Lesley Joseph | |
---|---|
Born | Lesley Diana Joseph 14 October 1945 Finsbury Park, London, England |
Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, actress |
Years active | 1964– |
Television | Birds of a Feather |
Height | 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) |
Children | 2 |
Lesley Diana Joseph (born 14 October 1945) is an English actress and broadcaster, whose career on stage and screen spans over fifty years. She is best known for playing Dorien Green in the television sitcom Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998 and again from 2014 to 2020. Other television credits include Absurd Person Singular (1985) and Night and Day (2001–2003).
Her stage roles include UK touring productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2005), Calendar Girls (2011) and Annie (2015). In 2018, she was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, for the original West End production of Young Frankenstein .
Joseph was born on 14 October 1945, [1] in Finsbury Park, Haringey, London, England. [2] She grew up in Kingsthorpe, Northampton and attended Northampton School for Girls. [3]
In May 1973, Joseph appeared in Godspell at the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth. [4]
Joseph appeared in Cinderella at Theatre Royal, Plymouth in 2008 and the Orchard Theatre in Dartford in 2009 and starred as Myra Wilson in the UK Tour of Hot Flush!. In 2014, Hot Flush! embarked on its third UK tour.[ citation needed ]
From 4 December 2010 to 22 January 2011, she appeared at The Grand Opera House, Belfast as the Wicked Queen in the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs .[ citation needed ]
In the Summer of 2011, Joseph appeared as Chris in the stage show Calendar Girls , based on the film of the same name.[ citation needed ]
Between 2014 and 2015, she performed at the Theatre Royal Nottingham as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.[ citation needed ]
In 2015, she appeared as Miss Hannigan in the stage production of Annie at certain venues, sharing the role with Jodie Prenger and Elaine C Smith she was cast as the fairy godmother in Cinderella at the cliffs pavilion (Southend on sea). In 2016/17, she was part of the cast in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Joseph then portrayed Frau Blucher in the West End production of Young Frankenstein . [5]
Between 2022 and 2024, Joseph starred in Sister Act: The Musical, playing the roles of Sister Mary Lazarus and Mother Superior. [6]
From 1989 to 1998, Joseph played Dorien Green in the BBC One sitcom Birds of a Feather , alongside Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson. [7]
In December 2011, it was confirmed that Joseph would reunite with fellow Birds of a Feather cast members, Quirke and Robson, for a theatre adaptation of the series. The trio toured the United Kingdom from May to July 2012. [8] Following the success of the stage adaption, a new series of Birds of a Feather was commissioned after the rights had been acquired by ITV. The new series began airing on 2 January 2014 for eight episodes. To promote the return of the series, Joseph, Quirke and Robson appeared as guest panellists on Loose Women on 16 January 2014. [9]
In March 2015, it was confirmed that a second series of Birds of a Feather had been commissioned by ITV which began airing in December. Following this, a third series was commissioned and aired in early 2016, [10] Joseph appeared in three more Christmas specials airing in 2016, 2017 and 2020 respectively, before the show's cancellation was announced in May 2021. [11]
Joseph starred in the ITV soap Night and Day from 2001 to 2003 playing the show's resident bitch, Rachel Culgrin. In 2002, Joseph appeared on a special edition of What Not to Wear , where she was given a makeover by Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine. In 2004, she performed in The Vagina Monologues opposite Linda Robson and Mica Paris. [12]
Since 2009, she has been a regular newspaper reviewer on This Morning . She appeared in the 2014 series Secrets of the Asylum, a two-part series for ITV. In 2015, Joseph took part in ITV's celebrity sheep herding series Flockstars , beginning on 30 July. [13]
In 2014, Joseph appeared with Forrest Dunbar on ITV2's Freshers: A Year On. She makes frequent appearances on Channel 5's Big Brother's Bit on the Side .
