'I want to get out there and experience more'

Molly Rainford on remembering her nan at Christmas, supporting carers and waving goodbye to EastEnders

- YASMIN VINCE

Christmas is just around the corner – and, as traditional as twinkly lights and stockings hung on the fireplace, the EastEnders Christmas special is being teased to excited fans.

But for one of its stars, Molly Rainford, the most wonderful time of the year will also bring sadness this festive season.

For the Rainfords, Christmas has always been about family, as 25 December also happened to be Molly's beloved grandmother Christine's birthday.

As well as turkey and all the trimmings, they'd bring out the birthday cake and make it all about her - until Christine sadly died of pancreatic cancer, aged 77, in the summer of 2024... and everything changed.

“I do feel very lucky because I had both sets of grandparents up until last year,” Molly, 25, tells new. “My nan's birthday was at Christmas so... yeah, it's a strange time of year for me now. We had our first Christmas without her last year, and it's still a weird time.”

As Molly explains, she's incorporating elements of her beloved nan into the festivities to remember her by.

“One sweet thing my nan always loved was having those nutcracker men in her house – but all year round! So I'm making sure I have something like that as part of my festive decorations now, to remind me of her,” says Molly.

The actress is also giving back this holiday season, by helping a charity close to her heart-Marie Curie, which has launched a campaign entitled End of Life Salon, providing nail and hair treatments to end-of-life carers who are giving palliative care to loved ones.