It’s been ten years since Emmerdale fans said goodbye to one of the village’s most iconic figures — Edna Birch, the sharp-tongued but soft-hearted stalwart played by the late Shirley Stelfox. Now, former cast member Kelli Hollis, who portrayed Ali Spencer, has opened up about working alongside the soap legend and revealed a side of Shirley that fans never saw on screen.

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“She’d Try to Freak Everyone Out”

Reflecting on her early days in the Dales, Kelli recalled her nerves on meeting Shirley for the first time — and the hilarious warning she received beforehand.

“Everybody sort of warned me,” Kelli said. “They were like, ‘Just so you know, she’ll try and freak you out, she’ll try and scare you.’”

When the moment came, Kelli ventured out to the smoking area, where she found Shirley sitting calmly with her trademark poise — and her unmistakable dry wit.

“I went, ‘Hi Shirley, I’m Kelli.’ She just looked at me and said, ‘Oh, is it you from that new, horrible effing family?’” Kelli laughed. “I went, ‘Yeah, I effing am!’ And that was it — we bonded from that moment.”

From then on, Kelli said she adored Shirley’s mischievous personality. “She just did it to tease you, to test you a little bit,” she added. “But once you got her humour, she was wonderful. It’s so sad she’s not with us anymore.”

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“Thrown in at the Deep End”

Kelli also reflected on her chaotic first day filming Emmerdale. Her first scene took place inside the Woolpack, surrounded by long-running characters she’d watched for years.

“Walking into that set with so many iconic faces was surreal,” she said. “It’s like you already know them — and yet you’re suddenly part of their world. It was nerve-wracking but so welcoming.”

Her debut didn’t go entirely smoothly, though. “They had me hitting somebody — Tom Lister, who played Carl King,” she admitted. “I had to run out and punch him, but let’s just say the first few takes didn’t go too well!”

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Remembering Edna Birch’s Legacy

From her signature hats to her beloved dogs, Batley and Tootsie, Edna Birch remains one of Emmerdale’s most memorable residents. Fierce, moralistic, and deeply loyal, she was often the village’s moral compass — and occasionally its sharpest critic.

Over the years, Edna was at the centre of many powerful storylines, from heartbreak and family estrangement to a late-life struggle with poverty and illness. Her final scenes, which aired after Shirley’s death in 2015, were written as a poignant farewell, honouring both the character and the actress who portrayed her.

“Edna was such a complete character,” Kelli said. “She could be funny, cruel, kind, and heartbreaking all in one episode. That’s the power of Shirley’s acting — she brought so much humanity to someone who could have easily been one-dimensional.”

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A Lasting Tribute

Edna Birch’s presence continues to loom large in Emmerdale lore — and Kelli believes that’s exactly how Shirley would have wanted it.

“Shirley was a legend, plain and simple,” she said. “She’d tease, she’d challenge, she’d keep everyone on their toes. But once she liked you, she had your back forever.”

And though Edna’s hats may be gone from the Dales, her spirit — and Shirley’s — clearly lives on in the memories of those who shared the screen with her.