On 22 August 2016, it was announced that Joseph would take part in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing . [14] She was partnered with Anton du Beke. In their first week, the couple scored 23 points for their waltz to "What'll I Do", in week two, 26 for their cha-cha-cha to "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps", in week three, 27 for their quickstep for "A Couple of Swells" from Easter Parade and in week four, 31 for their Charleston to "Won't You Charleston with Me?" from The Boy Friend . The couple left the series in week five, after scoring 24 for their tango to "Whatever Lola Wants". [15]
She was one of the four competitors who appeared in the special Christmas edition of The Great British Sewing Bee that was transmitted on New Year's Eve 2020 on BBC 1. Her fellow competitors in the programme were Sabrina Grant, Sally Phillips and The Vivienne. [16]
In 2022, Joseph won the seventh series of Celebrity Coach Trip alongside her Birds of a Feather co-star Linda Robson. [17]
Joseph began presenting a radio show in 2008 on BBC London 94.9 with Christopher Biggins, airing every Sunday between 9 am to 12 noon. Biggins left the show after a few months, however Joseph has continued to host. She also stood in for Vanessa Feltz on her weekday morning talk show whilst Feltz was on holiday. [18]
Joseph is Jewish. [19] She has two children. [20]
Joseph's mother, Rebecca Mundy (née Maccoby), was born in May 1912 and died in March 2016, aged 103. [21] [ better source needed ]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969 | The Bastard King | Catherine of Braganza | Supporting role |
1974 | Another Mother Makes Five | Gypsy woman | Supporting role |
1975 | Sadie, It's Cold Outside | Cashier | 1 episode |
1979 | The Knowledge | Val | Supporting role |
1980 | Minder | Maureen | 1 episode |
1981 | Roots | Melanie Goldblatt | 1 episode |
1983 | Number 10 | Rose Rosenburg | Recurring role |
1985 | Summer Season | Mrs King | Recurring role |
Absurd Person Singular | Lottie Potter | TV film | |
1987 | First Sight | Pippa | Main role |
1988 | Lea Girls | Shop assistant | Recurring role |
1989 | Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Rose Farriner's neighbour | Main role |
1989–1998, 2014–2020 | Birds of a Feather | Dorien Green | Main role |
1992 | Celebrity Squares | Herself | Contestant |
Celebrity Fifteen to One | Herself | Contestant | |
1995 | Rumble | Ma Pecs | Supporting role |
1996 | Spywatch | Miss Millington | Main role |
1998 | Macbeth | Witch | TV film |
2001–2003 | Night and Day | Rachel Culgrin | Regular role |
2003 | Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes | Herself | Contestant |
2005 | Lost Dogs | Maria-Carmen Todd | Supporting role |
2006 | The Secret of Eel Island | Green Beryl | Supporting role |
2006–2009, 2014 | Loose Women | Herself | Guest panellist |
2007 | Kings of 70s Romance | Herself | Narrator |
Ready Steady Cook | Herself | Contestant | |
2008 | The Greatest Christmas Comedy | Herself | Interviewee |
The Slammer | Erica, the critic | Recurring role | |
Comedy Classics | Herself | Interviewee | |
2009 | Scoop | Receptionist/Mrs Green | Recurring role |
2009–2014 | This Morning | Herself | Newspaper reviewer |
2009, 2011 | Celebrity Come Dine with Me | Herself | Contestant |
2009 | Cash in the Celebrity Attic | Herself | Contestant |
2010 | Let's Dance for Comic Relief | Herself | Participant |
Celebrity Eggheads | Herself | Participant | |
2011 | Little Crackers | Wardrobe mistress | 1 episode ('My First Brassiere') |
2012–2021 | Pointless Celebrities | Herself | Regular participant |
2014 | Secrets from the Asylum | Herself | Contributor |
All Star Family Fortunes | Herself | Participant | |
You Saw Them Here First | Herself | Contributor | |
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip | Herself | Contributor | |
Freshers: A Year On | Herself | Contributor | |
2014–2016 | Big Brother's Bit on the Side | Herself | Contributor |
2014, 2021 | The Chase: Celebrity Special | Herself | Contestant |
2015 | Flockstars | Herself | Participant |
Mel and Sue | Herself | Guest | |
Celebrity Benchmark | Herself | Participant | |
2016 | Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Participant |
2017 | Celebrity 5 Go Motorhoming | Herself | Participant |
2019 | Pilgrimage: Road to Rome | Herself | Participant |
2022 | Celebrity Coach Trip | Herself | Winner |
Year | Title | Role | Location |
---|---|---|---|
1964 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Hermia | Abington Park Museum, Northampton |
1968 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Titania | Royal Shakespeare Company |
1973 | Godspell | Sonia | Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth |
1981 | Piaf | Edith Piaf | Belgrade Theatre |
1988 | Exclusive Yarns | Pippa | New Wimbledon Theatre |
1991–1992 | Cinderella | Wicked Stepmother | Richmond Theatre |
1992–1993 | Cinderella | Wicked Stepmother | Theatre Royal, Bath |
