Shona McGarty: My home village is like Emmerdale

Shona McGarty might have starred for many years in EastEnders, but she says her home village in Hertfordshire is more like somewhere from ITV's soap Emmerdale.

Speaking on the red carpet at the Brit Awards, McGarty also joked that her character Whitney would win a prize for having an "emotional rollercoaster" ballad.

When asked "if EastEnders did the Brits, who would get which award?", she added that Pat Butcher would win "music icon" and Kat Slater would scoop "slapper of the year".

McGarty, who is from Old Welwyn, left EastEnders in 2024 to pursue a career in singing.

She also appeared on I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! last year.

"Singing is what I want to do, music is where I want to go," she said.

"I've been in the studio the whole time, doing music, writing, all original stuff.

"I'm trying to experiment with where I want to go: What genre. I love everything and I can't make up my mind - I love singing everything."

BBC reporter Alix Hattenstone asked whether McGarty had recommendations for anyone visiting her home village, which is a short drive from Welwyn Garden City.

"I'm from Hertfordshire, in the countryside. It sounds posh – and some parts are – but mine's kind of real," McGarty said.

"[Old Welwyn's] got a post office, one dentist, one shop. It's a bit like Emmerdale – I love it.

"I recommend the restaurant there. It's a very nice family-run business, and it's gorgeous."

Alison, one of the restaurant's owners, said McGarty had been visiting since it opened in 2023 and had also sung at their events.

"Not only is Shona very talented with singing and acting, she is also a very kind and caring person. All the team are very fond of her," she said.

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