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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASAHollyoaks legend Jimmy McKenna spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about falling in love with the magic of Liverpool, his encounter with a music icon and why he doesn't worry about what is next on the horizon for his character
16:29, 27 Jul 2026Updated 16:44, 27 Jul 2026
Jimmy McKenna is happy to take each day as it comes. The 72-year-old is the second longest serving cast member on Hollyoaks behind co-star, Nick Pickard.
The Lime Pictures studio has been a sacred place to the Glaswegian actor since he first arrived as Jack Osborne in Childwall in 1996. While the drama of soaps means no character's future is certain, Jimmy has been a mainstay in the Channel 4 show for three decades. He is not worried about what fate may befall his character as he credits his longevity with putting his trust in the writers.
Speaking to the ECHO in an exclusive interview on the set, he said: "In 30 years in Hollyoaks, I've never known what's in store for my character. I've been in the business for 50 years and all I want to do is keep working.
"I'm still working and I'm nearly 75. I never go up and ask the writers [what is coming up for Jack] because it's got nothing to do with me. It's Hannah [Cheers] and the writers. They decide my fate, but that's an actor's life."
An actor's life is what Jimmy has led since he quit a career in football with Sheffield Wednesday after suffering a back injury. It was shortly after finishing acting school when his love affair with the city he would later call home started.
He said: "I fell in love with this city in 1982 when I was working with Willy Russell, Alan Bleasdale and Chris Bond at the Playhouse. As a young actor, two years out of drama school, that was some break for me. That was a lovely building block for my career.
"This one was a special one." Jimmy arrived in the city with his late wife Beverly, who died last year. He said: "My beautiful late wife Beverly came with me and she fell in love with this city as well. It's wonderful. Liverpool is a special place for me."
The city has continued to call him back ever since as he was part of the cast of police procedural programme, Waterfront Beat, in 1990. Show creator Sir Phil Redmond called upon his services once again six years later when he needed an older head to be part of the cast of a new show he had devised named Hollyoaks that tackled issues faced by young people.
He added: "I sat in the [studios at Lime Pictures] and he said, 'look, Jimmy. I'm looking for an old head. Just to come in and steady the ship a bit. All the kids were young then. Great kids.
"Phil said, 'I just need a steady head. I was about 42/43." He laughed: "He couldn't have picked a worse person for a steady head, but I think it worked out pretty good actually."
Three decades later and Jimmy is still a part of the cast and his daughter, Natalie, also lives and works in Liverpool. He often thinks about what it is that made him such a natural fit in Liverpool, as he said: "Spiritually and soulfully, I just feel wonderfully connected to this city. I've just had some of the happiest most wonderful times of my life in this city."
He added: "There's just something magical about Liverpool. It is part of England, but it's like a little republic in the North West of England. The Scousers don't give a s**t about anything and I mean that in the most beautiful way. They're the kindest, most generous, most open, friendliest, funniest people.
"They are even funnier than Glaswegians and I'm pretty funny, aren't I? Scousers always get the last word and there's just something just beautiful about the place."
It was a love for Frank Sinatra that inspired a career in performing and one of Jimmy's most treasured memories in Liverpool was getting the chance to talk about his hero with fellow swing icon, Tony Bennett. He said: "I somehow managed to find out where he was staying in The Marriott. This big Jaguar came around and it turned out to be Danny Bennett, Tony Bennett's son."
He added: "I ran up and said, 'Mr Bennett, can I just say hello?' I said, 'Hi, I'm Jimmy Mckenna from Glasgow." and he said, 'I'm Tony Bennett from New York, this is my son Danny.; We had a hug and he spoke to me for 15 minutes. We spoke about Sinatra and Cole Porter. It was Sinatra that said, 'In my opinion Tony Bennett is the best singer in the world.'
"Anyone that knows me knows I love Sinatra. The first time I heard Sinatra's voice it went in that ear and never came out. He just inspired me. I fell in love with him."
This is one of many memories in Liverpool that Jimmy holds dear and is why he has spent almost half of his life in the city. While he may not know exactly what's coming up in the next chapter in what promises to be a dramatic summer of episodes for Hollyoaks, the actor is prepared to enjoy every second as he said the passion for performing is what continues to drive him
He said: "I don't know how I've made 30 years, but I have. As an actor, every day is a new day. I've always wanted to just keep working as an actor and I've kept working. That's the main thing."