‘It’s lovely to be back on stage’: Life according to… actress Daisy Wood-Davis

Former Hollyoaks star Daisy Wood-Davis talks TV, cookery and life on the road as she stars in the 50th anniversary tour of Hair The Musical.

Hair The Musical is set in 1967. Is it still relevant today?

Everything people were fighting for then, it’s the same now, unfortunately.

It’s just a different context. It’s a great history lesson as well, especially for the younger audience members, as to what the Vietnam War meant to the people of America, particularly the men.

I play Sheila, a feminist and one of the hippies who leads the marches.

She has a love for Jake Quickenden’s character, Berger.

Is it good to be back on stage after years of TV work?

It’s lovely.

TV is hard work – Hollyoaks was the hardest I’ve ever worked, the sheer amount of hours and it was so emotionally labouring.

But the stage is different – being away from home and the physically exhausting nature of this show. It’s nice to have the variety.

Did you enjoy seeing Hollyoaks winning Best Soap at the British Soap Awards?

I was really pleased for them.

They deserve it so much because the show doesn’t always get the recognition it should.

I’ve been willing it to happen for the past five years and it’s nice to know I was still part of that, even if I couldn’t be there.

How did Dining With Daisy, your cookery website, develop?

It started from being a foodie – I’m quite creative, keen to learn and feel I’m a good judge.

It’s a passion project. I don’t even have access to a microwave when I’m on the road, so it’s on hold for now.

But we did go out with a bang when I had a pop-up dinner event in London the week before rehearsals began.

Any other TV projects on the horizon?

I was filming on Holby City last week, as we had two weeks off from Hair.

I filmed my first Holby episode in November, so it had only been six months away, but its nice to get back into TV and make sure I don’t forget everything I’ve learned over the last few years.

Are you looking forward to visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow again on tour?

The Playhouse is one of my favourite theatres and I come up every year for the Fringe, which I adore.

Glasgow was the first venue I did back on the Dreamboats And Petticoats tour, but I was only 18 at the time, so I’m looking forward to refamiliarising myself with it.

Hair The Musical is at the Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon-Sat, and King’s Glasgow, Aug 7-10