Chances are that you’ll know Jorgie Porter for different reasons, whether it be as Theresa McQueen on Hollyoaks, the second-placed contestant on Dancing On Ice or the lovable Scouser from last year’s series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! But you’ll soon have to address her as “Snow White”. Yes, Jorgie is taking up the classic role of Snow White in this year’s Christmas pantomime at the Liverpool Empire, where she will encounter more trials and tribulations than even Hollyoaks could throw up. (Okay, maybe not.) We recently spoke with Jorgie to discuss her role in Snow White, as well as her varied and exciting career across a plethora of fields to date …
First of all, can you tell us about how you earned the part of Snow White?
It was one of those exciting things where somebody calls you up and says “Do you want to do this?” and you go “Erm, yeah!” (Laughs) So, I was lucky to be asked, really.
Were you a fan of panto growing up?
I’ve always been a fan of panto. I’ve never really wanted to sit and watch a serious play, because I think it’s a bit too much. But pantos are so exciting, and when you can see the kids laughing and the adults are laughing at something else that goes over the heads of the kids – it’s great!
You’ve had two separate stints on Hollyoaks, playing the role of Theresa McQueen. What would you consider to be your most memorable moments from your time on the soap?
I had brilliant things happen to Theresa. She’s died and come back to life, she’s given birth twice, she’s shot and killed somebody – to be honest with you, that was probably my best moment when I killed Calvin. That was a brilliant storyline.
In 2012, you were named FHM’s Hottest Female Soap Star. I have to say it was well-deserved …
Thank you! (Laughs)
How did it feel to win that award?
I don’t believe it. I always think that I’m not really that sexy; I see myself more as a goofy weirdo, so to be seen in that way was the biggest compliment ever to me.
So it’s almost like you don’t see yourself that way, but everybody else does?
Yeah, it’s weird. When I do a photo shoot and I see it, I’m like “Oh, that’s not me”, almost like I’m playing a character. Everybody will say “Oh, that’s you”, and I’ll be like “Erm, no it isn’t!” (Laughs)
Tell us about your experience as a contestant on Dancing On Ice that same year.
That was amazing, and I probably didn’t realise at the time just how great it was, My skating partner Matt Evers was brilliant (at one point, I accidentally cut him in the face by chopping him between the eyes), and I came second too. So, one day I will sit back and think “Wow, I’ve done all these things”, and I’ll probably just faint!
You’ve had other experience on reality television, with the obvious example being when you were a contestant on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! last year. What were some of the challenges about being in the jungle?
For me, at first it was really fast-paced, it was crazy good and they were like “Yeah, go and do this! Touch these lobsters!” You know, stuff like that. To be honest with you, I’ve not gone back and watched it yet, so I don’t know what happened, but I think when you throw yourself into things where you don’t really realise what’s going on, you just find a way to do it, basically. But when it got to about the third week, I was like “Right, can I go home now?” The producers were like “No, you want to win!” But I was like “No, I want to go and live in Versace, eat burgers and just lie down and sunbathe!” (Laughs) So, I did get to a point where I thought about what I was doing there because it was really hard. But when it came to the Super Soaker slide challenge, that absolutely turned everything around for me, and it made me think “Do you know what? Everything comes to an end and you’re going to be fine, and you can live for anything. So, it did teach me a massive life lesson about not to worry when things end. When you are struggling with things, they will come to an end so don’t worry.
You’ve released calendars over the last few years. In regards to the photo shoots for the calendars, was this something that you ever felt nervous about doing, or was it something that you were able to just throw yourself into?
You have to throw yourself into it. It’s another one of those things where I think “Oh, this isn’t me!” You kind of blank out what’s going on around you and you just do it and not to get nervous about it before it happens. Don’t think; that’s my main way of dealing with it! (Laughs) You just have to act natural, and everybody wears underwear, so it just feels normal when posing for the photo shoots.
You recently joined the cast of Are You Being Served?
Yeah, I think initially people were a bit nervous about how it was going to come across (with it being an update on a classic series), but I think it was produced brilliantly, and the viewing figures were around 5.4-5.5 million I think, so it went really well, Which makes me happy, and the cast were amazing too , not to mention that they were nervous too because they had to portray characters who had already been established originally by other people, so they all pulled it off really well.
Tell us about your plans over in Los Angeles.
In LA, I go out to do classes rather than being in England and doing classes here. I think over here, people are going to judge me more, whereas if I do it in a place where nobody knows me, then I can just do whatever and be whatever I need to, and to be myself really.
The final question is, what can people expect when they come to see Snow White this winter at the Liverpool Empire?
I think this is going to be a great show. I think we’re already bouncing off each other, it’s really funny and I can’t wait to get the script as I can’t wait to get stuck in! My family have already booked tickets, and they’ve told me that they’ll all be sitting on the front row, which I find really hard to understand as there won’t be 50-odd front rows! (Laughs)
So, the first thing you’ll see on stage will be your family and friends, which I’m sure will settle your nerves!
Yeah! (Laughs)
Snow White will be delivering festive fun at the Liverpool Empire from Saturday December 10 to Saturday December 31. To book your tickets, click here.
