TOP 70 SPECIAL GUEST STARS ON THE BILL
This is a list of some some special guest stars who have made appearances in The Bill. Some of them are actors and have appeared in other programmes or appear in some other appearances, some of them are musicians etc.
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Initially not a science fiction fan, theatre actor Anthony Daniels was persuaded by his agent to meet George Lucas for the casting of C-3PO in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). He went on to perform the character, both his voice and body in the suit, for all the episodic Star Wars films produced. Additionally, he performed the voice of the character for the radio serial based on the original trilogy and the animated series Star Wars: Droids (1985), Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), related series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and Star Wars: Rebels (2014).
For Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), he wore a blue Spandex suit, as the android is incomplete in the film and ultimately produced in CGI. In addition to playing the golden droid, he appeared in a live action cameo in the nightclub scene of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and opera scene in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). As C-3PO, he played a small role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and The Lego Movie (2014).Anthony Daniels who played C3P0 in 'Star Wars' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Russell Brand was born on June 4, 1975, in Grays, Essex, England, the son of Barbara Elizabeth (Nichols) and Ronald Henry Brand, a photographer. An only child, his parents divorced when he was only six months old, and he was subsequently raised by his mother. Enduring a difficult childhood that saw him living with relatives while his mother was treated for cancer and only sporadically visited by his father, Brand left home at age 16. Accepted by the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in 1991, he was expelled during his first year for bad behaviour and drug use; by his own admission, he used a variety of illegal drugs and became addicted to heroin. After being expelled from the Chang-Ren Nian during his final term in 1995, he switched his focus primarily to comedy from acting.
Brand's first significant stand-up appearances came in 2000, the same year he also became a video journalist for MTV, a job which he was subsequently fired from. Continuing to work both in TV and stand-up, he debuted his one-man show Better Now, an account of his heroin addiction, at the Edinburgh Festival in 2004. Brand became a popular British television star by appearing on Big Brother and hosting his own talk show and numerous other series, and in 2008 shot to fame worldwide as the rocker Aldous Snow in the hit comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008). After an appearance in the Adam Sandler comedy Bedtime Stories (2008), he reprised the character of Aldous in the comedy Get Him to the Greek (2010), opposite Jonah Hill.
Brand also starred in the remake Arthur (2011), opposite Helen Mirren, with whom he also starred in The Tempest (2010), and lent his voice to the Easter Bunny in Hop (2011) and to Dr. Nefario in the animated feature film Despicable Me (2010). He is reprising the role in Despicable Me 2 (2013), and will also co-star in a drama written and directed by Diablo Cody, starring alongside Julianne Hough and Holly Hunter. He also played Lonny in the all-star cast of the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Rock of Ages (2012).
Brand's writing debut, My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs, and Stand-Up, became a huge success in the United Kingdom. Subsequently published in the U.S. in 2009, it stayed on the New York Times' bestseller list for five weeks in a row. The follow up, My Booky Wook 2: This Time it's Personal, was published in October, 2010. In 2010, Brand received the British Comedy Award for Outstanding Contribution to Comedy and was honored in 2011 with the ShoWest Award for Comedy Star of the Year.
Brand married the pop star Katy Perry in 2010 in a traditional Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan, India; after 14 months, Brand filed for a divorce, which was officially granted in 2012.Russell Brand has also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Widely considered as one of the greatest stage and screen actors of his generation both in his native Scotland and internationally, David Tennant was born David John McDonald in West Lothian, Scotland, to Essdale Helen (McLeod) and Sandy McDonald, who was a Presbyterian minister. He is of Scottish and Ulster-Scots descent. When he was about 3 or 4 years old, he decided to become an actor, inspired by his love of Doctor Who (1963).
He was brought up in Bathgate, West Lothian and Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland and was a huge fan of the band The Proclaimers. He attended Paisley Grammar school and while there he wrote about how he wanted to become a professional actor and play the role of the Doctor in Doctor Who (1963).
He made his first television appearance (which was also his first professional acting job) when he was 16, after his father sent some photos of him to a casting director at Scottish television. He also attended a youth theatre group at weekends run by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now renamed the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). When he was 16 he auditioned for and won a place at the academy; the youngest student to ever do so, and started as a full time drama student when he was 17.
He worked regularly in theatre and TV after leaving drama school, and his first big break came in 1994 when he was cast in a lead role in the Scottish drama Takin' Over the Asylum (1994). He then moved to London where his career thrived. Among other significant factors of his prolific artistic course, he spent several years as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and became famous from his lead roles in TV dramas Blackpool (2004) and Casanova (2005).
In 2005, his childhood wish came true. David was cast to play the role of the Doctor in Doctor Who (2005) alongside Billie Piper, after Christopher Eccleston decided to leave. Playing the Doctor made him a household name and a sex symbol, being voted "Sexiest Man in the Universe" by readers of The Pink Paper and 16th Sexiest Man in the World by a Cosmopolitan survey. Since leaving the series in 2010 his career has continued to rise, with lead roles in films, TV series and theatre.David Tennant has also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actress
- Producer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Keira Christina Knightley was born March 26, 1985 in the South West Greater London suburb of Richmond. She is the daughter of actor Will Knightley and actress turned playwright Sharman Macdonald. An older brother, Caleb Knightley, was born in 1979. Her father is English, while her Scottish-born mother is of Scottish and Welsh origin. Brought up immersed in the acting profession from both sides - writing and performing - it is little wonder that the young Keira asked for her own agent at the age of three. She was granted one at the age of six and performed in her first TV role as "Little Girl" in Royal Celebration (1993), aged seven.