1993–1994 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Birmingham Hippodrome |
1994–1995 | Dick Whittington | Alice Fitzwarren | Mayflower Theatre |
1995 | The Miser | Frosine | UK Tour |
1995–1996 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | New Victoria, Woking |
1996–1997 | Dick Whittington | Alice Fitzwarren | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |
1997–1998 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Wimbledon Theatre |
1998–1999 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Theatre Royal, Nottingham |
2000–2001 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Theatre Royal, Newcastle |
2002–2003 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Brighton |
2003 | Office Suite | Miss Prothero | Royal Shakespeare Company |
2003 | Singular Women | Miss Cohen | Kings Head Theatre |
2003–2004 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Richmond Theatre |
2004–2005 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Newcastle |
2005 | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Mrs Meers | UK Tour |
2005–2006 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Bradford Alhambra |
2006 | The Vagina Monologues | Various | UK Tour |
2006–2007 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Wolverhampton Grand |
2007–2008 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | New Theatre, Cardiff |
2008–2009 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |
2009–2010 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Orchard Theatre, Dartford |
2010–2011 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Grand Theatre, Belfast |
2011 | Calendar Girls | Chris | UK Tour |
2011–2012 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe |
2012 | Birds of a Feather | Dorien Green | UK Tour |
2012–2013 | Robinson Crusoe | Enchantress of the Ocean | Birmingham Hippodrome |
2013–2014 | Robinson Crusoe | Enchantress of the Ocean | Mayflower Theatre |
2014 | Hot Flush! | Myra Wilson | UK Tour |
2014–2015 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Nottingham |
2015 | Annie | Miss Hannigan | UK Tour |
2015–2016 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Cliffs Pavilion, Southend |
2016–2017 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |
2017–2018 | Young Frankenstein | Frau Blucher | Theatre Royal, Newcastle Garrick Theatre |
2018–2019 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Churchill Theatre, Bromley |
2019–2020 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Birmingham Hippodrome |
2020–2021 | Sleeping Beauty | Carabosse | Mayflower Theatre |
2021–2022 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Bristol Hippodrome |
2022 | Sister Act: The Musical | Sister Mary Lazarus | Palace Theatre, Manchester and Hammersmith Apollo |
2022–2023 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Milton Keynes Theatre [22] |
2022–2023 | Sister Act: The Musical | Mother Superior | UK Tour |
2023–2024 | Jack and the Beanstalk | Spirit of the Beans | New Theatre, Cardiff |
2024 | The Addams Family | Grandma Addams | London Palladium |
2024 | Sister Act: The Musical | Sister Mary Lazarus/Mother Superior | Dominion Theatre |
Dame Maureen Diane Lipman is an English actress, columnist and comedian. She trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and her stage work has included appearances with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. She was made a dame in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to charity, entertainment and the arts.
Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster, and journalist. She has appeared on various television shows, including Vanessa (1994–1998), The Big Breakfast (1996–1998), The Vanessa Show (1999), Celebrity Big Brother (2001), The Wright Stuff (2003–2005), This Morning (2006–present), and Strictly Come Dancing (2013).
Birds of a Feather is a British sitcom originally broadcast on BBC One from 16 October 1989 to 24 December 1998, then revived on ITV from 2 January 2014 to 24 December 2020. The series stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson, with Lesley Joseph. It was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote many of the episodes.
Claire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer, and television personality. Known for her portrayal of Lindsey Corkhill on Channel 4's Brookside (1991–2003), she also played Roxie Hart in Chicago and starred in touring productions of Guys and Dolls (2006), Tell Me on a Sunday (2011), Legally Blonde (2011), and Educating Rita (2012). She was a panellist on ITV's Loose Women between 2003 and 2005, and presented 60 Minute Makeover from 2004 to 2006. Her debut album, Claire, reached number 15 on the UK Albums Chart in 2002. Sweeney has portrayed Cassie Plummer on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street since 2023. Her other credits include Candy Cabs (2011), Scarborough (2019), and The Good Ship Murder (2023).
