Actress Tamzin Outhwaite appeared on Heart Breakfast alongside Amanda Holden to discuss her starring role in the West End production of Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party, receiving praise from original star Alison Steadman, and an infamous incident involving comedian Alan Carr.
Speaking on air, Outhwaite reflected on the aftermath of Carr playfully pushing her into a swimming pool during a summer house party hosted by Holden. Describing Carr’s apology when he subsequently attended her performance in Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Young Vic, Outhwaite recalled his over-the-top reaction upon seeing her backstage.
"He turned up at the Young Vic with a massive bouquet of flowers," Outhwaite shared during the interview. "When I came out of my dressing room into the bar area, I didn’t know he was in, and he got onto his knees groveling. I felt sorry for him! I said, 'It’s done! Leave it! It’s okay!'"
Turning to her current performance as Beverly in Abigail's Party, Outhwaite recounted the surprise encounter when Alison Steadman—who originated the iconic character in 1977—came to see the show unannounced.
"I came to the stage door and she was stood there!" Outhwaite explained. "Brilliantly, she asked the company manager for my phone number. On press night, when I was on voice rest, I got a FaceTime call from a number I didn’t recognise. I looked and it said Alison Steadman! So I phoned her back, against doctor’s orders."
The 20-minute conversation provided a major pre-show confidence boost for the production team. "She basically told me that she thought I was great and gave me the seal of approval," Outhwaite noted. "She loved the production, and it gave me the boost and little magic to go into press night knowing that we had her approval."
Full coverage and catch-up clips from the interview are available via the Global Player app and Heart Breakfast broadcast channels.
