As Coronation Street newcomer Paula prepares to stir trouble for Debbie Webster behind bars, we take a closer look at actress Kelli Hollis’ real life.
Coronation Street has introduced a new character, Paula — but the actress behind the troublemaker isn’t new to real-life drama.
Paula, portrayed by Kelli Hollis, made her soap debut this week as one of the prison inmates sharing a cell with Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney). Fans will remember that Debbie, who suffers from dementia, is serving time after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, which resulted in the death of local vicar Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank).
While in prison, Debbie has encountered former inmate Lou Michaelis (Farrel Hegarty) and Paula — and it seems Paula is set to create problems for Debbie. With Kelli joining the long-running ITV soap, we take a closer look at her life off-screen.
Kelli’s Emmerdale Career
Over the course of her career, Kelli Hollis has appeared in a number of TV shows, including Channel 4’s Shameless, where she played Yvonne Karib for six years. She also took on roles such as Shark Linda in the drama Ackley Bridge and Chantel in the BBC series Waterloo Road. In 2006, Kelli portrayed Anne West in the TV film See No Evil, which focused on the Moors Murders.
In 2011, Kelli joined Emmerdale as Ali Spencer, mother to Sean (Luke Roskell) and Amelia (Daisy Campbell). Ali left the show in 2015 to move to Liverpool, but in 2018 the character was killed off-screen in a car accident.
Reflecting on her character’s off-screen death in 2021, Kelli told the Soap From the Box podcast: “I’ll be honest, they were so lovely and actually called me to let me know they were killing her off-screen.
“I received a lovely phone call and message saying, ‘Just so you know, we’re going to kill you off.’ There’s always that little voice thinking, ‘Never say never.’ All these actors say they’ll never go back and always move forward. Personally, I thought, ‘I wish you hadn’t,’ but in another way, I was almost glad because then it’s done.”
Kelli’s Move to Thailand and Weed Bar Venture
Kelli later relocated to Thailand, where she ran a cannabis bar, embracing a very different chapter of her life away from acting.
A few years after leaving Emmerdale, Kelli Hollis relocated from the UK to Thailand, taking an unexpected turn in her career. Alongside her partner Martin, she ran a “weed bar” called La Choza Pratumnak in the far-east country, where marijuana is legal for personal use.
Originally from Leeds, Kelli said her move happened almost “by accident” after Martin received a job offer from a car company in Bangkok. She lived there for two and a half years before returning to the UK in November.
“You only live once, and I’ve learned that a lot over the past few years — losing friends, my friend losing a child — it really makes you reflect on life,” she told the Daily Star last year.
She added: “You just have to do what you need to do because tomorrow isn’t promised. My mindset now is: ‘I’m nearly 50, f*** it, I’ll just do it.’ There’s no point thinking, ‘oh God, I can’t do this or that.’ I’ve been incredibly lucky that opportunities have come my way.”
Kelli on Her Dad Being Jailed
In 2025, Kelli Hollis spoke openly to the Manchester Evening News about her father, a convicted drug kingpin who was sentenced to 17 years in prison. “I’ve always known throughout my life what he does,” Kelli said, recalling how she once broke down in tears in court when her father, Gwynne, was previously jailed.
“But where I’m from — and I’m not saying it’s acceptable, because it’s not — I’m from Beeston in Leeds. Everyone can relate to Shameless and the council estate lifestyle. So, you just get on with it.
“My dad, I’ll be honest, was always supportive when I got the opportunity to act. It came about suddenly, and he encouraged me to stay away from the life he led. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
As Kelli’s career flourished, she remained aware that her father’s criminal past could one day threaten her reputation. That came to a head in June 2023, when Gwynne was convicted of conspiring to supply Class A drugs.
He had been involved in a major drug manufacturing and distribution network around York, and initially failed to appear in court for his trial before authorities tracked him down. At age 66, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Reflecting on the situation, Kelli, now a mother herself, said: “It wasn’t entirely unexpected, but what was surprising was that he ran and didn’t show up to court. The sad part is, if he had just faced it, he probably would have received a lighter sentence — they gave him more because he bolted.”
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