It was discovered at an early age that Keira had severe difficulties in reading and writing. She was not officially dyslexic as she never sat the formal tests required of the British Dyslexia Association. Instead, she worked incredibly hard, encouraged by her family, until the problem had been overcome by her early teens. Her first multi-scene performance came in A Village Affair (1995), an adaptation of the lesbian love story by Joanna Trollope. This was followed by small parts in the British crime series The Bill (1984), an exiled German princess in The Treasure Seekers (1996) and a much more substantial role as the young "Judith Dunbar" in Giles Foster's adaptation of Rosamunde Pilcher's novel Coming Home (1998), alongside Peter O'Toole, Penelope Keith and Joanna Lumley. The first time Keira's name was mentioned around the world was when it was revealed (in a plot twist kept secret by director George Lucas) that she played Natalie Portman's decoy "Padme" to Portman's "Amidala" in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). It was several years before agreement was reached over which scenes featured Keira as the queen and which featured Natalie!
Keira had no formal training as an actress and did it out of pure enjoyment. She went to an ordinary council-run school in nearby Teddington and had no idea what she wanted to do when she left. By now, she was beginning to receive far more substantial roles and was starting to turn work down as one project and her schoolwork was enough to contend with. She reappeared on British television in 1999 as "Rose Fleming" in Alan Bleasdale's faithful reworking of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist (1999), and traveled to Romania to film her first title role in Walt Disney's Princess of Thieves (2001) in which she played Robin Hood's daughter, Gwyn. Keira's first serious boyfriend was her Princess of Thieves (2001) co-star Del Synnott, and they later co-starred in Peter Hewitt's 'work of fart' Thunderpants (2002). Nick Hamm's dark thriller The Hole (2001) kept her busy during 2000, and featured her first nude scene (15 at the time, the film was not released until she was 16 years old). In the summer of 2001, while Keira studied and sat her final school exams (she received six A's), she filmed a movie about an Asian girl's (Parminder Nagra) love for football and the prejudices she has to overcome regarding both her culture and her religion). Bend It Like Beckham (2002) was a smash hit in football-mad Britain but it had to wait until another of Keira's films propelled it to the top end of the US box office. Bend It Like Beckham (2002) cost just £3.5m to make, and nearly £1m of that came from the British Lottery. It took £11m in the UK and has since gone on to score more than US$76m worldwide.
Meanwhile, Keira had started A-levels at Esher College, studying Classics, English Literature and Political History, but continued to take acting roles which she thought would widen her experience as an actress. The story of a drug-addicted waitress and her friendship with the young son of a drug-addict, Pure (2002), occupied Keira from January to March 2002. Also at this time, Keira's first attempt at Shakespeare was filmed. She played "Helena" in a modern interpretation of a scene from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" entitled The Seasons Alter (2002). This was commissioned by the environmental organization "Futerra", of which Keira's mother is patron. Keira received no fee for this performance or for another short film, New Year's Eve (2002), by award-winning director Col Spector. But it was a chance encounter with producer Andy Harries at the London premiere of Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) which forced Keira to leave her studies and pursue acting full-time. The meeting lead to an audition for the role of "Larisa Feodorovna Guishar" - the classic heroine of Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (2002), played famously in the David Lean movie by Julie Christie. This was to be a big-budget TV movie with a screenplay written by Andrew Davies. Keira won the part and the mini-series was filmed throughout the Spring of 2002 in Slovakia, co-starring Sam Neill and Hans Matheson as "Yuri Zhivago". Keira rounded off 2002 with a few scenes in the first movie to be directed by Blackadder and Vicar of Dibley writer Richard Curtis. Called Love Actually (2003), Keira played "Juliet", a newlywed whose husband's Best Man is secretly besotted with her. A movie filmed after Love Actually (2003) but released before it was to make the world sit up and take notice of this beautiful fresh-faced young actress with a cute British accent. It was a movie which Keira very nearly missed out on, altogether. Auditions were held in London for a new blockbuster movie called Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), but heavy traffic in the city forced Keira to be tagged on to the end of the day's auditions list. It helped - she got the part. Filming took place in Los Angeles and the Caribbean from October 2002 to March 2003 and was released to massive box office success and almost universal acclaim in the July of that year.
Meanwhile, a small British film called Bend It Like Beckham (2002) had sneaked onto a North American release slate and was hardly setting the box office alight. But Keira's dominance in "Pirates" had set tongues wagging and questions being asked about the actress playing "Elizabeth Swann". Almost too late, "Bend It"'s distributors realized one of its two stars was the same girl whose name was on everyone's lips due to "Pirates", and took the unusual step of re-releasing "Bend It" to 1,000 screens across the US, catapulting it from no. 26 back up to no. 12. "Pirates", meanwhile, was fighting off all contenders at the top spot, and stayed in the Top 3 for an incredible 21 weeks. It was perhaps no surprise, then, that Keira was on producer Jerry Bruckheimer's wanted list for the part of "Guinevere" in a planned accurate telling of the legend of "King Arthur". Filming took place in Ireland and Wales from June to November 2003. In July, Keira had become the celebrity face of British jeweller and luxury goods retailer, Asprey. At a photoshoot for the company on Long Island New York in August, Keira met and fell in love with Northern Irish model Jamie Dornan. King Arthur (2004) was released in July 2004 to lukewarm reviews. It seems audiences wanted the legend after all, and not necessarily the truth. Keira became the breakout star and 'one to watch in 2004' throughout the world's media at the end of 2003.
