Amy-Leigh Hickman

Last updated

Amy-Leigh Hickman
Born (1997-09-16) 16 September 1997 (age 26)
Hastings, East Sussex, England
Education St Leonards Academy
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present
Television

Amy-Leigh Hickman (born 16 September 1997) is an English actress. Hickman made her television debut as Carmen Howle in the CBBC series Tracy Beaker Returns , a role she reprised in the sequel series The Dumping Ground . She then went onto appear as Linzi Bragg in the BBC soap opera EastEnders , before being cast as Nasreen Paracha in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge , a role for which she won the Actor award for at the RTS Yorkshire Awards. Her other roles include Ester Kamali in Strike Back (2013), Sia Marshall in Safe (2018), Mimi Saunders in Our Girl (2020) and Bethany in Innocent (2021). Hickman also stars in the fourth series of the Netflix drama You (2023).

Contents

Early life

Hickman was born on 16 September 1997, [1] [2] to parents of Anglo-Indian heritage and was brought up in Hastings, East Sussex, [3] [4] where she attended The St Leonards Academy. When she was five, she began studying acting at The Theatre Workshop in Bexhill. [5] [6] [7] She also took classes at the Mark Jermin Stage School in Cobham. [8]

Career

Hickman's casting in Tracy Beaker Returns , a spin off from The Story of Tracy Beaker was announced in December 2008. [9] Hickman reprised her role of Carmen Howle in The Dumping Ground , a sequel to Tracy Beaker Returns. [9] In 2013, Hickman appeared in 6 episodes of Sky One's Strike Back as Ester. [10] In 2015, Hickman appeared in BBC daytime soap opera, Doctors as Sara Boswell and in Casualty as Aisha Karim. [11] [12] [13] [14] She played the role of Carmen Howle in another The Dumping Ground spin-off, The Dumping Ground: I'm... , a webisode series. [15] In 2014, Hickman played Princess Jasmine in her management's version of Aladdin , which took place in Swansea, Wales. [16] [17] Hickman starred in another of her management's pantomimes in late 2015, this time in Sleeping Beauty, playing the role of Jill, alongside her Tracy Beaker Returns co-star Joe Maw who played the corresponding Jack. [18] In 2016, she appeared in Sleeping Beauty at the Sunderland Empire Theatre, where she played the role of Princess Briar Rose. [19] [20] Later that year, Hickman worked with Nationwide Education on the web series Get Real With Money, aimed at young people with the objective of educating them about money management and finances. [21]

Hickman then appeared as a recurring character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Linzi Bragg, a love interest for Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick), from February until April 2016 and returned for a short stint in March 2017. [22] [23] From 2017 to 2019, Hickman portrayed Nasreen Paracha in Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge . [24] In 2018, Hickman appeared in the Netflix original series Safe as Sia Marshall. [25] [26] Also in 2018, Hickman played Leah in a stage production titled Beautiful Thing by the Tobacco Factory Theatre. [27] In July 2019, she starred in the BBC Three special The Left Behind, as Yasmin. [28] In 2020, she starred in the fourth series of the BBC drama Our Girl as Mimi Saunders. [29] Later that year, it was announced that Hickman would be starring in the second series of the ITV crime drama series Innocent , which aired in May 2021. [30] Later in 2021, she co-starred in the short film True Colours alongside Tilly Keeper. [31] She then starred in a revival of the play East is East alongside Ackley Bridge co-stars Tony Jayawardena and Gurjeet Singh at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. [32] In April 2022, it was announced that Hickman had been cast in the fourth series of the Netflix series You . [33] She subsequently starred in the ITVX series Ruby Speaking . [34]

Filmography

Television and film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010–2012 Tracy Beaker Returns Carmen Howle Main role
2011 Tracy Beaker Survival Files Carmen Howle11 episodes
2013 Strike Back Ester Kamali6 episodes
2013–2016 The Dumping Ground Carmen HowleRegular role
2014 The Dumping Ground Survival Files Carmen Howle4 episodes
2015 Doctors Sara BoswellEpisode: "The Dark Net"
2015 Casualty Aisha KarimEpisode: "The Next Step"
2016 The Dumping Ground: I'm... Carmen HowleRegular role
2016–2017 EastEnders Linzi Bragg Recurring role
2017 Sam & Mark's Big Friday Wind-Up Herself1 episode
2017 Top Class Herself1 episode
2017–2019 Ackley Bridge Nasreen Paracha Main role
2018 Safe Sia MarshallMain role
2019 Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star HerselfGuest star
2019 The Left Behind YasminTelevision film
2020 Our Girl Mimi SaundersMain role
2020 Tin Star Saima SaleemEpisode: "Loves Young Dream"
2021 Innocent BethanySupporting role
2021True ColoursAyeshaShort film
2023 You Nadia Farran Main role
2023 Ruby Speaking EllieMain role

