Fair City fans are set to see the return of Kelly - Zoe's sister - in Sunday's episode on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player - and actress Charleigh Bailey is relishing her character's Carrigstown comeback.
Bailey has the distinction of playing two Fair City characters over the years - she came to the rescue in November 2021 to play Sash for a number of episodes while co-star Stephanie Kelly recovered from illness.
Now, Bailey is back as Kelly - the character she played between 2011 and 2016 - and admits that she hadn't "a clue" that Kelly would feature again in the Carrigstown drama.
"You learn in this business to just go with the flow and not take anything as a given," she says. "It's just the nature of it and makes it all the more exciting."
Below, Bailey discusses what's in store for Kelly and her sister Zoe (Connie Doona) in the episodes ahead.
As a reminder for fans, when did they last see Kelly in Fair City and what was happening at the time?
Charleigh Bailey: Back in 2011, the Fahys were coping with two new foster kids, Kelly and Zoe. In January 2012, Dermot lied to social services about Jo leaving him - as he feared he would lose the girls. This backfired, however, and Kelly and Zoe were sent to a new foster home. In September, he discovered that Kelly had left school early to look after Zoe. She later went to college and in 2016 she returned to tell Dermot that she had been offered a job as an aid worker for a refugee camp in Italy. The girls stayed in touch, but relations became strained when Kelly found out about Zoe working as a sugar baby. Now, Kelly is returning to Carrigstown with Dermot's blessing, to help put things right.
Did you feel you had unfinished business with playing Kelly?
Yes, I've always felt there was scope for her to return. She's a great character to play, lots of depth and intelligence to her. It's been interesting to play her at different points in my own career/life as she grows up and I do too. Who knows where her storyline will go...
What kind of headspace do we find Kelly in when she returns to Carrigstown?
She's on a mission, but I think when she first arrives she forgets what that mission is. She's seen and experienced a lot in her job as an aid worker and has hardened towards the world. There's also that interesting sister dynamic between Kelly and Zoe. No matter who you are out in the world, when you return to the family home you're still the big sister/daughter etc. You slot right back into the role you had as a kid and that is very evident when Kelly returns to Carrigstown.
What do you like most about Kelly and what annoys you about her?
I love her directness and no-nonsense personality. However, she can sometimes still sound like a teenager who hasn't grown up and that annoys me.
Without giving too much away, how would you describe how things play out between Kelly and Zoe in the episodes ahead?
At first, they are like two teenage sisters constantly snapping at each other. Zoe is not impressed with Kelly's bossy ways and is very opposed to Kelly's presence and help. Kelly wants to be the protective big sister that she should be, but whether Zoe will allow her to take care of her remains to be seen.
Do you think Zoe and her boyfriend Alex have a future together?
I'm not sure. I do think they are serious about each other, but they're both so young and have a lot to learn and a lot of the world to see and experience. I don't think that Kelly will be buying a hat just yet, but then again you never know how things will play out!
Fair City airs on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
