Lesley Joseph

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Lesley Joseph
Lesley Joseph.png
Joseph in Cardiff, Wales, May 2011
Born
Lesley Diana Joseph

(1945-10-14) 14 October 1945 (age 79)
Occupation(s) Broadcaster, actress
Years active1964–
Television Birds of a Feather
Height5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Children2

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).

Contents

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 .

Early life

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]

Career

Stage

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]

Birds of a Feather

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]

Further TV work

Joseph hosting A Breath of Fresh Air by the Chiltern Shakespeare Society in June 2008. Lesley Joseph Breath of Fresh Air.JPG
Joseph hosting A Breath of Fresh Air by the Chiltern Shakespeare Society in June 2008.

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]

Radio

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]

Personal life

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 ]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969The Bastard KingCatherine of BraganzaSupporting role
1974Another Mother Makes FiveGypsy womanSupporting role
1975 Sadie, It's Cold Outside Cashier1 episode
1979 The Knowledge ValSupporting role
1980 Minder Maureen1 episode
1981RootsMelanie Goldblatt1 episode
1983 Number 10 Rose RosenburgRecurring role
1985Summer SeasonMrs KingRecurring role
Absurd Person Singular Lottie PotterTV film
1987First SightPippaMain role
1988Lea GirlsShop assistantRecurring role
1989 Ruth Rendell Mysteries Rose Farriner's neighbourMain role
1989–1998, 2014–2020 Birds of a Feather Dorien GreenMain role
1992 Celebrity Squares HerselfContestant
Celebrity Fifteen to One HerselfContestant
1995RumbleMa PecsSupporting role
1996 Spywatch Miss MillingtonMain role
1998MacbethWitchTV film
2001–2003 Night and Day Rachel CulgrinRegular role
2003 Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes HerselfContestant
2005Lost DogsMaria-Carmen ToddSupporting role
2006 The Secret of Eel Island Green BerylSupporting role
2006–2009, 2014 Loose Women HerselfGuest panellist
2007Kings of 70s RomanceHerselfNarrator
Ready Steady Cook HerselfContestant
2008The Greatest Christmas ComedyHerselfInterviewee
The Slammer Erica, the criticRecurring role
Comedy ClassicsHerselfInterviewee
2009 Scoop Receptionist/Mrs GreenRecurring role
2009–2014 This Morning HerselfNewspaper reviewer
2009, 2011 Celebrity Come Dine with Me HerselfContestant
2009 Cash in the Celebrity Attic HerselfContestant
2010 Let's Dance for Comic Relief HerselfParticipant
Celebrity Eggheads HerselfParticipant
2011 Little Crackers Wardrobe mistress1 episode ('My First Brassiere')
2012–2021 Pointless Celebrities HerselfRegular participant
2014Secrets from the AsylumHerselfContributor
All Star Family Fortunes HerselfParticipant
You Saw Them Here First HerselfContributor
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip HerselfContributor
Freshers: A Year OnHerselfContributor
2014–2016 Big Brother's Bit on the Side HerselfContributor
2014, 2021 The Chase: Celebrity Special HerselfContestant
2015 Flockstars HerselfParticipant
Mel and Sue HerselfGuest
Celebrity Benchmark HerselfParticipant
2016 Strictly Come Dancing HerselfParticipant
2017Celebrity 5 Go MotorhomingHerselfParticipant
2019 Pilgrimage: Road to Rome HerselfParticipant
2022 Celebrity Coach Trip HerselfWinner

Stage

YearTitleRoleLocation
1964 A Midsummer Night's Dream HermiaAbington Park Museum, Northampton
1968A Midsummer Night's DreamTitania Royal Shakespeare Company
1973 Godspell SoniaPavilion Theatre, Bournemouth
1981Piaf Edith Piaf Belgrade Theatre
1988Exclusive YarnsPippaNew Wimbledon Theatre
1991–1992 Cinderella Wicked Stepmother Richmond Theatre
1992–1993CinderellaWicked Stepmother Theatre Royal, Bath
1993–1994 Dick Whittington Fairy Godmother Birmingham Hippodrome
1994–1995Dick WhittingtonAlice Fitzwarren Mayflower Theatre
1995The MiserFrosineUK Tour
1995–1996Dick WhittingtonFairy GodmotherNew Victoria, Woking
1996–1997Dick WhittingtonAlice Fitzwarren Theatre Royal, Plymouth
1997–1998Dick WhittingtonFairy Godmother Wimbledon Theatre
1998–1999Dick WhittingtonFairy Godmother Theatre Royal, Nottingham
2000–2001Dick WhittingtonFairy Godmother Theatre Royal, Newcastle
2002–2003Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Theatre Royal, Brighton
2003Office SuiteMiss Prothero Royal Shakespeare Company
2003Singular WomenMiss CohenKings Head Theatre
2003–2004Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Richmond Theatre
2004–2005Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Theatre Royal, Newcastle
2005 Thoroughly Modern Millie Mrs MeersUK Tour
2005–2006Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked QueenBradford Alhambra
2006 The Vagina Monologues VariousUK Tour
2006–2007Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked QueenWolverhampton Grand
2007–2008Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen New Theatre, Cardiff
2008–2009CinderellaFairy Godmother Theatre Royal, Plymouth
2009–2010CinderellaFairy GodmotherOrchard Theatre, Dartford
2010–2011Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked QueenGrand Theatre, Belfast
2011Calendar GirlsChrisUK Tour
2011–2012CinderellaFairy GodmotherWycombe Swan, High Wycombe
2012 Birds of a Feather Dorien GreenUK Tour
2012–2013Robinson CrusoeEnchantress of the Ocean Birmingham Hippodrome
2013–2014Robinson CrusoeEnchantress of the Ocean Mayflower Theatre
2014Hot Flush!Myra WilsonUK Tour
2014–2015Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Theatre Royal, Nottingham
2015 Annie Miss HanniganUK Tour
2015–2016CinderellaFairy GodmotherCliffs Pavilion, Southend
2016–2017Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Theatre Royal, Plymouth
2017–2018 Young Frankenstein Frau Blucher Theatre Royal, Newcastle Garrick Theatre
2018–2019CinderellaFairy GodmotherChurchill Theatre, Bromley
2019–2020Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Birmingham Hippodrome
2020–2021 Sleeping Beauty Carabosse Mayflower Theatre
2021–2022Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked Queen Bristol Hippodrome
2022Sister Act: The MusicalSister Mary LazarusPalace Theatre, Manchester and Hammersmith Apollo
2022–2023Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWicked QueenMilton Keynes Theatre [22]
2022–2023Sister Act: The MusicalMother SuperiorUK Tour
2023–2024Jack and the BeanstalkSpirit of the Beans New Theatre, Cardiff
2024 The Addams Family Grandma Addams London Palladium
2024Sister Act: The MusicalSister Mary Lazarus/Mother SuperiorDominion Theatre

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