May 2, 2023
Kelle Bryan has worked in the entertainment industry for over two decades – something that her 11 year-old self would be pretty pleased with, as she decided at that young age that entertainment – acting, singing, dancing and presenting - was the career she wanted to be known for.
Kelle grew up in London, an only child of working-class parents with a strong work ethic and positive, but realistic mindset that they ingrained in their daughter. Kelle learned she had to ‘think differently’ from a young age, through experiencing repeated racism, classism and bullying. She gained a scholarship to attend the prestigious Italia Conti Stage School in Central London, where the trajectory of her life changed forever. She bonded with and became best friends with a young Louise Nurding (who went on to become Louise Redknapp), a South London girl also attending stage school on a scholarship. One night out clubbing in London, the girls were approached by a record producer who said he was putting a girl band together. The two teenagers went on to become part of Eternal, one of Britain’s most successful R&B bands. Their debut album became the first album by a girl group in the UK to sell over a million copies. They went on to sell over ten million records, embarking on four world tours and even singing for Pope John Paul II.
Since leaving the band, Kelle has gone to have a successful career as a singer, a West End star, an actress in television and film, and launched her own talent agency Advocate, where she nurtures and represents actors and actresses from stage and screen.
Kelle’s biggest challenge however has been with her health. In 1998 she became ill with the autoimmune disease Lupus, from which she has had a number of relapses – the most serious being in 2014 when it affected her brain. Following a seizure, Kelle had to learn to walk and talk again, and still suffers mentally with occasional short term memory loss.
The living embodiment of resilience and faith in God and herself, Kelle joined Andrea remotely from her home to record this interview after testing positive for and being laid up with Covid 19.
Website: kellebryan.co.uk
Instagram: @kelle.bryan