EastEnders actress Harriet Thorpe chats about MoonWalk, the annual fundraising event for breast cancer charity Walk The Walk. Next year she’ll be joined in her team by host Leonie Mellinger, for whom the issue recently became personal.

Having been friends for more than 40 years, since drama school, Harriet was one of the few people with whom Leonie had already discussed her diagnosis. But as this is The Courage to Speak she felt it important to share her own story and encourage women to have regular checks.

Ahead of the 30th anniversary of Walk The Walk next year, Harriet talks about the work it does with the £146 million that the charity has raised so far. Plus, there are tips on how to train for and take part in the famous walks, including essential advice on how to prepare your bra!

16th May 2026 will be the 28th MoonWalk in London – and it will be Harriet’s 26th – an incredible achievement. To find out more about the charity, including how to sign up for the MoonWalk, please visit their website ⁠walkthewalk.org⁠

Harriet also reflects on her acting career which includes West End musicals such as Cabaret, Wicked, Les Misérables and Mama Mia, TV comedies The Brittas Empire, Absolutely Fabulous and French and Saunders and, most recently, playing the glamorous matriarch of Albert Square, Elaine Peacock, in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

She also talks about her mother, the writer Gillian Freeman, whose groundbreaking 1961 novel The Leather Boys told the story of a gay relationship between two young working-class men. Her mum’s success took the family to Hollywood and to encounters with the likes of Jack Lemmon and Fred Astaire.

Leonie also asks about another charity that’s important to Harriet, Acting For Others, through which all theatre workers can get financial and emotional support in times of need. Details of their work can be found at ⁠actingforothers.co.uk⁠

If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠

Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts.

The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd.

It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick.

Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.