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Eubha Akilade has played Lily, one of the core trio on Eve since the CBBC show began in 2014. The young Scottish actress has greatly enjoyed the experience, as she told Paul Simpson on the set of the third season finale…

What’s your overriding thoughts about working on the show?

I think it’s all about growing and developing. From series 1 till now I think all of us youngsters have grown up in the show which is quite crazy. The whole basis of Eve is about growing and developing and it’s quite weird because I feel that we have as characters and as people filming the show for the last two years. That’s been the biggest part for me, and the best part – growing up with everyone and having all these cool experiences.

How did you get involved?

It’s weird – I really did dance before and stuff like that, not really acting. I saw an advert on Facebook for an open audition in Edinburgh. I went along and had about four auditions altogether until I found out I got the part.

I never really expected anything at any round; not even at the fourth round did I think I was going to get it, and it was amazing. The first week I started I was like a little lost puppy – I was like, “What is this? I have no idea what I’m doing” – and I was so nervous. But then I got into it more and I’ve loved it ever since. It’s been great.

What did they tell you about Lily when you auditioned?

Very little. They did, but everyone interpreted it individually. She’s very strong minded; vulnerable but to a large extent she doesn’t really care about other people’s opinions, very intelligent, clever, funny. I know she was supposed to have chemistry with Will. She was a bit jealous of Eve at the start

She’s very moral as well. She’ll never do anything against her morals unless it was for a friend, to save a friend. She’s very close to everyone else in the show.

Would you get on with her?

No! I definitely wouldn’t, I don’t think. I think we’re very different. I’m strong minded in some ways and not in others, and I think that would totally clash with Lily. We have quite different interests. I think we would be civil with each other but I don’t think we’d be best friends or anything.

When you’re playing the sides of her that aren’t you, that aren’t coming from yourself, where do you get them from?

My little sister is quite defiant and things like that, so I try to think about her. I try to relate things that I care about to things that Lily cares about, so if I’m doing a scene and Lily cares about something that I, Eubha, doesn’t care personally about, then I’ll think of an issue I care about and put that into it. That’s the way my head works.

Everyone has things that they’re passionate about and even if I’m not passionate about the same things as Lily is, it means I can draw on things I am passionate about and bring them together.

What’s been the most challenging part of playing her?

Being on it every day. That’s what I sometimes find challenging – when you’ve got an early pick up and you’re really tired, it’s about mustering through that and getting the best performance that you can. Even when you’re down in the dumps it’s just about trying hardest and getting the effort that you’ve got in you.

The team is great too if we’re feeling a bit low. Everyone’s always there for you and they’ll bring you up for your take, but when the other takes are not on you, they’ll bring you down a bit and conserve your energy.

Have there been things in the scripts for the third year that have surprised you?

Plenty! What surprised me is when Cain gives Lily the EMP device that she doesn’t get rid of it.

I thought it was clever that she did keep it. It helped a lot. Plotwise it was needed and it was good that she kept it, it was the best thing to do but I was quite surprised that she would keep something like that. It’s like a gun to her friends.

It’s given to her after Cain dies, and she keeps it just in case it’s needed to be used as a threat. I don’t think she would ever use it.

What do you think you’ve learned from working on Eve?

I think I’ve learned not to care as much what people think of me. Lily is so young but she’s totally her own person. Even at 18 now, I’m still not able to totally be my own person and do exactly what I want and a hundred percent be myself the whole time, but Lily’s 16 and she does. It’s an admirable thing.

To a large extent, Lily does not care. She really does not care about people who she doesn’t care about and what they think of her. She definitely cares about what friends and families do but outsiders? She’s totally doing her own thing, doing it for herself and by herself.

I’ve brought a bit of that, particularly when I got the crazy costume – I don’t dress like Lily at all and when I got all the crazy costumes, I thought maybe she’s a bit more confident in herself.

You’re on social media – have you had much interaction with fans?

I’m not allowed to reply to fans, and there have been a lot of fans on Instagram and I get a lot of messages. If someone comments on a photo, I’ll try my hardest to reply: it sounds stupid but when I was younger I loved CBBC and a little comment like that – if I’d commented on one of their photos and they’d commented back – that would have made my day. You might as well: it’s no hassle for me to type “thank you”. It makes someone’s day a bit better – I’m not being arrogant about it, I know how I felt.

So what’s next?

I’m off to train at the Royal Conservatoire in Scotland for three years doing a degree, which should be good fun. I’ve had a few auditions but I’m just starting to get to grips with it all. I think I’m starting to understand what it’s all about; I’m really enjoying it, it’s really good fun. Hope for a fourth series… the ending is super interesting, and you could make a super-interesting fourth series. Onwards and upwards!