SHE was the lead singer in the '70s girl group, but Bernie Nolan won't be joining her sisters for the re-release of their biggest hit. As she told Steve Hendry, she wants to be taken seriously as an actress
DON'T let Bernie Nolan's beautiful big blue eyes fool you. When she puts on her police uniform they look as hard and steely as the bars at Sun Hill nick.
She's the latest star to join the ranks of The Bill. As Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy she's taking over front desk duties at the hectic police station.
It means she won't be joining her Nolan sisters Anne, Maureen, Linda and Coleen when they re-release their biggest hit, I'm In The Mood For Dancing. Sixth sister Denise is also missing from the line-up.
Aside from an appearance as Anastacia on Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes this Saturday, the ex-Brookside star wants to make acting her career and is in no mood to revisit the cheesy disco hit that made her name in 1979.
Bernie, 41, said: "The girls are re-releasing I'm In The Mood For Dancing but I declined that offer because I am trying to forge a career for myself without the girls.
"We did Ant and Dec recently and performed Dancing but generally I'm trying to avoid that.
"It's not because I'm ashamed of anything I've done with my sisters. It's just because I'm trying to get away from that and be taken seriously as an actress."
Bernie left the girl group in 1994 to pursue a career on her own, appearing in panto and musicals, including the acclaimed West End hit Blood Brothers.
She said: "My sisters understand. They are very pleased for me. There are no problems at all. We're all happy doing what we're doing."
Not everyone she has worked with has been quite so understanding about her need to move on. Phil Redmond, her former boss at Channel 4's crisis- hit soap Brookside took it badly when she announced she was quitting the show.
She said: "I knew I was going to The Bill around about April last year and told Brookside I was leaving.
"Which is when they put out the story claiming that my character was being axed. That made me laugh.
"I was there until the end of September and Phil Redmond never spoke to me again. He didn't even come to my leaving do.
"When I got the offer from The Bill I thought �God, they must think I'm quite good!' It's a terrific show and let's be honest it's got a hell of a lot more viewers than Brookside. I'm not stupid. It's better for my career and raises my profile - which has happened already and I'm only just on screen.
"Everyone in the business understands you move on. Or they should. It's the nature of it. It was never my plan to stay at Brookside for ten years."
Despite Redmond's bitterness, Bernie has no axe to grind about the soap.
As Diane Murray, she was part of a family who acted like kith and kin away from the screen as well as on it.
The Murrays - Neil Caple who plays dad Marty, Katy Lamont (Adele), Raymond Quinn (Anthony), Steve Fletcher (Steve) and Meg Johnson (granny Brigid McKenna) - even got together for their own Christmas dinner. It's obvious she misses them.
"I couldn't say I was happy to get away from Brookside," she said. "I had a fantastic time there, almost three years, and I really miss everyone.
"I'm in touch with all the Murray family. I saw them at Christmas as usual, just like a real family and I'm sure that will continue. We were all very close.
"I constantly get texted from the production staff - design, make-up, wardrobe. I sent them a picture of me in uniform and I got some interesting texts back after that! It was a wonderful experience and I'm really glad I did it but other offers come along."
Bernie adds: "I'm not glad to have left but I did pick an opportune moment to make my departure and it's worked out well for me."
She's not kidding. As she prepared to leave the soap, Channel 4 announced Brookside was being axed from prime time schedules.
She had no idea it was in the offing but had a hard time convincing her fellow players when the news broke.
"People said to me 'You knew! you knew!' But I really didn't," she said. "I couldn't believe it. Everyone was gutted. It was just such a shock and I'm not sure the powers that be really knew what they were doing.
"I was leaving anyway but I was really worried about all my mates. But the show's not dead yet and they are all talented actors. I'm sure they will all be fine. I certainly hope so."
Bernie was brought into Sun Hill by producer Paul Marquess who has revitalised the show and sent ratings soaring with a revamped cast and controversial, racy storylines.
It was also former Brookside producer Marquess who took her to Merseyside and gave Bernie her big TV break as Diane Murray.
It's a classic case of poaching, which may explain Phil Redmond taking the huff.
Family is obviously important to Bernie, especially her husband Steve and three-year-old daughter Erin. So much so that when she got the job in The Bill, the family sold their home in Blackpool and are now renting in Surrey to be near the London-based drama's studios.
"It's a big move for the family but my daughter is only three and still adaptable," she said.
"And my husband's a freelance musician so we're both in totally portable jobs. I could never commute and luckily my husband said 'No way - we're married and where one goes the other goes'.
"We know what this business is like and it's hard enough for marriages to survive without me at one end of the country and him at the other.
"It was a big wrench to leave Blackpool. I grew up there and I've been back for a good 12 years. But I'm the sort of person that wherever I lay my hat is my home really, probably because of my profession. As long as I have Erin and Steve around me and they are happy then I'm happy.
"I do miss my family but two of my sisters are down here already so I'll see more of them. We're all very close and will never lose contact."
Family is also important to Sheelagh Murphy, her character on The Bill - but so is her job.
Married with three children, she also brought her sisters up and sees her work as her independence.
Although she's just arrived on screen, Bernie has been filming The Bill since October - she started only two weeks after finishing Brookside. And already she has had scenes with every single member of the cast.
Bernie has signed a two-year contract and is relishing the prospect of being part of the thin blue line at The Bill for some time to come.
"I don't know what it is about the cast of The Bill but I feel like I've been here for years," she said.
"They are used to new characters coming in every week and so make an effort to say hello. They have been wonderful to me. There's no cliques and no egos which I love. You might not expect that with a job as big as The Bill but it's true.
"To be honest, I haven't found the transition from Brookside to The Bill that hard.
"I don't want to go all actory about it but you put on that uniform you become a different person. It's weird but I do feel like a policewoman. The uniform helps you get into character. But it's acting isn't it? That's what you are supposed to do - be other people at a moment's notice."
Sheelagh's story will also see her getting very close to Sun Hill's dodgy copper, the roguish Des Taviner. He's played by Paul Usher, who made his name as bad boy Barry Grant in... Brookside.
Now what will Phil Redmond say about that?