Voice roles

YearTitleRoleNote
2011Tracy Beaker Returns: You ChooseCarmen HowleVideo game
2013–2014The Dumping Ground GameCarmen HowleVideo game
2015The Dumping Ground: You're the BossCarmen HowleVideo game
2020 The Saddle Club NarratorVoiceover [35]
2022 The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti RitaTV series [36]

Stage

YearTitleRole
2014 Aladdin Princess Jasmine
2015 Sleeping Beauty Jill
2016Sleeping BeautyPrincess Briar Rose
2018Beautiful ThingLeah
2021 East is East Meenah
2023 Passing Rachel Singh

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2017 RTS North East and Border Television Awards Performance of the YearThe Dumping GroundNominated [37]
2020 RTS Yorkshire Awards ActorAckley BridgeWon [38]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacqueline Wilson</span> English novelist (born 1945)

Dame Jacqueline Wilson is an English novelist known for her popular children's literature. Her novels have been notable for featuring realistic topics such as adoption and divorce without alienating her large readership. Since her debut novel in 1969, Wilson has written over 100 books.

<i>The Story of Tracy Beaker</i> 1991 novel by Jacqueline Wilson

The Story of Tracy Beaker is a British children's book first published in 1991, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt.

Danielle Jane Harmer is an English actress, television personality, and former singer. She is best known for her lead role as Tracy Beaker in the CBBC series The Story of Tracy Beaker (2002–2006), Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012), for which she was nominated for a BAFTA in 2010, The Tracy Beaker Survival Files (2011–2012), My Mum Tracy Beaker (2021), and The Beaker Girls (2021–2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Gemmell</span> English actress

Ruth Katrin Gemmell is an English actress. She starred in the film Fever Pitch in 1997 which was followed by supporting roles in television series EastEnders, Casualty, Home Fires and Penny Dreadful. She has played Carly Beaker, the mother of the title character in the Tracy Beaker franchise since 2004. In 2020, she began playing Violet, Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton in the Netflix series Bridgerton.

Saffron Marni Coomber is an English actress, best known for her role as Sapphire Fox in Tracy Beaker Returns from 2010 to 2012. She also portrayed Alexa Smith in EastEnders from 2012 to 2013. In 2023, she starred in the ITV drama Three Little Birds.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 2 Season of television series

The second series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 10 January 2014 on CBBC and ended on 28 March 2014. The series follows the lives of the children living in the new fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of thirteen, thirty-minute episodes. It is the tenth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 1 Season of television series

The first series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 4 January 2013 on CBBC and ended on 15 March 2013. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Elm Tree House, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of thirteen, thirty-minute episodes. It is the ninth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia McKenna-Bruce</span> English actress (born 1997)

Mia Sasha McKenna-Bruce is an English actress. She gained prominence through her role as Tee Taylor in Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground. Her films include Persuasion and How to Have Sex. For the latter, she won a British Independent Film Award, the BAFTA Rising Star Award and was nominated for the European Film Award for Best Actress.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 3 Season of television series

The third series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 16 January 2015 on CBBC and ended on 8 December 2015. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of twenty, thirty-minute episodes, airing in two halves in January and October 2015. It is the eleventh series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 4 Season of television series

The fourth series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 29 January 2016 on CBBC and ended on 2 December 2016. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of twenty, thirty-minute episodes, airing in two halves in January and October 2016. It is the twelfth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kay Purcell</span> English actress (1963–2020)

Kay Purcell was an English actress. She was best known for portraying the roles of Cynthia Daggert in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale (2001–2002), Candice Smilie in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road (2007–2009), and Gina Conway in the CBBC drama series Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012) and its spin-off series The Dumping Ground (2013). From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as Mrs. Rennison in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward.

Jessica Revell is an English actress and singer, best known for her TV role as Mandy "Elektra" Perkins in Tracy Beaker Returns and in the BBC spin-off series The Dumping Ground.

The Dumping Ground: I'm... is a television spin-off of British children television series The Dumping Ground. It is a webisode series that began airing prior to series 4. The series consisted of 10 episodes.

The Story of Tracy Beaker is a British children's drama media franchise that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people and their care workers in care. The franchise began with the publication of The Story of Tracy Beaker on 14 February 1991. Since then, the franchise has had six further books, three television series and their spin-offs, a television movie, a Children In Need special, a musical and two magazine collections. The Story of Tracy Beaker merchandise has also been released.

<i>Tracy Beaker Returns</i> series 1 Season of television series

The first series of the British children's television series Tracy Beaker Returns began broadcasting on 8 January 2010 on CBBC and ended on 26 March 2010. Based on the novels by Jacqueline Wilson, the series focuses on older Tracy Beaker, who returns to the Dumping Ground as a care worker. And also focuses the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Elmtree House, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of thirteen, thirty-minute episodes. It is the sixth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasreen Paracha</span> Fictional character from Ackley Bridge

Nasreen Paracha is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Amy-Leigh Hickman. Nasreen first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. Nasreen is introduced as one of the programme's two protagonists, alongside best friend Missy Booth. Her lifelong friendship with Missy is a major theme in the series, despite the differences in culture between the pair. Another aspect of Nasreen's life that is explored in Ackley Bridge is her sexuality, as she navigates coming out as a lesbian in a Muslim community.

