Grantchester actress Kacey Ainsworth has come far since hitting Trevor with that iron, but she still hasn’t ruled out an EastEnders return.
Kacey Ainsworth is currently starring as Cathy Keating, wife to Robson Green‘s Geordie, in Grantchester. Before that, she was a beloved member of the Slaters on EastEnders.
Will Kacey ever make that Walford return? Read on for the all the essentials on her career and personal life.
How old is Kacey Ainsworth?
Kacey Ainsworth’s birthday is October 19, 1968. At the time of writing, she is 55 years old.
She was born in Ware, Hertfordshire, and remains living in the same county in 2024.
What has Kacey Ainsworth been in?
Kacey Ainsworth first became a household name with her role as Maureen “Little Mo” Slater on EastEnders. Introduced as part of the feisty new Slater family in 2000, Little Mo was the quiet sister. She was later joined on Albert Square by estranged husband Trevor Morgan (Alex Ferns), but things were far from peachy – as Trevor continued a campaign of physical and mental abuse against his wife. Things eventually culminated with Little Mo retaliating – hitting Trevor with an iron in a very memorable soap moment.
She later married Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), but her happiness was short-lived as she was raped by friend Graham Foster (Alex McSweeney) and became pregnant with his child. Her son, Freddie, was born nine months later, but Billy struggled to accept him and he and Mo divorced. Mo’s later storylines revolved around her son Freddie, before she left the soap in 2006.
Following her EastEnders departure, Kacey played Inspector Jenny Black in Holby Blue from 2007 to 2008. The police drama was a spin-off from Holby City, but only lasted two series.
Her next big role was in The Wright Stuff, a BBC One sitcom about a health and safety manager. She portrayed Valerie Wright, ex-wife of series lead Gerald Wright (David Haig). The comedy, however, did not get laughs from critics and was cancelled after one series.
In 2017, Kacey starred as Miss Geraldine Gullett in a new reboot of The Worst Witch. The series starred Bella Ramsey as lead Mildred Hubble.
She also starred in Then & Now (2020), and in thirteen episodes of award-winning podcast series The Battersea Poltergeist (2021). She played the role of Lily Chibbett in a star-studded cast that also included Toby Jones.
Was Kacey Ainsworth in Call the Midwife?
Yes, Kacey Ainsworth starred in the 2014 Call the Midwife Christmas special. Her time in Poplar was short, but memorable.
Kacey portrayed Nancy Williston, a former resident of a Victorian mental health hospital. She met her partner Victor at the hospital, and the pair yearned for a baby together.
However, the couple learn that due to operations carried out on Nancy in the hospital, she is infertile. The pair are devastated, but are encouraged to stay strong for each other.
Will Kacey Ainsworth make an EastEnders return?
The answer is maybe! Speaking on Good Morning Britain in December 2023, Kacey said: “It would be an availability thing. I am busy until November. It would depend on the storyline and what they would do.”
EastEnders fans will know that Little Mo’s son, Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier), returned to Walford in 2022. Desperate to know who his biological father is, Freddie eventually tracked down the villainous Graham in person. His actions forced aunt Kat (Jessie Wallace) to break the news about Little Mo’s rape and Freddie’s conception.
With so much happening with Freddie, a return for Little Mo definitely sounds like it could be emotional!
Is Kacey Ainsworth married?
Kacey Ainsworth is currently dating actor Liam Tobin. The pair met on the set of Then and Now in 2020.
Liam Tobin has starred in Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and Murdoch Mysteries.
She was previously married to plumber Darren Hales for eighteen years, but the pair separated in lockdown.
Does she have children?
Kacey Ainsworth and ex-partner Darren Hales have two teenage children together. Their daughter is called Blossom and their son is called Elwood.
Elwood was diagnosed with autism at 6 years old. Kacey told The Mirror that in response she reduced her work commitments to keep life stable for her son. She says for seven years, she took only one short-term acting job per year.
Despite the difficulties, Kacey says: “My son is a unique, wonderful individual and looks at the world in a completely different way. I feel like I’ve been given a wonderful gift by him. Obviously I wish things weren’t so difficult for him and there are times it breaks my heart.”
She is now a patron for the charities that helped her come to terms with her son’s autism: Anna Kennedy Online and ADD-vance.
What is Kacey Ainsworth’s net worth?
According to Idol Net Worth, Kacey has an estimated net worth of £71.5 million.
Soap actors are paid a per-episode fee with a guaranteed number of episodes, meaning their annual salaries can easily reach triple digits depending on how often they are in the show.
Given Kacey’s prominence for years of EastEnders, she probably did all right for herself!
Grantchester airs Thursdays on ITV1 at 9pm.
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