When West End star and Pop Idol trailblazer Zoe Birkett steps onto the stage at Bromham’s MillFest next month, she won’t be commuting back to London when the curtain falls.
She’ll be heading straight home, putting the kettle on, and kicking off her heels right here in Bedfordshire.
Despite her high-profile career, which recently saw her starring as Tina Turner on the West End stage, performing in Take That’s phenomenal Circus tour, and appearing on TV, many locals don’t realise that Zoe has been a proud Bedfordian for the past eight years.
“I do so much work in London that people don’t always realise I actually live here,” Zoe told the Bedford Clanger.
“This is only the second time I’ve performed locally – I did Bedford Proms two years ago – so to showcase what I do in my local area is honestly such a lovely moment for me.”
Rooted in Bedfordshire
For Zoe, Bedfordshire provides the perfect balance to her demanding stage career, and her ties to the area run deep.
Her daughter attends school locally, her husband operates his mortgage business (ATM) out of the former Baker Brothers building on St Peter’s Street, and her mother recently moved down from Durham and now lives in an annexe at the end of their garden.
“One of the great things about living outside of London when I was doing Tina on the West End was the drive home.
“It gives you time to decompress; I could have a bite to eat and enjoy a hot tea from my flask.
“And having mum down here at the end of the garden is just gorgeous.”
Zoe adds that the local creative community is one of the county’s best-kept secrets.
“There are so many incredible musicians and theatre professionals living around here because the commute into London is fantastic,” she said.
“It’s a real hub of creative talent.
“I’m always bumping into [fellow Bedfordian] DJ Spoony at the station and had to tell him that as ‘the voice of Radio 2’ I recorded his and Trevor Nelson’s jingles.”
MillFest special: Diva Download
Zoe is the Friday night headliner at Bromham Mill’s MillFest, which takes place over three days from Friday, 4 to Sunday, 6 September.
She’ll be bringing the party vibes with Diva Download, a combination of DJ set, high-energy club classics, funky house, and diva anthems with live vocals, live percussion, and saxophone.
Special guests on the night include drummer Kieran Lee (who tours with Paul Young and Professor Green) and Bromham’s very own local legend, Dom on Sax.
“My dad’s a DJ, so I’ve grown up watching him play vinyl,” explained Zoe.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure I’m mixing properly – no USB plug-and-play shortcuts – it’s all about big energy, big vocals and big vibes.”
From Pop Idol to West End royalty
It has been nearly 25 years since a 16-year-old Zoe captured the nation’s attention on the very first series of Pop Idol in 2002 alongside Will Young, Gareth Gates, and the late Darius Campbell Danesh.
“Whether I’m playing to 80,000 people in a stadium, acting and performing in a West End musical or DJing a festival set, the goal is always the same: bringing pure energy and making sure everyone has a brilliant time,” says Zoe.
“But come 10.30pm, those high heels are coming off, and I’ll be heading round the corner to my own sofa.”
MillFest is on Friday, 4, Saturday, 5 and Sunday, 6 September at Bromham Mill. Saturday’s headliner is the Queen tribute act, Flash, and on Sunday, it’s award-winning party band, Pure Genius bringing the vibes.
Tickets are available from the MillFest website here: millfest.co.uk/info
