ITV Emmerdale star selling cannabis in Thailand after quitting soap and vows to never return to UK
Former Emmerdale star Kelli Hollis, who played Ali Spencer on the ITV soap, has opened up about her new life in Thailand where she runs her own 'weed bar'
Former Emmerdale star Kelli Hollis is now living a different life in Thailand where she runs her own ‘weed bar’.
The former actress has vowed to never return back to the UK after finding happiness in Thailand after adopting a more relaxed lifestyle. The former soap star admitted that while she misses her home place often, she has no plans to move home and can’t see herself back in the rat race.
“I am never coming home, never going home. Obviously, I miss England and there are aspects of my life there like I have two grown-up children at home and a grandson. But you only live once and I have learned that a lot over the last few years, losing friends to things and my friend losing a child and it just makes you access a lot of things in your life.
Kelli Hollis is living a very different life nowadays (
Kelli Hollis)
Kelli has set up her own business in Thailand (
Kelli Hollis)
“You just have to do what you have to do because you are not promised tomorrow are you? My mentality now is I am nearly 50 f*** it will just do it. There is no point having that ‘oh god I can’t do this and I can’t do that’ attitude. I have been so fortunate in my life that opportunities have come my way,” she added to Daily Star.
The Leeds-born actress shared that she stumbled into acting and her favourite memories from the Dales were with the Spencer gang. She fondly recalled her first day on set, meeting six-year-old Amelia (played by Daisy Campbell) who was missing her two front teeth.
Kelli still keeps in touch with her former colleagues and cherishes her time on the show. But how did this actress, also known for her role in Shameless, transition from beloved TV shows to selling cannabis abroad? It all changed after her childhood in Leeds where she first encountered the psychoactive drug as a rebellious teenager.
“I remember being at a friend’s house in Beeston and I am not going to name them because I don’t know where they are now or what they are doing so I won’t grass them up,” she said.
Emmerdale Actress Kelli Hollis quit the show and moved to Thailand (
ITV)
“It was 20 odd years ago, oh god, it would be more than 20 odd years ago, but I just remember being about 15 and being at a friend’s house and I already had started smoking with mates in the park and all that. I remember it being hash that you burn and I just remember a lot of blistered fingers and a lot of holes in my clothes.”
Kelli shared her story: “I was just smoking a little bit here and there but as a youngster, I would never have been a big heavy smoker. I actually don’t like the feeling of being stoned and I know some people do.”
The former soap star revealed that she has now instead ‘become partial to edibles’. The businesswoman now promotes them for rest and for aches and pains for people who don’t want to smoke and can still ingest them.
Talking about her new business, Kelli said it happened by ‘total accident’ after moving to Thailand when her partner got a job in Bangkok.
