctor). They also chat about the highs and challenges of doing a one-woman show in London, and what it’s really like filming stints on some of the UK's best-loved TV dramas.

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Chicken Soup For the Soul is produced by Brum Radio and is recorded at Birmingham Podcast Studios in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Follow the Brum Radio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brumradio

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.