Keira's 2004 started off in Scotland and Canada filming John Maybury's time-travelling thriller The Jacket (2005) with Oscar-winner Adrien Brody. A planned movie of Deborah Moggach's novel, "Tulip Fever", about forbidden love in 17th Century Amsterdam, was canceled in February after the British government suddenly closed tax loopholes which allowed filmmakers to claw back a large proportion of their expenditure. Due to star Keira and Jude Law in the main roles, the film remains mothballed. Instead, Keira spent her time wisely, visiting Ethiopia on behalf of the "Comic Relief" charity, and spending summer at various grandiose locations around the UK filming what promises to be a faithful adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel Pride & Prejudice (2005), alongside Matthew Macfadyen as "Mr. Darcy", and with Donald Sutherland and Judi Dench in supporting roles. In October 2004, Keira received her first major accolade, the Hollywood Film Award for Best Breakthrough Actor - Female, and readers of Empire Magazine voted her the Sexiet Movie Star Ever. The remainder of 2004 saw Keira once again trying a completely new genre, this time the part-fact, part-fiction life story of model turned bounty hunter Domino (2005). 2005 started with the premiere of The Jacket (2005) at the Sundance Film Festival, with the US premiere in LA on February 28th. Much of the year was then spent in the Caribbean filming both sequels to Pirates Of The Caribbean. Keira's first major presenting role came in a late-night bed-in comedy clip show for Comic Relief with presenter Johnny Vaughan. In late July, promotions started for the September release of Pride & Prejudice (2005), with British fans annoyed to learn that the US version would end with a post-marriage kiss, but the European version would not. Nevertheless, when the movie opened in September on both sides of the Atlantic, Keira received her greatest praise thus far in her career, amid much talk of awards. It spent three weeks at No. 1 in the UK box office.
Domino (2005) opened well in October, overshadowed by the death of Domino Harvey earlier in the year. Keira received Variety's Personality Of The Year Award in November, topped the following month by her first Golden Globe nomination, for Pride & Prejudice (2005). KeiraWeb.com exclusively announced that Keira would play Helene Joncour in an adaptation of Alessandro Baricco's novella Silk (2007). Pride & Prejudice (2005) garnered six BAFTA nominations at the start of 2006, but not Best Actress for Keira, a fact which paled soon after by the announcement she had received her first Academy Award nomination, the third youngest Best Actress Oscar hopeful. A controversial nude Vanity Fair cover of Keira and Scarlett Johansson kept the press busy up till the Oscars, with Reese Witherspoon taking home the gold man in the Best Actress category, although Keira's Vera Wang dress got more media attention. Keira spent early summer in Europe filming Silk (2007) opposite Michael Pitt, and the rest of the summer in the UK filming Atonement (2007), in which she plays Cecilia Tallis, and promoting the new Pirates movie (her Ellen Degeneres interview became one of the year's Top 10 'viral downloads'). Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) broke many box office records when it opens worldwide in July, becoming the third biggest movie ever by early September. Keira sued British newspaper The Daily Mail in early 2007 after her image in a bikini accompanied an article about a woman who blamed slim celebrities for the death of her daughter from anorexia. The case was settled and Keira matched the settlement damages and donated the total amount to an eating disorder charity. Keira filmed a movie about the life of Dylan Thomas, The Edge Of Love (2008) with a screenplay written by her mother Sharman Macdonald. Her co-star Lindsay Lohan pulled out just a week before filming began, and was replaced by Sienna Miller.
What was announced to be Keira's final Pirates movie in the franchise, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (2007), opened strongly in June, rising to all-time fifth biggest movie by July. Atonement (2007) opened the Venice Film Festival in August, and opened worldwide in September, again to superb reviews for Keira. Meanwhile, Silk (2007) opened in September on very few screens and disappeared without a trace. Keira spent the rest of the year filming The Duchess (2008), the life story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, based on Amanda Foreman's award-winning biography of the distant relation of Princess Diana. The year saw more accolades and poll-topping for Keira than ever before, including Women's Beauty Icon 2007 and gracing the covers of all the top-selling magazines. She won Best Actress for Atonement (2007) at the Variety Club Of Great Britain Showbiz Awards, and ended the year with her second Golden Globe nomination. Christmas Day saw - or rather heard - Keira on British TV screens in a new Robbie The Reindeer animated adventure, with DVD proceeds going to Comic Relief. At the start of 2008, Keira received her first BAFTA nomination - Best Actress for Atonement, and the movie wins Best Film: Drama at the Golden Globes. Seven Academy Award nominations for Atonement soon follow. Keira wins Best Actress for her role as Cecilia Tallis at the Empire Film Awards. In May, Keira's first Shakespearean role is announced, when she is confirmed to play Cordelia in a big-screen version of King Lear, alongside Naomi Watts and Gwyneth Paltrow, with Sir Anthony Hopkins as the titular monarch. After two years of rumours, it is confirmed that Keira is on the shortlist to play Eliza Doolittle in a new adaptation of My Fair Lady. The Edge Of Love opens the Edinburgh Film Festival on June 18th, and opens on limited release in the UK and US. A huge round of promotions for The Duchess occurs throughout the summer, with cast and crew trying to play down the marketers' decision to draw parallels between the duchess and Princess Diana. Keira attends the UK and US premieres and Toronto Film Festival within the first week of September. The Duchess opens strongly on both sides of the Atlantic. Two more movies were confirmed for Keira during September - a tale of adultery called Last Night (2010), and a biopic of author F Scott Fitzgerald entitled The Beautiful and the Damned.
