Kelli Hollis, who played Yvonne Karib in Shameless, has said she does not think the show will return to screens, but hinted that a spin-off could be possible.
No Full Return, But a 'Sprinkle of Something'
Speaking to the Mirror, Hollis said: "I personally don't think that would ever happen." She added: "Paul has been so supportive. Paul's not involved in the show; he's given me his permission. He's absolutely made up."
Asked whether the reunion could pave the way for a spin-off, she said: "Who knows. I think it's something Paul would leave behind and we'd never get David [Threlfall, who played Frank], back. David is an absolute legend – he's busy doing King Lear. They say nobody is bigger than the show, I think Shameless could be the exception. I don't think there is a Shameless without Frank." She added: "There might be a little sprinkle of something, who knows?"
The Tour and Its Success
Hollis created the nationwide tour A Shameless Night, which has the blessing of show creator Paul Abbott. The tour sees cast members reminiscing on stage and has been a huge success. Hollis said she had been considering the idea for over a year after seeing reunions for other shows. "It sort of snowballed," she said.
Cast members taking part include Jody Latham, Elliot, Luke Tittensor, Tina Malone, Robbie Conway, Samantha Siddall and Chris Bisson. Hollis praised Elliot, saying: "Elliot's been an absolute superstar from day one. He's really helped keep us moving, encouraging and supportive." She also noted that some cast members are happy to leave the show in the past, saying: "There are some cast members who are quite happy to leave it where it is and not revisit it, and that's totally fine and 100 per cent respect that. But even the ones who are not doing it have been so supportive."
Reflections on the Show's Legacy
Reflecting on the show's early days, Hollis said she thought the concept was "nuts" and remembered thinking "How are they going to get away with this?" She said she stopped reading scripts in full because she became hooked on the storylines like viewers did.
She compared Shameless to other shows, saying: "I think Brassic would be the baby Shameless, but a lot tamer." She added: "Some of my favourite stuff is the Frank and Debbie scenes. Just Frank and Debbie together. And there's just some beautiful moments, and I think people forget how clever and smart and funny and beautiful it actually was."
The tour is hosted by Hollis's friend Lewis Nicholls, who grew up as a fan of the programme. Nicholls said: "It's taken a long time, but it feels good now. This is something Kelli has spoken about for years, and then it built momentum over the last few months." He added: "Kelli's got some stories that have never been shared before and they're so iconic. People are going to be in for a shock because these events are not structured – people can say exactly what they want."
Tickets for A Shameless Night are now available for Birmingham and Stockport.
