Our Hero Kirsty: Annabelle Dowler Interview
has always known was bad news. She was alert to the smallest changes in her best friend and as she became more tired and timid, disappearing into a shadow of her former self, Kirsty knew it had something to do with Rob. She just couldn’t prove it.
While she was privy to more insight into Helen and Rob’s relationship than the rest of Ambridge there was nothing she could pin on Rob.
Added to that, she was unable to join forces with the other person who had serious doubts about Rob, Helen’s brother .
The two of them were held apart by the pain and embarrassment caused by their aborted wedding day when .
Applause for Kirsty
While giving evidence at Helen’s trial, Kirsty couldn’t hold in her rage any longer. The years of feeling impotent in helping Helen and the months of being unable to rally to her defence fuelled her fury.
“Rob Titchener is the worst kind of abuser because he doesn’t leave any bruises.
"He lies and he bullies and he manipulates. He tried to destroy my best friend and he’s still doing it”, she riled.
The public gallery burst into spontaneous applause, as must have the whole of the United Kingdom, in reaction to Kirsty speaking her mind about Rob. She is our hero and a friend we would all want to have.
Kirsty's friendship with Helen
Annabelle Dowler, who plays Kirsty, describes her as “a very good person, she’s reliable and she really, really cares about her best friend.”
Whilst they are very different from one another Kirsty and Helen have a long-standing, resilient friendship.
“They’re both hard-workers and they are honest with each other. Kirsty’s a happier person in herself, even though she’s had such horrendous bad luck in her relationships, ultimately she’s pretty sorted inside in way that Helen is not at all”, says Annabelle.
She adds: “Their friendship has developed through Kirsty being the future sister-in-law that never was.
"Obviously going through this now is going to change things. Both of them have been through a real trauma together so their friendship will be stronger than ever now.”
Thinking back to Kirsty’s attempts to get Helen to open up Annabelle says Kirsty's “very persistent but I don’t think she was too persistent and I’m sure now she wishes she had been more pushy.
“When Helen revealed that Rob had hit her but made Kirsty swear that she wouldn’t tell anyone I don’t think she felt she could, she’s incredibly loyal and she didn’t want to betray that trust.”
Kirsty's heroism
Kirsty demonstrated her practical nature when she arrived at Blossom Hill Cottage after Helen stabbed Rob.
Annabelle recounts: “It was a case of make sure Henry’s OK, keep Helen quiet, sort out Rob. And she did that in her heroic way, far better than I would have handled the situation!
“We were all shaken up after the episode actually. That whole week was brilliant to do as an actor. I don’t know if it was fun but it was very satisfying to do.”
Fast forward to Helen’s trial, Kirsty’s head is full of thoughts and feelings she hasn’t been able to contribute to Helen’s case.
As a witness for the prosecution she’s not been able to speak to Helen’s barrister or be able to say any of the things she has really wanted to say.
The prosecution are purely interested in what she witnessed at Blossom Hill Cottage on 4 April 2016.
Annabelle sympathises with Kirsty: “This whole time must be incredibly frustrating [for Kirsty]. She was the one who suggested to Helen to call in the first place which was hugely influential in Helen making the decision to leave Rob.
The moment when... Kirsty becomes our hero
Helen's best friend speaks her mind in day 2 of the trial.
“The fact that she can’t talk to anyone about that, it must be really hard and in that way she’s determined, she’s going to get something out of this trial.”
Kirsty’s outburst in court is testament to strength of her friendship with Helen. Almost everyone else has fretted about the outcome of Helen’s trial while Kirsty has resolutely believed that Helen will be acquitted.
Kirsty has maintained hope for Helen in Ambridge and she helps us listening to keep the faith as well. Annabelle says, “she must be racked with worry and despair and guilt but ultimately she has to keep believing.”