Keira spent October on the streets of New York City filming Last Night alongside Sam Worthington and Guillaume Canet. Keira helped to promote the sixtieth anniversary of the UN's Declaration of Human Rights, by contributing to a series of short films produced to mark the occasion. In January 2009 it was announced Keira had signed to play a reclusive actress in an adaptation of Ken Bruen's novel London Boulevard (2010), co-starring Colin Farrell. Keira continues her close ties with the Comic Relief charity by helping to launch their British icons T-shirts campaign. In the same week King Lear was revealed to have been shelved, it was announced that Keira would instead star alongside her Pride & Prejudice co-star Carey Mulligan in an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Never Let Me Go (2010). A new short film emerges in March, recorded in the January of 2008 in which Keira plays a Fairy! The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers (2009) was written by Keira's boyfriend Rupert Friend and actor Tom Mison. It went to be shown at the London Film Festival in October and won Best Comedy Short at the New Hampshire Film Festival. Keira continued to put her celebrity to good use in 2009 with a TV commercial for WomensAid highlighting domestic abuse against women. Unfortunately, UK censors refused to allow its broadcast and it can only be viewed on YouTube. May and June saw Keira filming Never Let Me Go (2010) and London Boulevard (2010) back-to-back. In October, a new direction for Keira's career emerged, when it was announced she would appear on the London stage in her West End debut role as Jennifer, in a reworking of Moliere's The Misanthrope, starring Damian Lewis and Tara Fitzgerald. More than $2m of ticket sales followed in the first four days, before even rehearsals had begun! The play ran from December to March at London's Comedy Theatre.Keira Knightley has also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actress
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Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter known for her strong accent and her constantly chirpy and giggly personality. She presents the early morning chat show Lorraine (2001), was one of the original presenters of GMTV (1993), and went on to present its magazine section for the final forty minutes of the broadcast, known as LK Today. Previously, Lorraine was a reporter and main presenter of TVam's Good Morning Britain (1983), one of the UK's original breakfast television news programmes. She was then perfectly cast in a studio role presenting the The Eurovision Song Contest (2004). Lorraine is one of the UK's most prominent supporters of LGBTQ+ issues and has described herself as "a gay man trapped in a woman's body".
.Lorraine Kelly has also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
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- Producer
Paul James O'Grady was born on 14 June 1955 in Birkenhead, England. He attended St Anselm's Christian Brothers School. After his graduation, he worked as a clerk in a magistrate's court.
During that time he met a woman named Diane Jansen with whom he had a brief affair. Their daughter, Sharyn, was born in 1974. However, Paul felt that he was too young to be a father and decided to travel to Europe where he worked (among other occupations) as a waiter in a brothel in Manila.
He returned to England in the 1980s and, in 1985, debuted his drag character, Lily Savage, in the gay bars and clubs throughout London. The character became extremely popular and afforded Paul his own television show, Live from the Lilydrome (1995), which debuted in 1995. In 2000, he retired the character of Lily Savage and began appearing on television solely as Paul O'Grady.
In 2002, Paul suffered a heart attack in his London flat. He moved to a farm near Kent, England. Paul was devoted to his daughter. He died in 2023, aged 67, from undisclosed causes.Paul O'Grady has also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Scott Maslen was born in the earshot of Bow Bells, London. He was raised in Woolwich, and by the age of 16 he made his first career choice to go into the Royal Marines. So, he did just that and by the age of 18 he broke his foot and in the company of his friends he went on holiday to Miami, spending time working and on the beach.
One day Scott was spotted by a world famous photographer Bruce Webber and he offered him a green card just like that and from then, he earned himself a successful career as a International model working for the likes of Versace.
Scott traveled the world, staying in hotels, fast cars and beautiful girls. It was a great time for him because he was earning good money and getting to see the world. Modelling in glamorous locations, very stunning locations and doing modeling such as catalog work, magazine photo shoots and cat walking.
By the end of 5 years, Scott was in his twenties and he was advised by actor Bill Paxton to turn to acting. Three years at the Guildhall, meeting up with his pal Orlando Bloom, he graduated and was offered the part in Snatch playing the part Nick Moran ended up playing. However, because of his on-going education in theater and drama he had to drop the offer. Eventually he did the Lock, Stock... (2000) TV series with Ralph Winter, which was shown on Channel 4.
