I still remember the feeling that I had when the EastEnders production team called to order a beer tap from the mobile bar company that I ran with my husband. 

It was 2011 and the order meant that we would have to deliver (and set up) a beer dispense unit and keg to the famous Albert Square set, in Elstree Studios. 

Our job roles in the business were well defined, my partner would install the equipment and my role was more office bound with administration and booking duties, with an occasional on-site meeting.

But as the installation day approached, I could feel old acting ambitions start to bubble inside of me and I persuaded my somewhat bewildered husband that he needed my help. 

 He was even more bewildered when the day came and I was ready and waiting to assist him, with a new hair style and jumper. 

Walking onto the set, trying to look important with beer keg gadgets in my possession, I was hooked. Among the props and this imaginary world where stories are made, I felt invigorated with a sense of belonging. 

At the time, we had recently left the pub trade as full time owners and managers, with over 20 previous years of experience, to create a new business that offered mobile bars and marquees – as well as building our own home. 

At the age of 45, I thought I had accepted my career choices in life. But when I walked on to the EastEnders set, I questioned to myself: why hadn’t I pursued my childhood acting ambitions? Had I used age as an excuse not to even try? 

Of course, I didn’t get picked out like Lady Gaga in a Star is Born, but something felt so right and fulfilling. Without a doubt, I wanted more of this – whatever it was. 

 The next day at Lakeside shopping centre, near to where I live, I saw Heather and Shirley, popular characters in EastEnders at that time. 

At  45 years old, I was excited and scared in equal measure (Picture: Debbie Baisden)

‘It’s a sign,’ I thought to myself. And before I could stop myself, I organised a week’s worth of acting workshops with the Poor School in Islington: a theatre school that has seen many performers graduate, including EastEnders actor Jessie Wallace. 

Panicking about my lack of experience and worthiness, I then rang an acting teacher in Southend for private classes, to prepare me for my workshop. So really, I booked acting classes to go to acting classes… 

At 45 years old, I was excited and scared in equal measure. 

I hadn’t performed anywhere since school, where I must say I played a successful Wishy Washy in Aladdin and Mother-in-Law in Half A Sixpence. Well, at least my dad thought so… 

 I still remember him in fits of laughter when I decided to add extra va va voom to the breast area to enhance the presence of the mother-in-law character. It was remarked from stage left that my DIY boobs were seen before the rest of my 13-year-old body. A hit with the audience, not so much with the governing nuns. 

 After leaving school, I joined a writing group but I never performed again. I always thought it was out of my reach. Over the years life became filled with work and family with little time to consider the risk of retraining for a job in the arts world.  

Much later at 39, I successfully gained a Film History degree. It was more academic than creative, and I was content with producing the odd piece of creative writing. 

That was until that visit to the EastEnders set disturbed my creative equilibrium. Everything changed, and I felt in charge of my own destiny. Feeling positive and focused, I knew if I didn’t give this a go now, I would always question what could’ve been. 

Aware that I was, let’s say, a mature candidate, I looked online for inspiration and found performers who did not find success till comparatively later in life - Morgan Freeman, Zelda Rubinstein and Frances Bay, to name a few. 

The acting workshops were addictive, I learnt more about myself every time. I became more self-aware through learning about the voice, body language and improvisation. 

 Of course, there are limited opportunities for a woman in her 40s and 50s in the acting world because frankly there are fewer stories (Picture: Debbie Baisden)

I started working as an extra and appeared on John Bishop’s Britain. Soon after that, I joined New Town Theatre in Southend and performed in my first full play, ‘Billy’s Bar’: a devised piece of theatre by the whole group. 

I had to find ways to categorise things in my life so everything could get done. At times it was difficult, but I got such a buzz from performing I knew I could never give it up. Even when I started a new career in Further Education teaching Business for a couple of years, I still managed to perform in some way or another and worked to keep our mobile bar company going. 

We returned to pub life in 2019 when, at the age of 51, I found myself working back behind the bar full time in our country pub in Essex. Although it can be difficult to keep on performing, it is now a fundamental part of my life. 

On this voyage of self-discovery, I have learnt age only matters if you let it, and that success does not necessarily mean fame and fortune. 

 Of course, there are limited opportunities for a woman in her 40s and 50s in the acting world because frankly there are fewer stories. The ‘Acting your Age’ Campaign set up by writer and performer Nicky Clarke highlights the lack of female representation over 45 in the entertainment industry.

No wonder I needed to persuade myself into believing I was doing the right thing when no one else appeared to be doing it. 

Upon reflection, when you have a young family and are building a house and a new business it’s hard to accept you’re not being selfish if you try to make space for your passion, too. 

But I decided to keep going because performing had now become a fundamental part of my life. Through my work as an extra, I am so grateful to have worked with Martin Freeman and Imelda Staunton on A Confession, directed by Paul Andrew Williams. 

 And, after winning a place on a Funny Women workshop through a joke competition, I gave stand-up comedy a go. I finally let my alter ego, ‘Dolly Slatemen’, out of the bag. 

One of the benefits of starting something later is life experience – and I used my experience behind the bar to create this character.

I decided to write a stand-up show called Menopause Party (Picture: Debbie Baisden)

As an on-and-off working pub landlady for many years, I would often walk away from any sexual banter at the bar, imagining a character who could match their innuendos. Unbeknownst to me she was waiting in the wings of my subconscious – and now she’s here.

Dolly doesn’t flinch, she’s a wannabe cougar with a passion for uncoordinated leopard print, think a Kat Slater/Bet Lynch hybrid.

As a pub landlady, she has the platform to smash any taboos surrounding most  subjects: especially menopause.

On her first appearance, my niece stated, ‘You need to act your own age trying to be younger, rather than a woman trying to act older.’ That was enlightening, I can tell you. Because once I accepted Dolly as the same age as myself and worked with her motivation to be young, the character came to life with her own truth.

I decided to write a stand-up show called Menopause Party. In doing this, I realised I had a purpose in raising awareness around female health, and that this purpose could coexist with – and compliment– my performing ambitions. 

My alter ego has helped me understand my age is more than just a number. 

Now, at the age of 55, I’ve just returned from performing Menopause Party at the Edinburgh Fringe. This was the first time I’ve gone with my own show, and it felt empowering to be on stage with a stand-up set written, performed and produced by me. 

I no longer think of logical reasons why I shouldn’t be on stage; instead, I embrace it and consistently look for new opportunities. I’m still unpacking my Edinburgh experience, and cannot wait to get back on stage to add this extra layer of knowledge. 

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In the coming months, I’m booked with UNISON to hold a menopause workshop and Westminster City Council to perform a full show, as part of Menopause Awareness Month this October. 

On World Menopause Day, 18 October, I will be performing at a not-for-profit event hosted by the Menopause Resilience Club and The Federation of Small Business (Kent) to raise awareness of the cost of menopause for businesswomen.

I am delighted to be part of this and even more excited than the first time I picked up the phone to EastEnders.

You can find more information on Debbie’s upcoming World Menopause Day show here.