Mica Paris is up for a return to her villainous role in EastEnders

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    Having caused waves on EastEnders last year in the role of villainous Ellie Nixon, Mica Paris has hinted she could one day return.

    Speaking to MailOnline about the role, actress and singer Mica, 52, insisted there’s potential for Ellie to descend upon Albert Square again given that she wasn’t killed off.

    ‘She’s definitely not dead honey!’ she said during a chat on Wednesday night. ‘I loved doing that role. It was very powerful – intense! And she didn’t die, so…’

    'She's not dead, honey!' Mica Paris is up for a return to her villainous role in EastEnders

    ‘She’s not dead, honey!’ Mica Paris is up for a return to her villainous role in EastEnders

    Gushing about her co-star Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell on the soap, Mica went on: ‘Steve and I – he’s a fantastic guy – and it was so nice being with him, he’s good people!

    ‘We would have such a giggle – and then we’d switch into these monsters. Then in between we would giggle again.

    But doing EastEnders – it’s like a family there. They all look out for each other. It’s such a good place to work because everyone pulls together, in terms of support. Even when you’re the outsider, there are no bad vibes at all.’

    She added, wryly: ‘And it helps that a lot of them bought my albums!’

    Comeback? Having caused waves on EastEnders last year in the role of villainous Ellie Nixon, Mica, 52, insisted there's potential for Ellie to descend upon Albert Square again given that she wasn't killed off

    Comeback? Having caused waves on EastEnders last year in the role of villainous Ellie Nixon, Mica, 52, insisted there’s potential for Ellie to descend upon Albert Square again given that she wasn’t killed off

    Mica landed the role in February 2020, but couldn’t start shooting until July, as soaps in the UK were put on hiatus amid the first COVID-19 lockdown.

    ‘Imagine that trepidation! I was terrified!’ she said of the wait-time. ‘But I guess I had more time to make it right. And when I did start, because of restrictions, everything was quite slow. 

    ‘So we filmed with perspex screens, and with dummies, and there was a woman with a stick to make sure you were social distancing.

    'Grateful!' Reflecting on the pandemic, Mica admits how lucky she feels to have continued working through it

    ‘Grateful!’ Reflecting on the pandemic, Mica admits how lucky she feels to have continued working through it 

    ‘I guess it gave me more time to make sure I was getting everything right!’

    Reflecting on the pandemic, Mica admits how lucky she feels to have continued working through it.

    ‘I have been able to work – although it’s often been a different way of working. But for that I am so grateful, when so many others have struggled,’ she said. ‘I made a my [Gospel According To Mica] documentary and then was asked if I wanted to do EastEnders. That was the day before lockdown.

    Mica told MailOnline during a chat on Wednesday night:'I loved doing that role. It was very powerful – intense! And she didn't die, so...'

    Mica told MailOnline during a chat on Wednesday night: ‘I loved doing that role. It was very powerful – intense! And she didn’t die, so…’

    ‘And then the documentary was meant to be shown later in the year but they wanted to show it in April, because Black Lives Matter suddenly blew up. And my documentary was about gospel music and civil rights…

    ‘That then catapulted me into getting a call from Warner to make an album. I hadn’t put a record out for 11 years. So after I did EastEnders in the summer I made my gospel album so fast. In four weeks. I’ve never made an album that fast and it did well.

    ‘So while this past year has been bad for so many artists, I am so grateful. And even though live performance has been on hold, when you’re desperate a studio will suffice!’

    Gushing about her co-star Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell on the soap, Mica went on:'Steve and I - he's a fantastic guy - and it was so nice being with him, he's good people!'

    Gushing about her co-star Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell on the soap, Mica went on: ‘Steve and I – he’s a fantastic guy – and it was so nice being with him, he’s good people!’

    Mica – who is a patron for the Amy Winehouse Foundation, having known Amy before her death and remaining in contact with her mother – has been an advocate for mental health awareness in the UK, and believes that in the creative industry ‘things were tough before covid, and now they’re tougher’.

    ‘The British way, when it comes to mental health, has been to brush it under the carpet and have a cup of tea,’ she mused. ‘Yet there are people functioning around us who you don’t realise have mental health issues. 

    ‘As an artist, I like to be able to do something with my little position. It’s hard in the industry. One minute you are flavour of the month, the next they don’t know your name. And I’ve been there. I’m a walking roller-coaster ride, me. 

    Advocate: Mica is a patron for the Amy Winehouse Foundation, having known Amy [pictured in 2007] before her death. Mica believes that in the creative industry'things were tough before covid, and now they're tougher'

    Advocate: Mica is a patron for the Amy Winehouse Foundation, having known Amy [pictured in 2007] before her death. Mica believes that in the creative industry ‘things were tough before covid, and now they’re tougher’

    ‘People love you one minute, ignore you completely the next – and you need to ride that.

    ‘My aim is to provide great work – it’s not about getting a clap at the end of it, it’s about creating stuff that inspires or moves, be that a song, at the theatre, in a book. 

    ‘I hope to be able to move people – people who helped me through stuff. That’s what we do as artists. Help the human race!’

    Rocking out: She will also appear on I'm With The Band on June 4 on BBC One, with the likes of Gary Barlow, James Bay, Jamie Cullum and Tom Fletcher

    Rocking out: She will also appear on I’m With The Band on June 4 on BBC One, with the likes of Gary Barlow, James Bay, Jamie Cullum and Tom Fletcher

    Mica has released eight studio albums since her first, So Good in 1988. She is currently preparing her ninth and has plans to cover all genres before the end of her career – with rock and hip hop on her radar. Her next album is pop-inspired and will have a ’60s vibe’ to it.

    She will also appear on I’m With The Band on June 4 on BBC One, with the likes of Gary Barlow, James Bay, Jamie Cullum and Tom Fletcher.

    ‘It was amazing just to be working with those guys – we had the best time,’ she said of filming. ‘It was just fun – so great to play with them. Gary is a great guy, I’ve known him a long time.

    Soul train: in February 2022 she will support Simply Red on their Blue-Eyed Soul tour, following delays due to the pandemic

    Soul train: in February 2022 she will support Simply Red on their Blue-Eyed Soul tour, following delays due to the pandemic

    ‘You just haven’t seen live performances before you’ve seen that – we are rocking out – it’s not staged. Just raw!’

    And in February 2022 she will support Simply Red on their Blue-Eyed Soul tour, following delays due to the pandemic.

    ‘Mick [Hucknall] and I are both soul people, so that’s going to be a great night!

    ‘There’s less soul music played live nowadays, so it’s a very unique show. You just you wanna feel something, man! It’s nice having pyrotechnics and special effects, but there’s just nothing like real proper music that knocks you sideways. So I’m sure we’ll tear the place up!’

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