Kelli Hollis, who played Ali Spencer in the ITV soap, has never spoken about her relationship with her dad publicly, but two years after he was jailed, she has now broken her silence
Former Emmerdale actress, Kelli Hollis, has opened up about her father’s past as a convicted drug kingpin who was sentenced to 17 years in prison. The actress, known for her role as Ali Spencer on the ITV soap from 2011-2015, had kept this part of her life private until now, despite it haunting her thoughts for years and attempts by some social media users to expose her.
Now ready to share her personal story, she spoke exclusively to the Manchester Evening News, determined to tell her tale once and for all before moving forward with her life.
The 49-year-old actress, who previously relocated to Thailand for a significant career shift, started the exclusive chat with her usual warm smile. However, she quickly made it clear just how apprehensive she felt about revealing such personal family details.
That being said, it’s important to highlight that she expressed no shame regarding her father’s past. Her father, Gwynne Thomas Hollis, is no longer a part of her life, but this wasn’t always the case.
“My dad was my world,” Kelli confided. “I will be honest, we haven’t spoken in almost ten years, but that is other normal family stuff. That is not because he has gone to prison. I absolutely adored my dad… massively. He used to joke and say I was the son he always wanted as I’m the only girl and the oldest and I have his personality and confidence.
“I loved him with all my heart. He is my dad at the end of the day.”
Kelli’s parents separated when she was just three, but her father Gwynne, a career criminal, remained a constant presence. However, from an early age, she began to understand that her dad was different and involved in criminal activities, specifically drug dealing.
“I have always known all my life what he does,” said Kelli, who once broke down in tears in court when her father was sent to prison earlier in his life.
“But where I am from, this isn’t me saying it is OK because it is not, but I am from Beeston in Leeds. Everyone can relate to Shameless and the lifestyle and the council estate thing. So I suppose you just get on with it.
“But my dad, I will be honest, he was always supportive when I got an opportunity to be an actor because it came about very suddenly and he did nothing but encourage me to stay away from the life he has led. So I will always be grateful for that.”
As Kelli moved forward in life, she worked at the local pub, a place where everyone knew everyone else’s business, so her dad’s shady dealings were hardly kept under wraps.
She added: “I had suspicions as a teenager, just because of his persona and the way people were around him, that kind of thing. And then as I grew up, it was just what it was.”
Laughing, she continued: “I didn’t think ‘oh s**t my dad is a drug dealer’, do you know what I mean? It wasn’t like that. You just grow up and you only know what you know.”
However, by sheer coincidence, Kelli found herself pursuing acting, landing major roles such as Yvonne Karib in Shameless and Ali Spencer in Emmerdale.
Her father also dabbled in acting, and the pair even collaborated on projects including Tina Goes Shopping, a drama that secured a Bafta nomination.
Nevertheless, she revealed: “My dad got some opportunities and he loved it and he was really good. We had a conversation and he said, ‘I can’t be on the back of your coattails and I can’t risk your career because of what I am doing.'”
As Kelli’s star rose, she remained acutely aware that her father’s criminal past could potentially resurface to damage her reputation. This fear materialised in June 2023 when Gwynne was convicted of conspiring to supply class A drugs.
He formed part of a major drug manufacturing and distribution network operating in and around York. Nevertheless, he failed to appear in court before police eventually tracked him down.
At 66 years old, he was imprisoned and handed a 17-year sentence.
Looking back on the ordeal, Kelli, who is a mother herself, explained: “We sort of knew it was coming. There had been a lot of stuff going on the previous years leading up to this. From my knowledge, they were trying to build a case for quite a few years.
“It wasn’t unexpected but what was unexpected was that he ran off and he didn’t go to court. The sad thing is that if he had just done it, he probably would have got less because they gave him more because he bolted.”
During the chat, where Kelli spoke eloquently about her extraordinary circumstances, the ex-soap actress highlighted something that some might consider rather ironic.
It’s common knowledge that Kelli relocated to Thailand where she ran a cannabis bar, living there for two-and-a-half years before returning to the UK in November.
Nevertheless, she remarked: “The hypocrisy for me here is that people are going to say, ‘oh she went to Thailand and she ran a weed shop.’ But the difference is legal and illegal at the end of the day.”
She continued: “The bottom line is, it has nothing to do with me. I have not spoken to the man in ten years. He is a big grown man who has made his own life and made his own path and I have made mine.”
Despite their relationship being completely severed, we questioned Kelli about whether she felt compelled to contact her father when he was imprisoned for a lengthy stretch.
She revealed: “Me and my dad’s relationship now is pretty much done to be perfectly honest and that is on both sides. I think if I did reach out, I probably wouldn’t get the response I would get anyway.
“And do you know what, if he reached out I would probably be as stubborn and do the same to be honest, which is sad and makes me sad.”
Coming from a tight-knit community, locals still voice their amazement to Kelli that she and her father remain estranged, particularly considering how utterly inseparable they once were. However, Kelli disclosed that her father was being supported by other relatives, including her own family members who have made visits to see him in prison.
She has also been informed that Gwynne is managing well during his incarceration and has taken on something of a mentoring role, particularly assisting fellow inmates who are battling mental health issues.
Nevertheless, despite their strained relationship and her decision to block his name on her phone to avoid seeing anything online about him, she acknowledged that he possessed some commendable qualities.
She explained: “Even though he did the things he did, he is not a violent person. We are not talking about Kray twins where people are scared of him. To him it was just a job and it wasn’t a lifestyle.
“Everybody loved him and he was a good guy who would do anything for anybody. For instance, there was a lovely lady who ran the local pub and she lost her husband. She was going to lose the pub, so a few of them chipped in to make sure she could stay afloat and not lose her home and her business.
“This was not somebody who people were scared of. He was always life and soul and it is sad that it has come to this. But I think it was inevitable considering his life. At some point, it was going to catch up with him, and the huge sentence was inevitable I think.”
Concluding the interview, Kelli’s sense of relief was palpable, particularly as she had wrestled with the decision for several days beforehand, deliberating over whether to speak out. However, she wrapped up by saying: “I already feel better saying it out loud and knowing it will be put to bed.
“It is just a personal thing for me to get ahead of, have my say, and then it be done rather than getting a text message to say ‘oh it is in the papers today.'”.
Displaying her wit, she even playfully suggested a potential headline: “Shameless star’s shameless dad.”
Yet on a more serious note, she concluded: “You have to be proactive and this is more stress and a worry thing for me because I am not ashamed. It is not my life, it is my dad’s, but because we are so closely connected, and he has been involved in some of the projects I have worked with over the years, it just makes sense to have this out now and put it to bed.
“It has been an everyday thing for me that is on my mind. But the bottom line is, he is the one that is in prison, not me.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
