Ellen Thomas (actress)

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Ellen Thomas
Ellen Thomas 2016.jpg
Thomas in 2016
Born (1964-02-03) 3 February 1964 (age 61)
OccupationActress
Years active1980–present
Known for Teachers
EastEnders
Mount Pleasant

Ellen Thomas (born 3 February 1964) [1] is a Sierra Leonean-British actress, known for her roles as Liz Webbe in the Channel 4 sitcom Teachers and Claudette Hubbard in the BBC soap opera EastEnders . She is also known for her recent voice role in the Netflix animated show Arcane as Noxian warlord, Ambessa Medarda.

Contents

Career

In Teachers , Thomas played Liz Webbe, a school secretary, and appeared in all four series, from 2001 to 2004. She was a regular cast member in BBC Radio 4's Clare in the Community and in BBC Three's Coming of Age , in which she portrayed the principal. For her role in Rev , she was nominated for "Best TV Comedy Performance" at the Black International Film Festival and Music Video & Screen Awards. [2] In 2010, she had a minor role in Come Fly with Me , as Mrs Mbutu. [3]

Thomas is known for the number of characters she has portrayed in the BBC soap opera EastEnders . She initially played Pearl Chadwick in 1990, Estella Hulton in 2002, Grace Olubunmi from 2010 to 2011, and most notably Claudette Hubbard from 2015 to 2016. [4] [5] [6] From 2018 to 2019, Thomas appeared in the medical drama by the BBC Casualty , in the recurring role of Omo Masters. [7] In 2020, she appeared in an episode of Death in Paradise . [8] In 2021 she appeared in the first season of Netflix's Arcane, [9] voicing Ambessa Medarda and reprised the role for season 2 in 2024. In 2023, she appeared in The Madame Blanc Mysteries . [10] In 2024, she appeared in two episodes of the BBC crime drama Silent Witness . [11]

On stage Thomas made her debut in July 1981, London playing Madam Irma in the ground breaking multi-racial performance of jean Genet's revolutionary The Balcony presented by Internationalist Theatre [12]

Filmography

Television roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
1980 The Gentle Touch LauraSeries 5, Episode 4
1981Sunday Night ThrillerAssistant1 episode
1982 O.T.T. Herself, various12 episodes
1983 Don't Wait Up ReceptionistSeries 1, Episode 5
1984 Shroud for a Nightingale Staff Nurse3 episodes
1987 The Lenny Henry Show RoseSeries 1, Episode 1–6
1988 French and Saunders Various charactersChristmas special
The Lenny Henry Show RoseSeries 2, Episode 1–6
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Mrs. HolmesSeries 3, Episode 10 "Outpost"
1990Hallelujah AnyhowUnnamed Character
EastEnders Pearl Chadwick 3 episodes
1991 Grange Hill Pregnancy AdvisorSeries 14, Episode 14
1993ScreenplayAunt Mafe1 episode
1994–1996 Cardiac Arrest Sister Jackie Landers14 episodes
1994 The Bill Iris Davareux"Lesson to Be Learned"
Home Away from HomeMiriam
1995London BridgeDiane SymmonsSeries 2, Episode 1–2
1996 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Laurette Akande3 episodes
1997 Holding On FlorrieSeries 1 Episode 1–8
Kavanagh QC Chief UsherSeries 3, Episode 1 "Mute of Malice"
1998 Ultraviolet MariaSeries 1, Episode 5 "Terra Incognita"
2000 The Bill Mrs. Okin"White Lies"
In Defence Mrs. HopeSeries 1, Episode 1
Where There's SmokeCounsellor Edwards
Never NeverBrendaShort drama
2001–2004 Teachers Liz WebbSeries 1–4 (39 episodes)
2002 Doctors Mrs. Foster1 episode
The Bill Aisha Danvers
Holby City Marcia Lyme1 episode
The Jury Ruby ThomasSeries 1, Episode 1–4
EastEnders Estella Hulton1 episode
2003 Strange Mrs. AndohSeries 1, Episode 2 "Kaa-Jinn"
Lenny Henry in Pieces Unnamed CharacterSeries 2, Episode 2
Good Food Live Herself1 episode
2005 Casualty Stephanie MellorEpisode: "Aftermath"
William and Mary Mrs. MorrisSeries 3, Episode 2
2006 Doctor Who Clockwork WomanSeries 2, Episode 4 "The Girl in the Fireplace"
Little Miss Jocelyn Unnamed CharacterSeries 1, Episode 1 and 3
Trial & Retribution Judge Joyce Addo "Sins Of The Father"
Doctors Marie CrossleySeries 7, Episode 140 "Ashes to Ashes"
The Play's the ThingHerselfSeries 1, Episode 2
2007 Outnumbered Jehovah's Witness Series 1, Episode 4
One of Us?MumShort film
2008 Coming of Age The PrincipalAll episodes since series 1, episode 3
New Tricks Cora TrimbleSeries 5, Episode 8 "Mad Dogs"
2009 Off the Hook AngelaSeries 1, Episode 1
Doctor Who Carmen Easter 2009 special; "Planet of the Dead"
Moses Jones Libby JonesSeries 1, Episodes 2 and 3
2010–2011 EastEnders Grace Olubunmi Recurring role
2010-2014 Rev. Adoha OnyekaAll episodes
2011 Come Fly with Me Mrs. MbutuEpisode 2
EastEnders: E20 Grace Olubunmi
2012DoctorsMrs Francelle Ndebele"Paradise Lost"
Casualty Florence Asike2 episodes
2015–2016 EastEnders Claudette Hubbard Regular role
2015 Humans Lindsey KiwanukaEpisode 1–2
2015–2017 Mount Pleasant Nana MillerRegular role
2016 New Blood Joan PhilipsEpisode 1
2018–2019 Casualty Omo MastersRecurring role
2018–2019 In the Long Run Mama5 episodes (voice role), 2 episodes
2018 Midsomer Murders Ruth Crane1 episode
The Queen and IPhilomena TroussaintTelevision film
2019 Doctors Liz Maberry1 episode
Dark Money Maggie MensahMain role
2020 Death in Paradise Georgine PeraultSeries 9, Episode 7
2021–2024 Arcane Ambessa MedardaVoice, 9 episodes
2022A Birthday PartyAunty FatouShort film
Say NothingMs Araali MabeleShort film
Murder, They Hope NannyEpisode: "A Midsummer Night's Scream"
A Birthday PartyAunty FatouShort film
2023Such A Lovely DayClaudeShort film
2024 The Madame Blanc Mysteries Reme BensonEpisode: "Kidnap"
Silent Witness Esther Daniels2 episodes
The Cleaner JenniferEpisode: "The Committee" [13]
TBAFinding Forever
Sources: [14] [15]
Film roles
YearTitleRole
2001South West 9 Mrs. Ashware
Buried TreasureMartha
2002Jeffrey Archer: The TruthFirst Judge
2006 Basic Instinct 2 Prosecutor
Losing It Paula
Breaking and EnteringJudge
2008 Clubbed Mrs. Smith
2010The Future Wags of Great BritainAuntie Deborah
The Santa TrapTooth Fairy
2011 Johnny English Reborn Colin Tucker's mother
2016 Golden Years Thelma
2022 Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Vi Butterfield
The Pay DayMs Boomer
Sources: [16] [17]

