Changed her name legally from Faye to her middle name Kierston by deed poll in 2006.
Lived in New York from 1997 until 2000, studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute.
Prior to landing her breakthrough role in It's a Free World... (2007) Kierston worked as a beautician, a call centre worker and as a legal secretary.
Trained at the Italia Conti Theatre School on weekends as a teenager, having been inspired to become an actress after reading an article on Jodie Foster.
Revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage at 4 months pregnant in early 2013 on the set of EastEnders (1985) (25 November 2013).