Bin Wolverhampton, 49-year-old Beverley Knight hit the UK Top 10 with the 2002 Mercury Prize-nominated Who I Am. She made her West End debut in The Bodyguard in 2013 and has since been nominated for two Olivier Awards. From July 19 to August 28, she will perform in Sister Act: The Musical at Eventim Apollo, London. She is married and lives in London.
What is your earliest memory?
Listen to the radio and hear Stevie Wonder sings Sir Duke. I was probably about three.
Apart from the property that it is the most expensive thing you have did you buy
I am a fan of shoes and bags. I splurged on a Chanel bag on eBay and it still cost four figures!
Describe yourself in three words
Happy, kind, chatty.
What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My legs. I have calluses, they are callous because I wear heels all the time and I inherited the bumps from my grandmother. They are not cute.
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If you could bring something extinct go back to life, what would you choose?
prince In 2007 I shared the stage with him at his after show at the O2. Musically, it’s still the greatest joy in my life.
Who is your celebrity crush?
David Olusogahistorian.
What is the worst thing for someone told you
Someone said to me, “You’re 46, female, and black.” It was said as a reality check of my worth and where I could go in life. I was devastated because I believe this is my superpower.
What do you owe your parents?
I’m the daughter of immigrants, so that’s it.
What is love?
Effervescent.
Have you ever said, “I love you.”‘ and not meant this?
no
Which living person do you despise the most and why?
Priti Patel. The way she took a hostile environment and ran away with it – I can’t tell you how much it upset me.
What words or phrases do you use most often?
I call everyone “love” and “chicken”.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Some neuroses of my 20s. I knew I had great talent, but I thought it was unmarketable because I felt ugly.
If not yourself, who would you most like to be?
I would be as fearless as Grace Jones.
If when was the last time you changed your mind about something significant?
I wasn’t going to do Sister Act because it meant acting in one show and rehearsing for another, but missing out on being on stage with Jennifer Saunders would be crazy.
How often do you have sex?
As often as we can.
What is closest to you come to death?
On the flight to Newcastle when we had some terrible storms. The plane fell quickly and the oxygen masks fell down. We had to land in Manchester.
What would improve the quality of your life?
More time.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
With a career spanning 29 years.
Would you like to have more sex, money or fame?
Money.
What happens when we die?
We join our ancestors to care for the next crop of humans.
