Interview with Louise Baker (EAST SIDE)

Louise Baker (43)

Mechanic, Birmingham

Louise is a mechanic, DIY guru and single mum… or as she says, ‘basically Wonder Woman’. She is a strong-minded and independent business owner but also wants to have fun and not take life too seriously. Having conquered a male-dominated industry, Louise doesn't want to end up in the Apocalypse being bossed around by any macho men and will put her stamp on the group.

What made you want to take part in Apocalypse?

I wanted to take myself out of my comfort zone. I've built a nice little life for myself, and I think we take a lot of things for granted day to day, so I wanted to see what would happen if I was stripped right back to nothing to see whether I'd survive, how I'd cope. My mum found the whole idea hilarious, because she says I'm glued to my phone constantly, so she genuinely didn't know how I'd manage.

Deep down, did you think you'd be fine?

I thought it was going to be a walk in the park, honestly, an absolute breeze. It really wasn't. It would have been disappointing and boring if it had been easy.

What skill did you think you'd bring to the group?

In my day-to-day life I'll have a go at pretty much anything, whether that's mechanics, plumbing, building a wall. I've rewired plug sockets and done my whole daughter's bedroom myself. I don't rely on other people, and I'm strong both mentally and physically. So, I think I brought hard graft, energy, loyalty, and good values, along with hopefully a bit of motivation for others too. I hope I brought a dose of reality to the group.

Bertie described you as the mother of the group. How did that feel?

They all called me Mama Lou, which I loved. It's nice, isn't it? I naturally look after people in normal life, including my daughter and my dog, and at the time my dad was also seriously ill, so I think I was already in a bit of a fight-or-flight, look-after-everyone mode. I think you must bring people with you if you want to succeed as a group. If I hadn't had my team around me, I probably would have fallen flat on my face. Actually, I did fall flat on my face, quite literally, right at the start I had a nasty-looking injury for the first couple of episodes that probably looked worse than it felt, which I imagine will make a good teaser trailer moment.

Describe your first reaction arriving in the town.

I thought it was amazing, and genuinely overwhelming, I couldn't believe a place like that actually existed. It looked challenging, cold, spooky, a bit scary. My instinct was just to get stuck in and crack on straight away. 

What surprised you most about being with that group of people?

Resilience, and honestly, that surprised me generally, not just in the apocalypse. When you think you've got absolutely nothing left, it turns out you've usually got more in you than you realise. 

Were there moments you thought "I can't do this"?

Yes, one in particular, around two and a half weeks in, after a disagreement with Bertie. I was missing my daughter, worried about my dad, and hungry, and I just thought: what am I doing this for? I could be at home in comfort, spending time with my dad, doing normal things and instead I was putting myself through this, surrounded by people who were winding me up. 

Take us back to discovering there was a second group - was that a shock?

I understood why the second group needed to exist for the show, but honestly, I'd have been completely fine without them. I wouldn't have thought twice about it, and I didn't particularly want to share anything with them. If it had been up to me, we'd have just carried on alone. 

Were there funny moments that stick with you?

Falling flat on my face and smashing up my own face was funny in hindsight, though at the time I genuinely thought I might have to go home. There was also a moment where I accidentally passed wind in front of Keira and she found it absolutely horrifying, which still makes me laugh. Mostly, though, we laughed constantly, it was one of the things that got us through. We tried to stay upbeat, and generally we managed it. Playing hide and seek in a genuinely haunted-feeling school was a definite highlight too.

Looking back, is there anything you'd do differently - more hunting, an earlier alliance with the other group, anything like that?

Nothing, honestly. I wouldn't change a thing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, even with the low points. Every single day felt different, and there was always something to get stuck into. Looting was genuinely fun, and I feel like I was constantly learning something new. Kyra taught me how to skin a squirrel and cook it, which is a skill I'll genuinely carry with me for life. In return, I showed people how to change a tyre. Everyone had different skills, and we all shared them with each other.

What do you think you learned about yourself?

That I can adapt to a situation, and that I stayed true to myself throughout. I was open and honest in every conversation, I didn't hold back, and I didn't try to play up to a character or be louder than anyone else. I just tried to be as authentic as possible. 

Has the experience changed how you think about modern comforts and things we take for granted?

Completely. It's made me value modern comforts a lot more. There are habits I've kept since, like every week I'll still make boiled rice, cucumber and mayo, which was one of our regular meals in there and is genuinely delicious. When I'm out hiking now, I catch myself looking at berries in hedges wondering if they're edible. Overall, I think I survived that experience well, and I feel like I made the best of a genuinely difficult situation. I know now that I can do that. I wouldn't change anything, and I came away having learned to push myself as hard as I possibly can.