Inside DI Ray star Gemma Whelan’s life from health struggles to dying dad’s unexpected request

DI Ray has returned for play 2 with DCI Kerry Henderson prima Gemma Whelan backmost aft a two-year hiatus from the ITV drama.

DI Ray fans are ecstatic to spot it marque a comeback for play 2 and are keen to cognize each determination is to cognize astir histrion Gemma Whelan.

DI Ray play 2 debuted connected Sunday, October 20, connected ITV with episodes 2 and 3 besides airing this week, portion the remaining 3 instalments are to travel retired adjacent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night.

Among the formed welcomed backmost is histrion Gemma Whelan who is down DI Rachita Ray’s (Parminder Nagra) right-hand woman, DCI Kerry Henderson.

With DI Ray present underway, here’s each determination is to cognize astir the 43-year-old’s beingness off-screen.

Health struggles

Born successful Leeds and raised successful the Midlands, Whelan’s household besides had a emotion of the theatre increasing up, arsenic her parents met doing amateur dramatics and her member performed successful plays.

She attended The King’s High School for Girls successful Warwick and the London Studio Centre but struggled arsenic a teen with anorexia and had to beryllium hospitalised arsenic a result.

Whelan antecedently told The Times that her acquisition with the unwellness had helped to “shape” her attack to life.

She explained: "It's portion of my life. If it tin assistance 1 oregon 2 radical possibly consciousness it’s not hopeless and you tin get better, past yeah, I’ll stock it.

“I americium not truthful backstage I wouldn’t speech astir that. Because it truly shaped me.

“It formed truthful overmuch of my beingness and the mode I unrecorded my beingness and my property and my attack to things."

Career success

Whelan studied performing arts astatine Middlesex University, initially starting disconnected arsenic a comedian, performing arsenic the quality Chastity Butterworth.

It was during this aboriginal signifier successful her vocation that she was crowned arsenic the victor of a 2010 Funny Women Variety Award.

Over the years, the prima delved further into the world of acting and has since had large roles successful deed shows similar The Tower, Game Of Thrones, The End Of The F*****g World and Gentleman Jack, conscionable to sanction a few.

Famous husband

The DI Ray prima is joined to erstwhile histrion and comedian Gerry Howell who viewers volition recognise for appearing connected the 2006 Channel 4 world amusement The Play’s The Thing.

He besides went connected to triumph the Best Individual Comedy Show grant astatine the Buxton Fringe Festival successful 2010 for his one-man comedy-drama The Fantastic Reality of Frederick Goodge.

Him and Whelan tied the knot successful 2017 erstwhile she was 5 months large and present reside successful London with their girl Frances and lad Freddie. It is reported that Howell has since near the satellite of showbusiness and works arsenic a psychotherapist.

Dad’s dying wish

Prior to having their archetypal born, Whelan and her hubby were unsure astir having children and successful an interrogation with You Magazine past year, she said that her dada “begged” her not to earlier helium died.

She commented: "He said: 'Will you committedness maine not to person children?'

“But lone due to the fact that of the authorities of the satellite that I would beryllium bringing them into. I mean.

“The satellite helium near down was peachy compared to now. Seven years ago, Brexit hadn't been finalised, determination was inactive a spot of anticipation and decent weather; a comparative utopia.

“But I afloat agreed with him. Then helium passed distant and the impulse to marque my ain children was truthful strong. And conscionable implicit a twelvemonth later, Frances arrived."

DI Ray play 2 is disposable to ticker connected ITV and ITVX.