Heather Peace interview

Actress Heather Peace has spent much of her television career in popular mainstream shows - she played the first female firefighter on 'London's Burning' and appeared alongside Ross Kemp in SAS action drama 'Ultimate Force' - but it's her most recent role, as Detective Sergeant Sam Murray in BBC Three's lesbian series 'Lip Service', that has had the greatest impact on her career. As the only gay member of the cast, Peace has unwittingly become both a pin-up and a role model for the show's young lesbian audience. Now she's on the road with her band, using her new-found profile to pursue the music career she's been trying to get off the ground since she was a teenager. 'I've been gigging since I was 19 but it's always been just my pals and the local football team who would come and see me play', she laughs. 'So I'm under no illusion that it's because of “Lip Service” that things are taking off now. And slowly but surely people have been coming back for the music rather than” “Oh look, it's just that bird off 'Lip Service'”.'

Do you often get recognised as 'that bird off “Lip Service”'?
'Not as many people recognise me as they did back when I was on “London's Burning” but when they do they're really giddy, because if you're a fan of “Lip Service”, you're a really big fan. It's not just Sunday night drama like I used to do, it's got a bit of a cult following.'

Do you personally have a cult following?
'The gigs I've played on this tour have become massive social gatherings and the audiences get so overexcited. There's now a great big social group of fans who go out with each other as pals, and people have met each other through coming to the gigs. If any bad stuff comes up on Twitter, I don't even have to say anything, they all jump to my defence, which is so lovely. I've got the nicest group of fans.'

How has appearing in 'Lip Service' changed your life?
'It's been a real pivotal moment. Just being so visible. It's all been positive. I've known I was gay since I was 19 and I was never in the closet. I still went to gay bars and everything, I just didn't talk about it. And now I've been put in a position where people are interested. But I'm in
a good place myself so it feels fine.'

The fire brigade, the SAS and now the police force - what's with all the uniforms?
'People keep saying that, but I don't wear a uniform in “Lip Service”, I'm a plain clothes detective. But I do dress smartly with the waistcoats and the shirts. That was my choice actually. I always liked the way Jennifer Beals dressed in “The L Word” so I thought: Right, let's go for power suits. I dress quite smartly for my gigs too. I love it! It gives you a different walk, a different swagger. You feel differently when you dress like that.'

You've filmed a second series of 'Lip Service'. Do Sam and Cat stay together?
'I can't tell you - I'd get sacked. I've been told the entire storyline and it's really exciting. All I can say is there's way, way more of Sam. We learn about her backstory and it develops from there. Sam was originally very much a supporting role, but through the popularity of the character she's been made one of the leads. I didn't really expect her to be so popular, because she's a good girl and most people like bad girls. Maybe we're all getting more sophisticated.'