Audiobooks

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
2016 The British Soap Awards Villain of the Year Nominated [18]
2016 Inside Soap Awards Best Bad GirlLonglisted [19]

References

  1. "BBC Three Counties Radio - Edward Adoo, Doorstep befriending, tackling domestic violence, and Big Guest Ellen Thomas, Ed's Big Guest: Ellen Thomas". BBC . 7 March 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. Review, Alt A. (12 January 2023). "Talking to Ellen Thomas on stage in The Wife of Willesden as play is set for Broadway - Alt A Review". alt-africa.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. "EastEnders up for four MVSAs". EastEnders. BBC Blogs. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  4. Kilkelly, Daniel (3 October 2016). "Revealed! Here's how Claudette leaves EastEnders". Digital Spy . Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  5. "EastEnders casts new character played by Ellen Thomas". HELLO. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  6. "Actress, Ellen Thomas to host 2011 GUBA Awards". GhanaWeb. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  7. "English actress Ellen Thomas, Kadi out and about in Sierra Leone". Swit Salone. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  8. Griffiths, Eleanor Bley (27 February 2020). "Meet the cast of Death in Paradise series 9". Radio Times . Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  9. "Arcane Season 2 Cast, Characters & Voice Actors Guide (Photos) - Ella Purnell, Hailee Steinfeld". thedirect.com. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. updated, Martin ShoreContributions from Steven Perkins last (23 May 2023). "The Madame Blanc Mysteries season 3: how to watch, cast, episode guide and all you need to know". What to Watch . Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  11. Cremona, Patrick (12 February 2024). "Silent Witness season 27 cast: Meet the characters". Radio Times . Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  12. The Standard, Friday July 3, 1981 Christopher Hudson https://archive.org/details/TheNewStandardListingByChristopherHudsonForTheBalcony
  13. "The Cleaner Series 3 Episode 3/6 - The Committee". BBC Media Centre. Archived from the original on 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  14. "Ellen Thomas". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  15. "Ellen Thomas". TV Time. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  16. "Ellen Thomas". Plex.tv. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  17. "Ellen Thomas | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  18. "British Soap Awards 2016 full winners list: Did your favourites take home prizes?". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  19. Sandwell, Ian (21 June 2016). "Inside Soap Awards 2016 longlist revealed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 June 2016.