Eastenders actress Shona McGarty was starstruck to appear on the Late Late Show alongside Daniel O’Donnell tonight, revealing that his photograph hung alongside the Sacred Heart in her childhood home.
The soap star, who plays Whitney Dean in the BBC drama, has Irish family on both her father and mother’s side, and was excited to be performing with the Donegal crooner on the show.
“I actually grew up listening to Daniel’s music,” she told host Patrick Kielty. “We actually had a picture of the Sacred Heart and right next to it was Daniel. And they were exactly the same.
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“Dad’s family were from Limerick and Leitrim, mum’s family were from Wexford and Tipp. If they were watching now, which I’m sure they are, they would be so incredibly proud and delighted,” she said as she sat beside Daniel.
Asked by Patrick Kielty what it was like working with her hero, Shona said: “Honestly, Daniel is the most hard-working person, especially in this industry, it can be so difficult.
“He is an icon and a legend. And it is just an honour to even be sitting beside him,” she gushed. “Daniel is amazing and such a wonderful person… I never thought I’d be sitting here.”
Chatting to Patrick Kielty about a recent family wedding that he attended in Italy, Daniel mentioned how the newlyweds had just announced that they were expecting a baby in April.
“They used to say that’s the wedding night baby, and it’s nine months to the very day,” said the singer. “If it was any different, the Sacred Heart would have fallen off the wall,” he joked.
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