Chat with TV star Kara Tointon ahead of The Constance Wife's arrival in Blackpool this weekend
Take a look at what TV and stage star Kara Tointon had to say ahead of her latest shows arrival in Lancashire tonight!
Stage sensation Kara Tointion (best known for her roles on Eastenders, Mr Selfridge, and London’s West End Pygmalion) stars in The Constant Wife at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Friday, January 16 to Saturday, January 17 2026.
Before the shows arrival in Blackpool, Kara, who also won Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, sat down for a chat all about The Constant Wife.
First asked how her 2025 was, the 42-year-old replied:“Well, it’s been a year of two halves, but not necessarily cut down the middle,” she laughs. “I think for a lot of people it’s been a funny old year. Strange. That’s why The Constant Wife feels like such a breath of fresh air. It’s so funny, and I think it’s going to be real light relief for people watching it and for those of us doing it. I’m really looking forward to it.”
The 2026 UK tour kicks off in Blackpool, and the BBC Strictly Come Dancing champion’s eyes light up instantly at the mention.
She loved her time on the show – as Kara recalls: “Blackpool has a very heavy, warm place in my heart because of Strictly,” she says. “When you enter that Blackpool Tower ballroom, it’s breathtaking, the architecture and the atmosphere. I remember it like it was yesterday… it was my best dance, my best week.”
Despite decades in the business, Essex local Kara insists her route into acting was almost accidental, explaining: “My parents were fantastic. Because of my dyslexia, I struggled at school, so Mum and Dad wanted me to find confidence elsewhere.”
At the age of 7, Kara started to go to speech and drama lessons at school. She did LAMDA exams and entered local music festivals doing poetry recitals. “I loved it. It was totally accidental, but that’s where it all began. And my dad still champions me every day.”
Now, though, she’s taking on Constance, the razor-sharp heroine of Somerset Maugham’s 100-year- old play, and she doesn’t hold back on her excitement.
“Constance is the best role I’ve ever been given,” she says simply. “Laura Wade’s adaptation is something special. You read it, and the words just spring off the page.”
Asked what surprised her most in rehearsals, the mum of two replied: “For a 100-year-old play, it is very funny. It feels current. Honestly, it could have been written in 2026, right now.”
Kara went on to explain the script was what attracted her to the part, she said: “I read a few pages and was laughing out loud. You just fall in love with these people. And Constance becomes this accidental powerhouse. She knows what she’s doing, of course, but all her underlying brilliance suddenly rises to the surface. She becomes the engine of every scene. That’s a lot of fun.”
Period pieces like The Constant Wife have become a Tointon speciality, from Pygmalion to Gaslight.
“There’s nothing better than transporting yourself to another time,” she says. “In theatre you really get to dig into the period. It’s incredible. I love it.”
She says that The Constant Wife is moving and funny all at once: “You leave thinking about what you would do in that situation. And it reminds us we don’t always have to rush. We can take time,reflect and make the right decisions. Constance is so witty and brilliant. I wish I were as sharp as her.”
Touring, of course, brings chaos, new cities, new audiences and a different energy every night. “What a great way to start the year,” she beams. “I’ve been to so many of the places before, like Malvern and Cheltenham, and I’m just so excited to take this show on the road.”
One particularly unusual stop on the tour is Cunard’s Queen Mary II. “I’m so excited,” she grins. “It’s a great way of reaching audiences who might never catch the show on tour. I’ve heard of so many people seeing brilliant theatre on cruises. It’s a great idea for us, too.”
Producer David Pugh has made headlines keeping tickets at affordable prices, some starting at £10, something Kara is fiercely behind.
“This is my first time working with the great David Pugh,” she says. “He really champions theatre being accessible. It should be. But it has become so expensive, sometimes it’s like booking an all- inclusive holiday. David keeps prices reasonable so everyone can come. Live theatre is magical. Everyone deserves to experience it.”
Outside of acting, Kara recently revealed she had undergone a double mastectomy after discovering she carried the BRCA genes 1 and 2, which put her at significantly higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
What surprised her most was how much hearing other people’s stories helped.
Kara said: “I’m not naturally someone who talks about things like this nut during it all, I’d find myself blurting it out, ordering a coffee or getting on the tube and saying, ‘I’ve just had a double mastectomy!’ I couldn’t help it.
“When I was going through it, listening to others’ experiences comforted me in a way I can’t explain. You suddenly don’t feel alone. We’re so lucky now to understand more about our own genetics and health. If sharing my story helps even one other person feel more at ease, that means everything.”
Tointon is now an ambassador for the gynaecological cancer charity the Eve Appeal.
“A year ago, I finally felt ready to talk about it, and the response was incredible,” she says. “It was cathartic. I’d recommend anyone to open-up about it. It helped me, and hopefully it’s helped others too.”
Finally, when asked what the title of her autobiography would be, Kara smiled and answered “Oopsie daisy”.
The Constant Wife starring Kara Tointon (Pygmalion, Mr Selfridge, BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing) is at Blackpool Grand Theatre on Friday 16 January at 7.30pm and Saturday 17 January 2026 at 2pm and 7.30pm prior to the West End. Tickets from £10.
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed production of W. Somerset Maugham’s ‘sparkling comedy of ill manners’ is brought to Blackpool Grand by Tony and Olivier award-winning producer David Pugh and luxury British cruise line Cunard directly before it opens in the West End, and is directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director Tamara Harvey and adapted by Olivier-Award winner LauraWade (Rivals, Posh, Home, I’m Darling).
Please call the Box Office on 01253 290190 or visit www.BlackpoolGrand.co.uk for bookings and further information. Matinee and evening performances available.