Wild at Heart

Background:

“I don't care who or what judges me, nothing's going to stop me from living my life how I choose.” Amanda Holden

British actress Amanda Holden became famous for her Laurence Olivier Theatre nominating performance as Millie Dillmount, a small-town girl who comes to NYC to marry for wealth, rather than love, in the well-reviewed West End production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (2003), but she is probably best known to TV audiences as Sarah Trevanion on the ITV drama “Wild at Heart,” a role she played from 2006 to 2008, and for being a judge on “Britain's Got Talent” (2007-2009). Prior to “Wild at Heart,” the Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire native starred in the series “Kiss Me Kate” (1998-2000, as Mel), “The Grimleys” (1999-2001, as Geraldine Titley), “Hearts and Bones” (2000-2001, as Louise Slaney), “Cutting It” (2002-2003, 2004, as Mia), “Celeb” (2002, as Debs Bloke) and “Mad about Alice” (2004, as Alice) as well as had a recurring role in the popular soap “EastEnders” (1994). She also appeared in various sketch shows, including “Goodness Gracious Me” (1998) and “Smack the Pony” (1999), and in the several TV films, among them “The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything” (1999), her debut, and “Agatha Christie Marple: 4.50 from Paddington” (2004). Holden also has acted in motion pictures like “Intimate Relations” (1996) and “Don't Go Breaking My Heart” (1999). Her new film, “Quick Slip Me a Bride,” is set for a 2010 release.

Holden has been married twice. She and first husband comedian Les Dennis married for eight years from 1995 to 2003. She and present husband Chris Hughes, whom she married in 2008, have one daughter.

Holden appeared in a TV commercial for the animal rights organization PETA in 2001. A supporter of Everton FC, she became the face of Everton's “Breast Cancer Campaign” in 2007. In April 2008, she ran the London Marathon in support of Born Free Foundation, a charitable organization attempting animal welfare, conservation and public awareness campaigns tokeep wildlife in its natural habitat and to prevent animal abuse.

Les Dennis' Ex

Childhood and Family:

Amanda Louise Holden was born on February 16, 1971, in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, England. She was raised in the village of Waltham Chase in Hampshire by her mother Judith Mary (Harrison) Collister and her stepfather Leslie Drew Collister. She joined the Bishop's Waltham Little Theatre Company at age 9. The Collisters moved to Bournemouth, Dorset when she was 16 years old. Amanda then attended The Jellicoe Theatre (now part of The University of Bournemouth), where she studied Drama and English literature A levels under Terry Clarke and Charles Lamb. At age 18, she auditioned and was accepted into the independent drama school Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. She left in 1992 after three years training, with an agent. She recalled, “I had a weekend job in a shoe shop to get me through college. I had a grant, but when you study in London you need as much money as you can get. I also once sprayed perfume in Boots for a week, but I couldn't stand the smell.”

On June 4, 1995, Amanda married British comedian/actor Les Dennis (born on October 12, 1953). They couple later divorced on November 18, 2003 after Dennis discovered she was having an affair with actor Neil Morrissey (born on July 4, 1962). Amanda declared her engagement to London-born record producer Chris Hughes (born on March 3, 1954) in November 2004. Their first child, daughter Alexa Louise Florence Hughes, was born on February 21, 2006. The happy couple eventually married on December 10, 2008, with ex-Formula One racing driver David Coulthard serving as the best man.

Quick Slip Me a Bride

Career:

Amanda Holden had her first taste in front of the TV cameras in 1991 when she became a contestant on the UK dating game show “Blind Date.” Although she was not the chosen woman, her appearance on the show served as a spring board for a famed TV career. Holden's real acting job arrived two years later in episode “Falling Star” of the ITV drama series “In Suspicious Circumstances,” where she was cast as Alice Meadows. It was followed by a five episode arc as Carmen in the long running, well-known BBC soap opera “EastEnders” in 1994 before she became a regular performer on the Channel 5 short lived sketch comedy series “We Know Where You Live” in 1997. In between the work, she made her feature film acting debut in first timer Philip Goodhew's black comedy “Intimate Relations” (1996), starring Julie Walters, Rupert Graves and Laura Sadler. On the stage, Holden was cast along side Josephine Tewson, Patsy Byrne and Tom Baker in “Arsenic and Old Lace” (1994), a play by Joseph Kesselring, at London's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. The production was helmed by Clifford Williams.

