Kacey Ainsworth (born 19 October 1968) is an English actress, known for her roles as Little Mo in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2000–2006) and Cathy Keating in the ITV drama series Grantchester (2014–present).
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Early life
Upon finishing senior school, Ainsworth secured a job at the advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi. She went on to train at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, completing a BA (Hons) in Acting.
Career
Ainsworth began her career at the age of nine, playing orphan Tessie in the original West End run of Annie from 1978 to 1981. She returned to acting in the 1990s, appearing in various guest parts on television and as Miss Fitzherbert in Mike Leigh's Oscar-nominated musical drama Topsy-Turvy (1999), before joining the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, where she played Little Mo—a member of the Slater family—between September 2000 and May 2006. The storyline in which her character endured a prolonged campaign of abuse at the hands of her husband has since been recognised as one of the most powerful depictions of domestic violence in British television history, with Ainsworth commenting that the role often left her physically and emotionally drained.
Since leaving EastEnders, Ainsworth has appeared in a string of guest roles on series such as Hotel Babylon, Midsomer Murders, Casualty, Doctors, Call the Midwife, Moving On, Shakespeare & Hathaway, and The Madame Blanc Mysteries. She also starred as Inspector Jenny Black in the BBC's HolbyBlue (2007–2008), appeared in the recurring role of Miss Gullet on the debut season of CBBC's The Worst Witch (2017), and played a supporting role in the acclaimed film Lynn + Lucy (2019). She has co-starred as Cathy Keating in the ITV detective drama Grantchester since 2014, writing an episode for its ninth season in 2025.
On stage, Ainsworth starred in touring productions of The Taming of the Shrew (1998), Calendar Girls (2011–2012), and Steel Magnolias (2012). In 2019, her portrayal of Mrs. Lovett in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd—at the Everyman Theatre—drew praise, with Michael Billington of The Guardian calling it an "outstanding performance".
Awards
British Soap Awards – Best Actress (Winner, 2002; 2003)
National Television Awards – Most Popular Actress (Winner, 2002)
Inside Soap Awards – Best Actress (Winner, 2002)
TV Choice Awards – Best Soap Actress (Winner, 2002)
