In this week’s episode of HELLO!'s Second Act podcast, actress, writer, and producer Sherise Blackman opens up about how she transformed her life from a homeless teenager to starring in Bridgerton, Line of Duty and EastEnders, her secret to a 27-year marriage and lessons she teaches her three children.
Sherise, whose Audible play Do Not Disturb is out now, reveals to host Ateh Jewel that it was only in her Second Act that she overcame the trauma of school bullies ruining her 13th birthday party after they stopped guests from turning up - leaving her to celebrate alone.
She vowed never to have a party again - until her 40th, when she threw a glamorous Bridgerton-themed party to mirror her role in the hit show. "I can see it like it was yesterday," recalls the actress. "Having the (40th) party was so healing. I made a decision, I am not going to be haunted by the pains of 13-year-old me… If nobody is going to celebrate me, that's fine – I'm going to celebrate me. For me, my Second Act has been a gift to little Sherise.
"It has been freedom from expectation. Freedom from judgement. Freedom from anything that does not belong to me. What I've realized is I've always been 40. I just needed to catch up with myself," she laughs. "Now I’m in the era and the decade that I have been striving for my whole life."
Listen to the Second Act podcast now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts and Youtube.