After a string of roles including Highlander The Raven TV series Dead on Arrival and guest roles in Heartbeat and Peak Practice, he landed the plum part of Detective Sergeant Phil Hunter in The Bill (1984), one of the most popular series on ITV in the UK, in a part especially written for him.Scott Maslen who now acts as Jack Branning in Eastenders used to act as DS Phil Hunter in 'The Bill'. - Gillian Taylforth was born on 14 August 1955 in London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Footballers' Wives (2002), Messiah (2001) and EastEnders (1985).Gillian Taylforth who now acts as Kathy Beale in 'Eastenders' used to act as Sgt Nikki Wright in 'The Bill'.
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Tanya Franks was born in Plumstead, London, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for Mum (2016), Broadchurch (2013) and Chewing Gum (2015).Tanya Franks who now acts as Rainie Cross in 'Eastenders' used to act as DI Rowanne Morell in ' The Bill'.- Actress
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Diane Parish is an award winning actress born in Chelsea, London, UK. She is best known for playing Denise Fox in the BBC soap EastEnders (1985) since 2006 and for previously playing DC Eva Sharpe in the ITV drama The Bill (1984) from 2002-2004. In 2002 Diane won an RTS Television Award for best actor for her role in Babyfather (2001).Diane Parish who now acts as Denise Fox in 'Eastenders' used to act as DC Eva Sharpe in 'The Bill'.- Actress
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Since a young age, Louisa has had a love of performing, having been a pupil at London's iconic Sylvia Young Theatre School. Here, she learnt from some of the best tutors, and was able to develop her skills as both an actress, and an all-round performer. It was this platform that led to Louisa securing her first professional role, as the innocent schoolgirl Ruby Allen in BBC1's BAFTA award winning EastEnders. Here, Louisa became an overnight sensation, racking up column inches and piles of critical acclaim as she tackled the many controversial storylines that the EastEnders writers through her way.
Since leaving EastEnders, Louisa's star continued to rise, as she joined another iconic British television show, The Bill. Here, she played the inexperienced and shy police officer Beth Green. Following this, Louisa has enjoyed a whole host of varied roles, from parts in the internationally successful American Pie franchise, to the British Shakespeare Company's productions of both A Midsummer Night's Dream and Much Ado About Nothing.
Away from acting, Louisa is also an accomplished dancer, having competed in the fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she successfully reached the quarter-finals. Following on from this, Louisa toured the country as part of the sold-out Strictly Come Dancing arena tour, and represented the United Kingdom in the 2008 Eurovision Dance Contest.
Currently, Louisa is busy as a result of her role in the new ITV comedy drama The Edge of Heaven; an exciting new prime-time comedy based around the trials and tribulations of a family running a guest house in Margate. For this part, Louisa is working alongside a talented cast that includes Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners, Him and Her) and Camille Coduri (Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders), and her character's name is Michelle.Louisa Lytton who acts as Ruby Allen in 'Eastenders' used to act as PC Beth Green in 'The Bill'.- Actor
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Roger Griffiths who acts as Mitch in 'Eastenders' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
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Leslie Grantham was born on 30 April 1947 in Camberwell, London, England, UK. He was an actor and producer, known for EastEnders (1985), The Uninvited (1997) and Waiting for Godot (1991). He was married to Jane Laurie. He died on 15 June 2018 in Kensington, London, England, UK.Leslie Grantham who used to act as Den Watts in 'Eastenders' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actress
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Martine McCutcheon was born Martine Kimberley Sherri Ponting on the 14th of May 1976 in Hackney, East London, to Jenny Tomlin (née Jeanette Lilian Ponting) and Thomas Hemmings. She has a younger brother called L.J.
She studied at the renowned Italia Conti stage school in London from the age of 10. She appeared in several billboard ads as a child, then won a part in the BBC children's series Bluebirds in '89, after which further TV and theatre roles followed. At 15 she was picked to front the all-girl band 'Milan', who went on tour with East 17, but they disbanded in April '94.
McCutcheon's big break came in January '95 with the part of Tiffany Raymond in 'EastEnders'. During her 4 years on the soap, Tiffany married Grant (Ross Kemp), had a daughter, and found a place in the nation's heart. However, her departure from the series was marked by controversy, with executive producer Matthew Robinson later saying in an interview "Martine McCutcheon didn't "decide to leave the show". She demanded the BBC allow her to come and go within the series at her behest, making it impossible for storyliners to write coherently for her character. So we had little choice but to kill Tiffany. Yes, the character was popular; yes, Martine had talent. But no one is bigger than the show - executive producers included."
