Loose Women's star Kéllé Bryan, who has had a long-standing career in showbiz, was one of the founding members of the girl band Eternal in 1992. She shared the stage with Louise Nurding (now Redknapp) and sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett. Since then, she has taken on acting roles in the BBC sitcom Me And Mrs Jones and Hollyoaks, where she played Martine Deveraux for four years, then five years ago, she joined the panel of ITV's Loose Women.
In an exclusive and candid chat with OK!, the London-born mum to Regan, 13, and 11-year-old Kayori Rose opens up about her life as an ordained minister, the truth behind the alleged feuds on ITV's Loose Women, and how she's finally learned to love her body after years being told in a girlband that she was the "big girl" of the group...
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Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)Hi Kéllé! You’ve been on Loose Women for five years now, were you ready for the spotlight that goes with a job like that?
I was probably more conscious of it being live television and thinking about what I said [in the moment], rather than the consequences of what I said. I just thought it would be, “Oh that’s what she thinks, move on.” But everything is analysed so much, they sort of comb through it quite slowly.
Audiences love to spot a feud...
Ha, yes, people will say, “You looked at her funny,” and I’m like, “No, I was actually looking off at the floor manager at that time!” I’m generally seat four so when I look away from the panel, it’s to my floor manager, not actively looking away from another panellist! I didn’t quite understand that microscopic way of analysing the show. I didn’t realise that when I started, but now I get it!
So you’re still enjoying it?
Yes, and I’m grateful for the platform because there are very few Christian women who come from the perspective that I do on television. I think it’s an important voice to be heard, it brings more diversity to the panel.
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judilove/instagram)You’re a huge advocate for diversity on the show aren’t you?
Yes, whether it’s because I’m an ordained minister, or coming from the perspective of having a chronic illness and rebuilding my life after losing sight, sound and ability to move [Kéllé was diagnosed with lupus in 2000]. There are lots of different angles that people can’t come at me for because I can say, “I’ve been there, done that.”
The hardest part is very recently having the push back for having four Black women on at the same time. It still tells me where we’re at which is why I find it profound. What are you reading and listening to that makes you think that’s an informed opinion to have? It shocks me. Yesterday there were four white ladies, no one had an issue with that!
Does being an ordained minister bring anything extra to Loose Women?
It actually came up the other day on Loose Women, and I always say, “This is me. Whether I’m on the pulpit or the panel, I’m the same person.” I don’t change who I am. My language might change slightly because I’m in a different environment.
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LIMEPICTURES)You’ve joined the JD Williams Midlife Redefined campaign… we heard you were already familiar with the brand from the Loose Women wardrobe?
Our stylists on Loose Women use them as a brand and when I put the clothes on for the first time, I immediately realised that whoever made it, understands what women need and want! I find fashion can sometimes be youth-led and fad-led, but this is a range made for women like us, sized for us, designed for us, researched for us.
When I hit 40 my shape completely changed and I didn’t realise there was a brand that saw that in us. This whole campaign is “we see you”. We have a change of lifestyle at this age and that doesn’t mean you can only wear jeans and trainers – you can – but you can wear things that have a great cut and colour.
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JDWilliams)You’ve had a difficult relationship with your body at times, haven’t you?
Well I started my life at stage school at age 11 and was a dancer from two so I was always in a leotard and tights. I have the stereotypical Black girl figure, I’ve got boobs and thighs. Once puberty hit I was told, “You’re never going to be a dancer.” So I had an eating disorder from my early teens.
What happened when you joined the band?
It was the size-0 era. Again, everybody was looking at me and I was the “big girl in the group”. All the designers would bring rails of sample clothes, I’d look and think, “They’re never going to fit me.” The other girls were smaller sizes and I was a size 10 and they just didn’t have that size. I’d try to wiggle my way into stuff, to the point where I thought, “I’ve got to do something about it.” So again, I had an eating disorder. My mum was amazing and so was my GP.
I went to the doctor for something else and he asked me about my eating habits. He said he could tell my digestion wasn’t working the way it should and that I was interrupting that process. I admitted, “I’m taking laxatives,” and he was amazing and referred me to all the right people.
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Getty Images)How do you make sure you stay healthy nowadays, and especially setting a good example to your kids?
It’s about what I surround myself with, I try to educate my algorithm online. I’m really guarded about what I read, what I listen to, and I watch really healthy people. I surround myself with people who speak positive language. I’m quite responsible to the people around me. I have open conversations with people like my mum.
It’s about being careful about your surroundings and who you allow into your inner circle. It’s not the big things that make a difference, it’s the little incremental things that seep into your psyche and before you know it, you’ve got a certain opinion and don’t know where it came from.
Kéllé Bryan collaborated with JD Williams for their Midlife Redefined initiative and helped curate a Partywear Edit that has been styled by brand ambassador Gok Wan, and is available in sizes 8-32.
For advice and helplines about eating disorders, see beateatingdisorders.org.uk
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