In The Long Run star Kellie Shirley shares the contents of her shelves...

In The Long Run, Idris Elba’s comedy based on his upbringing in 1980s London, returns to Sky One this week. Here actress Kellie Shirley, who plays Kirsty De La Croix, the wife of Bill Bailey’s character Bagpipes. Here, in Chortle’s occasional lockdown feature, she shares the contents of her shelves and what the items mean to her.

My life and shelves have been taken over by my four-year-old twins. Gone are my books, plays and DVDs to show off about and in their place is heap of plastic toys and second-hand Disney films. 

1. The boat

I can’t walk past anything that has a ‘please take’ left out on a random wall. I WILL take it. Before lockdown someone left out half of Castle Grayskull. After a deep clean, me and my twins have been loving it. This boat came from the same place too. 

2. DVDs

There’s been a lot chat about whether we should get Disney+ in lockdown, although with an old-ish telly and the thought of forking out sixty quid for the privilege on top of all the other streaming services, my inner Del Boy decided it best to beat the system and get a load of once-loved Disney DVDs off eBayfor half the price.

So far, I’ve been educating them with 1980s and 1990s films including  Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Hook and Home Alone. I lent my favourite The Goonies to Mattie Boys who plays my son in In The Long Run as our show is set around the same time - mid 1980s. I hope he’s watched it in lockdown by now... I want it back!

3. The jar of death

Dead insects inside a green plastic jar to investigate. There’s a rotting hornet in there – it’s massive! We had a ‘wall of death’ on holiday to teach all the mosquitoes a lesson and this is a continuation of that. 

4. A Crystal Palace jigsaw

Every home needs one! My dad was a coach at the club when I was younger and I’m trying to get the twins to become mini-Eagles.

I love football - my mum & dad met at Selhurst Park. My dad is relieved that some live football is back on the box now as pre-lockdown he could usually be found watching the lot.

The jigsaw puzzle is ridiculous - it’s so hard. I feel such achievement when I’ve nailed it and it’s for ages 4+!

• In The Long Run returns to Sky One at 10pm on Thursday July 23.

Published: 21 Jul 2020