Molly Rainford opens up about remembering her nan at Christmas, supporting carers alongside Marie Curie and waving goodbye to EastEnders
Christmas is just around the corner – and, as traditional as twinkly lights and stockings hung on the fireplace, the EastEnders Christmas special is being teased to excited fans. But for one of its stars, Molly Rainford, the most wonderful time of the year will also bring sadness this festive season.
For the Rainfords, Christmas has always been about family, as 25 December also happened to be Molly’s beloved grandmother Christine’s birthday. As well as turkey and all the trimmings, they’d bring out the birthday cake and make it all about her – until Christine sadly died of pancreatic cancer, aged 77, in the summer of 2024… and everything changed.
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“I do feel very lucky because I had both sets of grandparents up until last year,” Molly, 25, tells new. “My nan’s birthday was at Christmas so… yeah, it’s a strange time of year for me now. We had our first Christmas without her last year, and it’s still a weird time.”
As Molly explains, she’s incorporating elements of her beloved nan into the festivities to remember her by. “One sweet thing my nan always loved was having those nutcracker men in her house – but all year round! So I’m making sure I have something like that as part of my festive decorations now, to remind me of her,” says Molly.
The actress is also giving back this holiday season, by helping a charity close to her heart – Marie Curie, which has launched a campaign entitled End of Life Salon, providing nail and hair treatments to end-of-life carers who are giving palliative care to loved ones.
Molly told us she loves the idea of giving these special people, who are often living through heartbreaking situations, an opportunity to relax and have some time for themselves.
“My nan didn’t get to a point where she was in hospital. She didn’t have a minute to go into hospice and be looked after,” Molly explains, sadly. “I think that’s why the End of Life Salon resonates with me so much – I feel like, if Nan had got to that place, it would have been really helpful for my mum.”
She adds, “I love the idea of giving the carers an opportunity to have time for themselves and just have a bit of a reflection. It’s such a tough, tough job they have to do. They have to take on everyone else’s emotions, grief, all of that stuff. So this is just a chance to take that pressure off for a minute.”
Molly’s mum Sarah, and her aunts, became her grandmother’s main carers in her final weeks. “Seeing my mum go through that was an intense emotional journey for me,” she says. The actress and her mother almost experienced a role reversal in their relationship, she reflects, saying, “I had to step in and be the strong one.”
The whole experience led her to a profound realisation. “It reminds you that your grandparents and parents aren’t immortal,” she says. “They’re not just going to live forever.”
Before she died, Molly’s nan was a big fan of everything her granddaughter was doing. One career move Christine was particularly excited about was Molly’s stint on Richard Osman’s House Of Games, which she went on to win. “It was nice to win something!” Molly laughs.
But the star also came tantalisingly close to bringing home the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball – reaching the final with her professional partner Carlos Gu in 2022, and finishing as runner-up.
She’s been enjoying this year’s Strictly, she tells us. Not only did she go far herself on the show, it’s also where she met her fiancé, Tyler West, so it will always hold a special place in her heart. We’ve recently seen the couple travelling across Central America in the BBC’s Celebrity Race Across The World.
Of course, Molly’s rooting for her former dance partner Carlos and his current celebrity partner, Karen Carney – but she admits she was disappointed when another couple left the show.
“I was gutted about Vicky Pattison because I really thought she was going to smash it and win the final,” she says. “She’s so amazing and such a lovely lady. And Kai Widdrington – well, he’s one of my best friends.”
She also came to the defence of former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, who has come under fire since joining the dance show due to his prior dance ‘experience’ – which the star has argued was minimal, and a totally different style to what he’s learning on Strictly.
“I know people say things about some contestants having more previous experience, but I think that’s what makes the show so cool,” says Molly. “You see people with different abilities, and that’s what makes it so entertaining. You can see the progress in everyone, which is something I love.”
Next year’s series will be very different, as long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be gone. Molly admits she’s “sad” at their imminent departure.
“Because they’re part of the family, you know?” she says. “I’m really sad. I do think Anton Du Beke would make a good replacement, though!”
Tess and Claudia aren’t the only ones making dramatic exits this year. Molly, who has been playing EastEnders’ Anna Knight for two years, is set to leave the BBC soap, with her final scenes airing at Christmas.
On leaving EastEnders, she says, “I learned how to be a professional by being around so many amazing actors all day long. I want to use those skills and do something new.
“What’s so amazing about EastEnders is that you get to do what you love every day. I feel like I’m blessed that I was part of it. Hopefully, the door’s still open for me to go back. But, yeah, I just want to get out there and experience more.”
For more information about caring for a loved one, visit mariecurie.org.uk/support or call the Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309
