Tupele Dorgu

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Tupele Dorgu
Born (1977-12-13) 13 December 1977 (age 47)
Preston, Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)Actress, voice over artist
Years active2003present
Notable work Kelly Crabtree in Coronation Street & Dr Berrington in Hollyoaks
Television Coronation Street (2004–2010)
Strictly African Dancing (2005)
Soapstar Superstar (2007)
Hollyoaks (2015–2016)
SpouseMark Flanagan (married 2009)

Jacqueline Tupele Dorgu (born 13 December 1977 in Preston, Lancashire) is an English actress and voice over artist. She is known for playing the role of Kelly Crabtree in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2004 to 2010. [1]

Contents

Early life

Dorgu was educated in and around the Preston area; she attended St Clare's Primary School, Our Lady's High School and latterly at Kirkham Grammar School. Her mother is of Irish and English descent and her father is from Nigeria. [1]

Career

Dorgu has also appeared in Merseybeat , Loose Women , Casualty (2004), Doctors and Strictly African Dancing .

Dorgu has performed in many musicals including La Cage Aux Folles , Three Minute Heroes, [2] and the West End production of Mamma Mia! . [1] In January 2007, Dorgu was a contestant on UK reality series Soapstar Superstar . The show, hosted by Zoë Ball, placed Dorgu up against ten other soap opera actors. Each night, they had to sing a different song with only 24 hours to learn it. Dorgu survived the bottom two for five nights and then went out after making it to the semi-finals. [3]

Dorgu left her role as Kelly Crabtree in Coronation Street in March 2010.

In winter 2010, Dorgu starred as the Sorceress in the pantomime Robin Hood at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle from 30 November until 15 January 2011. In mid-2011, she made a brief appearance on the BBC's Waterloo Road as newcomer Keeley James. [4]

Dorgu starred as Velma Kelly in the 2012 UK tour of Chicago . [1]

In June 2013, Dorgu became the narrator of Brendan's Magical Mystery Tour , a show similar to Coach Trip on Channel 4.

Dorgu was announced to be joining the cast of Hollyoaks on 12 December 2015 as new doctor, Dr Berrington, in a recurring capacity. Dorgu's first appearance aired on 30 December. [5]

On 1 January 2016, she appeared in David Walliams' TV adaptation of Billionaire Boy . In November 2024, she appeared in the final episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors as Bev Dartnall. [6]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003 Doctors Annette Poole1 Episode, Episode Titled: "Nothing to Fear but..."
2003, 2004 Merseybeat Natalie Vance3 Episodes, "Warrior Moon", "Repeat Offender" and "Day of Reckoning"
2004 Casualty Rachel Garrard1 Episode, Episode Titled "Breaking Point"
20042010 Coronation Street Kelly Crabtree Series Regular, 511 Episodes
2005 Strictly African Dancing HerselfContestant
2006, 2009, 2010 Loose Women HerselfGuest, 3 Episodes
2007 Soapstar Superstar HerselfContestant
2007, 2008 This Morning HerselfGuest, 6 Episodes
2010AccusedFunctions ManagerEpisode Titled: "Willy's Story"
2010, 2012, 2014 The Wright Stuff HerselfPanelist, 8 Episodes
2010 Come Dine with Me HerselfCoronation Street Special
2011 Total Wipeout HerselfCelebrity Special 2
2011 Waterloo Road Keely James1 Episode
2011The CaseNicole Jones4 Episodes
2013 Brendan's Magical Mystery Tour Herself/narratorDay Time TV Series
2014 M.I. High Mandy Pluckley1 Episode, Episode Titled: "The Problem Probe"
2014 Trying Again Chloe1 Episode
2014 All at Sea Molly Tipton1 Episode, Episode Titled: "Valentine"
2015 Cucumber Rosemary Pinks1 Episode
2015−2016 Hollyoaks Dr BerringtonRecurring role
2016 Billionaire Boy JulieTelevision special
2016 Sugar Free Farm HerselfDocumentary series
2016 The Coroner Lori FletcherEpisode 2.1 "The Drop Zone"
2017 Casualty Monica BlearsSeries 31 Episode 25 "It Starts with the Shoes"
2020 Andy And The Band IvySeries 1 Episode 5 "Hair-Raising Rescue"
2020 Alma's Not Normal Cheryl2 Episodes
2024–present Strike MidgeSeries 6; 4 episodes
2024 Bad Tidings SabrinaTelevision film
2024Doctors Bev Dartnall Episode: "One Day Like This"

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Hatch, Match and DispatchDuchessBBC Radio 4, Episode Two: "Losing My Penny"

Theatre

TitleRoleTheatre
La Cage Aux FollesDermahEnglish Theatre, Frankfurt
Three Minute HeroesSoniaBelgrade Theatre
Mamma MiaAliPrince Edward Theatre
HillbrowJohannaCourtyard Theatre
Robin HoodSorceressTheatre Royal
ChicagoVelma KellyUK Tour Production, Number One Tour
Educating RitaRitaThe Garrick, Lichfield
TeechersHobbyTheatre Royal Wakefield and Tour
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Pantomime)Wicked QueenFloral Pavilion, New Brighton
Noises OffBelinda BleirRoyal Court Liverpool
Legally BlondePauletteLeicester Curve

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hutchinson, Charles (13 April 2012). "Chicago, Grand Opera House, York, April 16 to 21". The Press . Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  2. "Three-minute heroes take the limelight once again", Coventry Evening Telegraph 15 September 2000
  3. Crook, Amanda (8 February 2007). "Soap star gives winnings to charity". Manchester Evening News . Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  4. "TV Preview: Waterloo Road - BBC1, 7.30pm". The Mirror . 29 June 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  5. Kilkelly, Daniel (12 December 2015). "Exclusive: Hollyoaks casts ex-Coronation Street star Tupele Dorgu as new doctor". Digital Spy . Hearst Magazines UK . Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  6. "Doctors spoilers: It's the LAST-EVER episode of Doctors!". What to Watch . Retrieved 23 January 2025.