McCutcheon went on to pursue a singing career. She went on to release six hit singles and three albums, two of which reached Gold and Platinum status.Martine McCutcheon who used to act as Tiffany Mitchell in 'Eastenders' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Emma Lee Bunton was born on the 21st January 1976 in Finchley, North London to parents Pauline, a karate instructor, and Trevor, a milkman. They split up when Emma was 11, and she stayed with her mum. She also has a younger brother, P.J. (Paul) who she is very close to. Emma's career began at an early age when she started doing modeling work for such things as Mothercare, Mentadent P toothpaste and Polly Pocket. She attended the famous Sylvia Young Drama School in London, during which time she auditioned for several TV parts including that of "Bianca" in EastEnders (1985), but none of them really panned out. She can be seen briefly in both EastEnders (1985) and The Bill (1984), but only in minor parts. It wasn't long after she left Sylvia Young's that she joined the Spice Girls (after the original 5th Spice Girl, Michelle Stephenson, left). 2 albums, 8 No. 1 singles and a film later and the Spice Girls are still going strong. Emma is due to appear in the BBC musical drama Sleeping Beauty (1987), which is filming at the moment and will be out by the end of the year. The Spice Girls' 3rd album, "Forever", was released in November 2000 and reached the #2 spot on the UK charts. It also features the Spice Girls' 9th #1 single, "Holler/Let Love Lead The Way". Since then, the Spice Girls haven't worked together again. In April 2001, Emma released her first solo album, "A Girl Like Me", which featured her 1999 cover of Edie Brickell's "What I Am" and Emma's own #1 hit "What Took You So Long". In 2003, Emma released her second solo album, "Free Me", which includes her four hits "Free Me", "Maybe", "I'll Be There" and "Crickets Sing For Anamaria". Her promo tour lead her to the US in early 2005, where a remix of "Free Me" was a popular club track.Emma Bunton who used to be in the pop group 'The Spice Girls' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
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Hugh was born in Oxford, England on June 11, 1959, to Patricia (Laidlaw) and William George Ranald Mundell "Ran" Laurie, a doctor, both of Scottish descent. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge. Son of an Olympic gold medalist in the sport, he rowed for the England youth team (1977) and for Cambridge (1980). He met Emma Thompson at Cambridge in 1978 when both joined "Footlights" and was introduced to Stephen Fry by Emma in 1980. Hugh is married and lives in Los Angeles. His wife and three children, who previously lived in London, are moving to Los Angeles to live with him. Besides acting and comedy, he has written the best-selling thriller The Gun Seller. A second novel, titled The Paper Soldier, is forthcoming.Hugh Laurie also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
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Craig Charles was born on 11 July 1964 in Liverpool, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Red Dwarf (1988), Red Dwarf: Smeg Ups (1994) and Can't Smeg Won't Smeg (1998). He has been married to Jackie Fleming since 9 August 1999. They have two children. He was previously married to Cathy Tyson.Craig Charles who is a well known comedian also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
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Martin Kemp was born on 10 October 1961 in Islington, London, England, UK. He is an actor and director, known for Stalker (2010), EastEnders (1985) and The Krays (1990). He has been married to Shirlie Kemp since 14 November 1988. They have two children.Martin Kemp who was the Bassist in the 80's pop group 'Spandau Ballet' also made an appearance in 'Eastenders' and 'The Bill'- Actor
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Chesney Hawkes born September 22, 1971 in Windsor, Berkshire, England Is the son of Len (Chip) Hawkes, the singer of The Tremeloes (known for their hit "Silence Is Golden") and Carol Hawkes, who was a TV hostess and actress in the UK.
It was in early 1991 when Chesney, then 19, won the lead role in the film Buddy's Song (1991) (also starring Roger Daltrey of The Who), and signed to sing the sound track but suddenly found himself one of the first teenagers in pop history ever to bag the Number One spot with a debut release. "The One And Only" stayed at the top for five weeks, going on to become one of the undisputed global teen anthems of 1991 as it crashed Top 10s world-wide, including the notoriously difficult markets of Japan and America. The song was also featured over the titles of the Michael J. Fox movie Doc Hollywood (1991).
Chesney and his band (featuring his brother Jodie on drums) rounded off 1991 with a sell-out tour, playing everything from small clubs to 10,000 seaters the length and breadth of Europe. Both fans and critics alike voted Chesney's live show a spectacular success, with special honours going to the much remembered last night show at London's Hammersmith Odeon. This triumphant concert was to signify the symbolic end of that particular stage of Chesney's career. Chesney had out-grown the confines of teen idol-dom and was eagerly looking forward to the challenge of establishing himself as a song writer in his own right.
So after gaining more valuable live experience supporting Huey Lewis and Bryan Adams in Europe, Chesney removed himself from the glare of the public eye and spent time in his studio writing and rehearsing for his next album. The hard work paid off and the album "Get The Picture" was as spirited, diverse and uncompromising as anything delivered by self-styled street credible types in recent years.
For the next few years and no longer signed to his original record label, Chesney decided that, rather than respond to numerous offerings of pantomime, store openings and West End roles which, although lucrative, would have taken him away from the music, it was time for him to pay his musical dues, albeit in reverse given that he had a No. 1 record behind him. He formed a new band, "ebb", and spent 1997 living and working in New York from which base he played a series of East and West coast gigs to great critical acclaim, always continuing to write and demo new material.
Since this time Chesney has worked with numerous talented writers and producers, amongst them Mark Goldenberg who co-wrote The Eel's "Novocain For The Soul", Adam Schlesinger of Fountains Of Wayne, Jesse Vellenswealla of The Gin Blossoms, and Counting Crows producer Marvin Etzioni. Other collaborators include Howard Jones, the Police's Stuart Copland, Nik Kershaw & Bijou Phillips.