Emma Jane Reeves is a Welsh screenwriter and playwright, best known for her extensive work in children's television series such as the Tracy Beaker franchise. She is currently Chair of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain.

References

  1. ↑ Hickman, Amy-Leigh (17 September 2017). "Thank you for all my gorgeous birthday messages. I've had a fabulous 20th..@shaheenofficial". Twitter . Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Hickman, Amy-Leigh (16 September 2015). "Thank you to everyone for my birthday messages." Twitter . Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  3. ↑ Rees, Mark (29 June 2017). "These famous faces made the big time thanks to a Welsh talent school". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  4. ↑ Cannon, Nick (22 June 2018). "Ackley Bridge star Amy-Leigh Hickman: 'I hated drama at school!'". What's On TV?. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "Theatre Workshop Bexhill". Theatre Workshop. 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Amy Leigh Hickman to star in Swansea Pantomime!". The Theatre Workshop. 2014. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "Bexhill's Amy stars in TV show for third year". www.bexhillobserver.net. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "Our Stars". Mark Jermin. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  9. 1 2 Rees, Mark (29 June 2017). "These famous faces made the big time thanks to a Welsh talent school". walesonline. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "'Strike Back' Character Shakeup – Where Does It Go from here?". Screen Rant. 9 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "Doctors – The Dark Net". BBC. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "Doctors Series 17 – 13. – The Dark Net". Radio Times. 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  13. ↑ "Casualty – The Next Step". BBC. 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 28 November 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  14. ↑ "Casualty Series 29 – 38. The Next Step". Radio Times. 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "The Dumping Ground I'm...Carmen". Radio Times. 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  16. ↑ Rees, Mark (9 December 2014). "The Dumping Ground's Amy-Leigh Hickman talks panto in Swansea". South Wales Evening Post. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  17. ↑ "Panto preview: An Aladdin's cave of delights". South Wales Evening Post. 4 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  18. ↑ Rees, Mark (19 October 2015). "Amy-Leigh Hickman and the Sleeping Beauty stars are behind you!". South Wales Evening Post. Archived from the original on 21 October 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  19. ↑ Kirby, Sue (28 June 2016). "REVEALED: Which soap stars are set to join the cast of Sleeping Beauty at The Sunderland Empire this year?". Sunderland Echo. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  20. ↑ Lathan, Pete (30 June 2016). "More Sunderland Empire panto casting". British Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  21. ↑ "Nationwide Education | Get Real". www.nationwideeducation.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  22. ↑ Walker, Danny (2 February 2016). "EastEnders spoilers: Jay Brown FINALLY finds a date – will a mystery Walford newcomer be his true love". The Mirror. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  23. ↑ Withers, Laura (2 February 2016). "EastEnders spoiler: Sparks fly between Jay Brown and Walford newcomer Linzi Bragg". Express. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  24. ↑ "Casting announced on C4's new 8 pm drama The ABC (w/t)". Channel 4. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  25. ↑ @AmyLHickman Amy-Leigh Hickman on Twitter: That's a wrap for me after 6 months on @HarlanCoben @netflix series "Safe" it's been way too fabulous. More to come in 2018 ❤️
  26. ↑ Falconer, David (9 May 2018). "[Exclusive] Amy-Leigh Hickman Discusses Upcoming Netflix Series Safe". Female First. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  27. ↑ "CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR BEAUTIFUL THING". Tobacco Factory Theatres. 2018. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  28. ↑ "When is The Left Behind on TV? Who's in the cast and what's it about?". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  29. ↑ "BBC - Further casting announced as Michelle Keegan begins filming the fourth series of BBC One's Our Girl - Media Centre". BBC . Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  30. ↑ "Innocent: ITV confirms new series starring Katherine Kelly". Entertainment Daily. 21 September 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  31. ↑ "True Colours". Milda Films. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  32. ↑ Akbar, Arifa (13 September 2021). "East Is East review – magnificent revival of culture-clash classic". The Guardian . Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  33. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (1 April 2022). "'You' Adds Tilly Keeper, Amy Leigh Hickman, Ed Speleers & Brad Alexander Among New Cast For London-Set Season 4". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  34. ↑ Cannon, Nicholas (30 January 2023). "Ruby Speaking: cast, plot and all about the call centre comedy". What to Watch . (Future plc). Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  35. ↑ "Amy-Leigh Hickman" (PDF). Mark Jermin Management. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  36. ↑ "The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti - Apple TV+". TV.Apple.com. 29 June 2024.
  37. ↑ "NORTH EAST & THE BORDER AWARDS 2017". Royal Television Society . Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  38. ↑ "Amy-Leigh Hickman wins at the RTS Yorkshire Awards". The Forge. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.