After guest spots in “The Bill” and “Thief Takers” (both 1997), Holden again showcase her comic flair in Series 1 of BBC's sketch comedy series “Goodness Gracious Me” (1998), based on four British Asian actors: Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Syal and Nina Wadia, and in four episodes of Channel 4's “Smack the Pony” (1999). She also had the recurring role of Petra in the Alan Davies mystery series “Jonathan Creek” (1998), a guest starring role in “ Hale and Pace” (also 1998) and small roles in the films “Don't Go Breaking My Heart,” a comedy romance starring Anthony Edwards and helmed by Willi Patterson, and “Virtual Sexuality,” a comedy/drama starring Laura Fraser and Rupert Penry-Jones (both 1999). She made her TV movie bow in “The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything” (1999), as Geordie's girlfriend.

Holden landed her first series regular role in the BBC sitcom “Kiss Me Kate,” playing Mel, the receptionist. Debuted on 1998, the show, following the everyday life of woman counselor Kate Salinger (played by Caroline Quentin), ran for three season until the late 2000. Holden landed her next regular roles in “The Grimleys,” a comedy/drama show that aired on ITV from 1999 to 2001, and in the BBC drama “Hearts and Bones” (2000-2001), opposite Damian Lewis, Dervla Kirwan, Sarah Parish, Hugo Speer and Rose Keegan. She played Geraldine Titley and Louise Slaney, respectively.

In the early millennium, Holden also found herself appearing in the made for TV films “Happy Birthday Shakespeare” (2000, as Alice), “The Hunt” (2001, as Sarah Campbell) and “Now You See Her” (2001, as Jessica). She returned to TV series as a regular after “Hearts and Bones” in the drama “Cutting It,” playing Mia Baven. She stayed in the show from series 1 to 2 from 2002 to 2003 and later returned for one episodic appearance in series 3 in 2004. Meanwhile, in September to October 2002, she costarred with Harry Enfield in the short lived comedy series “Celeb.”

In 2003, Holden gained recognition when she landed the titular role on the West End production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” based on the 1967 film of the same name. The play, which ran from October 21, 2003 to June 26, 2004, earned generally positive reviews and Holden was nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in the category of Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.

Back to TV, Holden headlined the comedy series “Mad about Alice” (2004), centering on the lives of a divorced couple and their young son. Unfortunately for the actress, the show only had a short life. The same year, she also portrayed Lucy Eyelesbarrow in the TV film “Agatha Christie Marple: 4.50 from Paddington,” and made a guest appearance in the 1980s skit show “French and Saunders.” Holden, however, did not enjoy her first true fame until she was cast as Sarah Trevanion on the ITV family drama “Wild at Heart,” which debuted on January 29, 2006. She stayed with the good rated show until series 3 in 2008 and was replaced by Dawn Steele.

An occasional TV host, Holden became a guest presenter in “Top of the Pops 2” back in 2002 -2003. She also presented “The National Music Awards 2003” and “The National Television Awards 2007.” She said, “Doing 'Top of the Pops' (1998) is one of my ambitions but I don't want to be one of those actresses who suddenly goes: “oh yeah, I always wanted to be a pop star”. I always wanted to show I could perform and then maybe release something once I'd proved myself. Considering my age, I'm not going to wear crop tops and try to be Britney. I like country but I don't think “Amanda Holden's Country Album” would be a huge seller. Maybe a bit more of a crossover like Shania Twain. I wouldn't mind covering Dolly Parton's “Nine To Five.””

Starting in 2007, Holden becomes a judge on “Britain's Got Talent,” alongside Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell.

Holden is scheduled to play Philipa in the upcoming romance film “Quick Slip Me a Bride,” directed and written by Raza Mallal. It will be released in UK in February 2010.

Awards:
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