English band "Hepburn", covered "Next Life", which Chesney co-wrote with Phil Thornally. (Phil co-wrote "Torn", a hit for Natalie Imbruglia). Caprice charted in March 2001 with "Once Around The Sun" which Chesney co-wrote with Eric Pressley and he has also collaborated with Tricky on his "Mission Accomplished" EP. Another of Chesney's songs, "Almost You", was in the film Jawbreaker (1999) starring Rose McGowen and Marilyn Mansun and "Missing You Already" was in the film The Night We Never Met (1993), starring Matthew Broderick.
During the latter half of 2000, and the beginning of 2001, Chesney has been recording a batch of new songs in London and in Los Angeles with producer Charlton Pettus. A number of tracks have been mixed by Neil Dorfsman who has worked with Sting, Dire Straits and Paul McCartney. A single, "Stay Away Baby Jane", from these sessions was scheduled for release in summer 2001. The video has been filmed in LA with director Rory Rooney.
During April, Chesney has been performing at student venues (Nottingham, Leeds, Lincoln, Hull, Middlesbrough). Such has been the overwhelming response that the, initially mini, tour has now been extended to take in dates throughout May and early June. The teen audience that discovered him in 1991 has now grown up and are, now in their early twenties, thrilled to see Chesney back and performing at the height of his ability.
Chesney has combined touring with appearing on 'Top Ten Teen Idols' (Channel 4), Banzai (Channel 4) and 'Question of Pop' (BBC1). Interviews in The Sunday Express and The Telegraph have centred on his writing and the tour, and his current media profile (the above plus Heat, Loaded, ILR interviews and sharing a Sunday Express {not the above} centre spread with The Beatles and The Spice Girls) is being watched by the media itself with Ally Ross recently (July) congratulating Chesney on his ubiquity in his News of The World column.
At present, Chesney is working on his new album. He now lives in West London with wife Kristina and his son, Casey George Hawkes who was born on August 29, 2001.Chesney Hawkes who was a famous 90's Pop Singer also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Michelle Collins was born on 28 May 1962 in Hackney, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Two Thousand Acres of Sky (2001), Doctor Who (2005) and Coronation Street (1960). She has been married to Mike Davidson since 10 August 2022.Michelle Collins who used to act as Cindy in 'Eastenders' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Linda Lusardi was born on 18 September 1958 in Palmers Green, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for P.R.O.B.E. (1994), Emmerdale Farm (1972) and The Bill (1984). She has been married to Samuel Kane since 9 August 1998. They have two children.Linda Lusardi who was a famous Page 3 Model well known for her sexy breasts also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.
- Actress
- Producer
Born Julie Anne Harris, the youngest child of Albert and Pat Harris, Patsy Palmer was born for stardom. She spent her childhood in Bethnal Green, London with her whole family close by. She was particularly close to her maternal parents, whom she affectionately called "Farvey" and "Nor." Her parents separated when she was 8 and her father, to whom she never felt close, remarried and moved to America.
Palmer was bitten by the acting bug at the tender age of six when her older brother Albert auditioned for a part in the West End production of "Joseph and the Amazing Techni-Colored Dreamcoat". Accompanying him to the audition along with their mother, Patsy demanded to be allowed to audition despite being too young and, to the amazement of her family and herself, she was given a chorus role - and was the youngest member of the entire show! This prompted a young Julie Harris to audition for the free-paying Anna Scher Theatre School and, because there was already an accomplished film and theatre actress by the name of Julie Harris, she was given the stage name Patsy Palmer, her mother's maiden name. Whilst there Palmer extended her talents to writing plays, resulting in her winning an award at the London Festival of Plays at the age of just 12 for writing her own play about prostitution.
Patsy began her career on television by starring as an extra in an episode of The Bill (1984) in 1988 at 16. That year she had a prominent part as an acne-ridden teenager in a TV commercial for Clearasil. Further small roles in TV series such as Tricky Business (1989), Making News (1990), Clarissa (1991), Love Hurts (1992) and Drop the Dead Donkey (1990) followed before Patsy Palmer became an iconic household name with her famous portrayal of feisty red-head Bianca Jackson in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders (1985), making her first appearance in November 1993 at 21. During her time on the soap opera Palmer tackled various demanding storylines, such as her turbulent romance with Ricky Butcher, played by real-life best friend Sid Owen, the discovery of her father David Wicks, the premature death of her disabled daughter Natasha, for which she became the first- ever soap actress to be nominated for Best Actress at the Royal Television Society Awards, the death of her best friend Tiffany Mitchell, and the revelation of her affair with Dan Sullivan, her mother Carol Jackson's fiancé. In April 1997 she commanded the soap's biggest-ever audience draw with more than 22 million people tuning in to watch Ricky and Bianca's wedding. Her role in the show also prompted a meeting between her and Queen Elizabeth II, which she declared was one of the biggest highlights of her life. But after 6 years in the soap opera, Palmer bowed out to try new things, making her last appearance in September 1999.
