This summer is already proving to be a hit for Molly Rainford. With her professional life very much on track, she seems happier than ever and is bubbling with excitement about the release of her debut single. So busy is this talented 22-year-old that it’s taken some time to arrange our exclusive shoot and interview as she has been juggling her singing and acting career with her life with new boyfriend Tyler West. It’s hard not to get caught up with her giddy enthusiasm for life as HELLO! chats to her at a London studio how music has always been her passion, how taking part in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing changed her life and her new role in EastEnders.
What is Molly Rainford's new music?
Essex-born Molly is about to release her debut single, a ‘dance-y, house, pop’ song with producer Alex Kirsch called My Heart’s a Broken Record. And despite all her successes in other areas of entertainment, it’s a dream come true for Essex-born Molly. “I am super, super excited about my first single,” she tells HELLO!
“I feel like I've been so lucky with all the television and acting work but music has always been my passion and I want it to be a thread that runs through everything I do.” After performing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2012 she caught the eye of Simon Cowell, who sponsored her to attend the Sylvia Young Theatre School. From there she landed a presenting role on CBBC show Friday Download before winning the title part in comedy Nova Jones on the same channel in 2021.
How has Strictly changed Molly Rainford's life?
She was named one of Hello’s ‘Rising stars of 2022’ in January of that year but it was her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing’s most recent series, where she danced with newcomer Carlos Gu, which introduced her to a much wider audience. The hit BBC1 programme was also where she met her new boyfriend, television and radio presenter Tyler West, after he also competed for the glitterball. “I guess it changed my life,” she says. “I felt like I was so lucky to be putout onto such a great stage.” It was while taking part in the Strictly tour after the show wrapped that she grew closer to Tyler, 27, after their friendship progressed into something more. Now an established couple, she says they love practicing their dancing skills together. “Any chance we get, me and Tyler are doing the salsa - we love it.”
Both busy with their respective careers, she says she and her new beau have to make sure to schedule time together, recently attending a BST Hyde Park Black pink concert. “Whenever we can see each other we do, but bless him he is so hard working and so am I; we're both really career-driven. We are good motivators for each other."
No doubt he is supporting her with her new single which came about after Molly was introduced by songwriters to producer Alex Kirsch. After realising they lived very close to each other they met for lunch ‘and it flowed really nicely’. “He’s got a really bubbly personality and so do I, so it just worked,” she explains of the track, which is released on July 14.
What is Molly Rainford's new EastEnders role?
Molly is also loving every second of her role in BBC soap EastEnders. After making her debut last month, she plays Anna Knight, the daughter of fellow soap newcomer, Colin Salmon. “It’s going amazingly,” she says.
If she does manage to get some time off, she is hoping to get away for a holiday, perhaps to Jamaica where her family is from. “I might potentially go away with Tyler,” she tells us. “He’s super busy and doesn't stop either, so we need to make sure the schedules align.”
Molly Rainford and Alex Kirsch's new single My Heart's A Broken Record; is out July 15 from Positiva/EMI
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