Alison Hammond is a British television presenter and actress. She competed in the third series of the reality show Big Brother in 2002, in which she was the second housemate to be evicted. She has since become a presenter and reporter on ITV's This Morning (2002–present) and a co-presenter on the Channel 4 reality baking competition The Great British Bake Off (2023–present). In January 2024, it was announced that Hammond would take over For the Love of Dogs from Paul O'Grady, following his death in March 2023.
Melanie Clare Sophie Giedroyc is an English actress, comedienne and television presenter.
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985.
Pauline Perpetua Sheen is an English actress. She began her career with roles on various television series, before fronting her own comedy sketch show, Pauline's Quirkes, in 1976. She later starred as Vicky Smith on the BBC drama series Angels (1982–1983), and achieved fame with her portrayal of Sharon Theodopolopodous on the long-running sitcom Birds of a Feather, for which she won a British Comedy Award and was nominated on three occasions for a National Television Award. In 1997, she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for her role in the BBC miniseries The Sculptress. Between 2010 and 2012, Quirke played Hazel Rhodes on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.
Christopher Biggins is an English actor and television personality. He became widely known for his roles in television series such as Porridge, Poldark and I, Claudius in the 1970s. He later became known for making frequent appearances as a celebrity on television, which included winning the 2007 series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, and has performed frequently in pantomime.
Joseph Adam Swash is an English actor and television presenter, best known for his role of Mickey Miller in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders and various presenting roles with ITV2. He won the eighth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2008 and the twelfth series of Dancing on Ice in 2020.
Paul Danan is an English actor who played Sol Patrick in the UK teen soap opera Hollyoaks between 1997 and 2001. In 2005, Danan appeared as a contestant on the first series of ITV's Celebrity Love Island, and returned for the second series in 2006.
Linda Patricia Mary Robson Dunford is an English actress and television presenter. She is best known for playing Tracey Stubbs in the sitcom Birds of a Feather and her appearances as a weekly panellist on the ITV series Loose Women.
Antony Cotton is an English actor and comedian, known for portraying the role of Sean Tully in Coronation Street, as well as portraying Alexander Perry in the original Queer as Folk series. In 2007, Cotton hosted his own talk show titled That Antony Cotton Show, which was cancelled after one series. In March 2013, he won Let's Dance for Comic Relief.
Angela Mellissa Griffin is an English actress, television presenter and director who has been active on British television since the early 1990s. She is best known for portraying the roles of Fiona Middleton in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, Kim Campbell in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road, and DS Lizzie Maddox in the final two series of ITV's detective drama series Lewis (2014–2015). Griffin was also an original cast member of Holby City, playing nurse Jasmine Hopkins (1999–2001).
Scarlett Alice Johnson is an English actress, producer and drama teacher. She is best known for her roles as Vicki Fowler in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and Laura Derbyshire in the BBC Three sitcom Pramface.
Nickolas Andrew Halliwell Grace is an English actor known for his roles on television, including Anthony Blanche in the acclaimed ITV adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, and the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1980s series Robin of Sherwood. Grace also played Dorien Green's husband Marcus Green in the 1990s British comedy series Birds of a Feather.
Nicola Kathleen Stapleton is an English actress. She is best known for her roles in EastEnders as Mandy Salter and Emmerdale as Danielle Hutch. A graduate of the Sylvia Young Theatre School, Stapleton began her career at an early age, appearing in films such as Hansel and Gretel and on television in the children's show Simon and the Witch in 1987.
Joel Patrick Dommett is an English comedian, television presenter and actor. After beginning his career as an actor, and appearing in various television shows including Casualty and Skins, he embarked on stand-up comedy and television presenting and became known for his television roles in Live in Chelsea (2011–2012) and Impractical Jokers UK (2012–2014).
Mark James Harrison, known professionally as Samuel James, is an English actor and voiceover artist, known for portraying the role of Garth Stubbs in the ITV sitcom Birds of a Feather from 2014 to 2017. He has also starred in Casualty and EastEnders.