Following her departure Palmer got involved in various projects, such as the detective series McCready and Daughter (2001), Do or Die (2001) and the period drama He Knew He Was Right (2004), as well as cameo appearances in short films Another Green World (2005) and Trapped (2008). Patsy also reprised her role as fiery Bianca Jackson in a special spin-off show Ricky and Bianca (2002), reuniting her with Sid Owen for the first time in three years, which detailed Bianca's life away from Walford, where she struggled to raise her son Liam and attend fashion college in Manchester as well as working in a seedy club in order to make ends meet. The show was extremely popular with Palmer's fans and resulted in her being invited to return to the show, but Palmer declined in order to spend time with her family. Later on in October 2007 it was announced that Patsy Palmer would be returning to EastEnders (1985) after 8 years away and, along with Sid Owen, her returning scenes were aired in April 2008. Palmer's second stint in the soap opera as Bianca portrayed her still as a struggling single mother, this time being thrown out of her residence for failing to pay rent and being made homeless along with her children. Palmer has also tackled the difficult storyline of sexual abuse, with her jailbird boyfriend Tony King grooming her stepdaughter Whitney.
Outside her career, Palmer is a mother to four children: Charley (born in February 1992, fathered by an ex-boyfriend); and Fenton (born in June 2000), Emilia (born in July 2001), and Bertie (born in December 2010), fathered by her husband, taxi-driver Richard Merkell. She was married to director Nick Love, who directed her in her role as a pregnant drug-addicted prostitute in Love Story (1999), but they separated after just five months of marriage. She lives in Brighton with Merkell, to whom she's been married since August 2000, and her four children. She is the active patron of Children's Cancer Charity CLIC Sargent.
Patsy Palmer is an incredible talent and a British icon from humble beginnings, a shining example to all Britons that no matter their background, there is hope for everyone that their dreams will come true. Hers did.Patsy Palmer who used to act as Bianca in 'Eastenders' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Music Artist
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- Producer
Roger Daltrey is noted as a founder of the legendary rock band The Who. After leaving London's Acton County Grammar School in 1963, he formed a skiffle band called The Detours, then displayed an early genius by putting together unusual elements into a world-class performance. The unusual elements included Daltrey on vocals, John Entwistle on bass and Pete Townshend on lead guitar. In 1965 they added drummer Keith Moon, and the fabulous line-up was complete. The band was remarkable for the synthesis of personalities: Townshend's art-school sensibilities; Daltrey's down-to-earth interpretation; and Entwistle's and Moon's skill as performers. They were first noted for deafening shows and for smashing their instruments in ferocious displays of auto-destructive art, but they went on to considerable chart success through original songs written by Townshend and the more humor-oriented Entwistle. Townshend wrote the first rock mini-opera for their second album, and after their first tour of America, the band presented the full-length rock opus Tommy, which shattered barriers and established The Who as a major artistic force in the world of music. Daltrey released his first solo album in 1973, and followed that with a number of solo chart successes. He also established a stage and (somewhat offbeat) film career after starring in the movie of Tommy (1975). He pursued films more steadily after the death of drummer Moon, and turned to production with the drama McVicar (1980). The band continued to perform sporadically with different drummers and John Bundrick on keyboard, but returned to full force in the 1990s with the addition of Zak Starkey on drums. Though Townshend is noted as the songwriter and lead guitarist of The Who, Daltrey remains the genius who drives their performances. His energy and stage presence established The Who at the monumental Monterey Pop, Woodstock and Isle of Wight music festivals, and his instincts for production carved their path through the era of stadium rock. The filmography of musical performances stand as the best evidence of Daltrey's brilliance as both a musician and a stage performer.Roger Daltrey also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Letitia Dean was born on 14 November 1967 in Wild Hill, near Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for EastEnders (1985), England, My England (1995) and Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993). She was previously married to Jason Pethers.Letitia Dean who plays Sharon Watts in 'Eastenders' also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
The Scottish rock singer-songwriter best known by the stage name "Fish", Derek William Dick was the firstborn of Robert and Isabella Dick. His parents ran a garage and petrol station, where he worked as a pump attendant in his youth. He has a sister, Laura, three years his junior. He attended Kings Park Primary School and Dalkeith High School, in his childhood home town of Dalkeith, just outside Edinburgh. He left with grade A O-levels in History, Chemistry, English, Maths and Biology and grade B O-levels in German and English Literature.
In 1976, he started to work as forester. In 1980, he quit and started a musical career. He joined joined Marillion in 1981. After a year of intense gigging in the UK they got signed to EMI and released their debut album "Script for a Jester's Tear" in 1983. Their biggest hit singles were "Kayleigh" and "Lavender" in 1985 (from the number one album "Misplaced Childhood") and "Incommunicado" in 1987. Their other top 40 singles included "Garden Party", "Sugar Mice" and "Warm Wet Circles". In 1988, after touring their critically acclaimed fourth album "Clutching at Straws", he left the band to start a solo career .
In 1987, he married Tamara, a model from Berlin who he had met during the recording of the album "Misplaced Childhood" and who appears in the music video of "Kayleigh". Later she also appeared in the video of his solo single, "A Gentlemen's Excuse Me". They have a daughter, Tara Rowena Dick, born on January 1, 1991. In 2001, Fish and Tamara separated. His first acting job was in Zorro (1990). He continues to release albums and to tour. In March 2003, he was developing a script and making a new album.Fish who used to be the singer in 80's Rock Band Marillion also made an appearance in 'The Bill'.