The eldest of four daughters, Michelle was born in Chigwell, Essex. Her father Joseph was a fish trader at Billingsgate Fish Market and her mother Shirley an actress. One of her sisters is the actress and writer Ann Michelle. While her parents were at work, they employed an au-pair girl to look after Michelle and her three sisters; the girl they employed was future Hollywood actress Elke Sommer.[2]
Although the late sixties and seventies gave her success, Michelle gained significant attention, particularly in Ireland, after appearing as Sally O'Brien in a string of high-profile adverts for Harp Lager in the early 1980s. The slogan "Sally O'Brien and the way she might look at you" became synonymous with the company and brought Michelle to viewers' attention. There was a small outcry when it was revealed that the actress that played Sally O'Brien was in fact English, not Irish. Following on from this success, Michelle played the part of Millie in Priest of Love (1981) alongside Ava Gardner, John Gielgud and Ian McKellen before appearing in a second episode of The Professionals, in which she played Tina, the girlfriend of an organisedcrime boss played by John Junkin in the episode The Untouchables.
However, Michelle's big break was when she was offered the part of Yvette Carte-Blanche in the BBCsitcom'Allo 'Allo!, produced and written by David Croft. Croft had remembered Michelle playing the French maid robot in an episode of his previous sitcom Come Back Mrs. Noah and offered her the role. Michelle played Yvette in all eighty-five episodes of the series from 1982 to 1992 as well as reprising the role in numerous stage plays based on the series. Although she was achieving high success, Michelle maintained an acting career alongside 'Allo, 'Allo!, and had roles in The Last Days of Pompeii, Cannon and Ball, The Little and Large Show and two episodes of the successful department store sitcom Are You Being Served? which was also written by David Croft. Michelle also appeared as Betty, a Cockney barmaid, in three episodes of The Kenny Everett Television Show. In 1985, Michelle toured in a production of Doctor in the House with Robin Askwith, Frazer Hines and Windsor Davies.
After 'Allo, 'Allo! ended in 1992, Michelle appeared on a number of episodes of Noel's House Party as Noel Edmonds's man-eating neighbour. In 1996, Michelle played Lucy Westenra in a production of Dracula alongside Leslie Grantham in the title role. In 2001, she played Miss Hannigan in a touring production of Annie; she would reprise the role in various tours of the production in 2005 and 2007.
In 2007 Michelle reprised the role of Yvette Carte-Blanche in The Return of 'Allo 'Allo! celebrating twenty-five years since the show was first broadcast. From 2007 to 2009, she played the recurring character Patricia Foster in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.[5] Later in 2007, she appeared in a Children in Need special of Hotel Babylon and, the following year, appeared on the BBC cookery programme Celebrity MasterChef. From 2008 to 2009, Michelle toured with the 'Allo 'Allo! stage show. She played the role of Amanda Newman in the 2010 TV film Resentment.
In 2013, she played Deborah Whitton in the 2013 romantic comedy film The Callback Queen. In 2014, Michelle returned to the stage in the hit play Hello Norma Jeane at London's King's Head Theatre, where she took on the role of an Essex grandma who claims to be Marilyn Monroe.[6]
In 2014, Michelle was cast to play the role of Dr. Victoria Spencer in Spencer Hawken's 2016 film No Reasons.[7]
In 2020, Michelle made her first appearance in the sitcom radio and podcast series Barmy Dale. She plays the recurring role of Angie Edwards.[8]
In February 2023, it was announced that Michelle would be joining the BBC One soap opera EastEnders in spring 2023 for a short guest stint.[9] It was later announced that Michelle would be playing Jo Cotton, the secret wife of Tom "Rocky" Cotton (Brian Conley).[10] her first scenes aired on 29 March 2023.
Other ventures
Charity work
Michelle has been involved in a number of charities and good causes. She was the longest-serving president of The Heritage Foundation and is the current president of the eastern region of the Lady Taverners. As well as being a member of the Grand Order Of Lady Ratlings, Michelle is also an ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy, the SSAFA, Wetnose Animal Aid, Homeless Worldwide and a patron of the Gordon Craig Theatre, Macmillan Cancer Support, Barnardo's, Age UK, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Sign2Sing, the Blackfish Academy, the Talent Time Stage School, the Haven House Children's Hospice, the Essex Women's Advisory Group, The Dream Factory and AA Dog Rescue.[11][12] She is also an Executive Committee Member of the Royal Variety Charity.[13] She has also presented the Soldering On Awards since 2016.[14]
In 1992, Michelle and two of her sisters set up a company called Trading Faces, of which Michelle is the company director,[16] which provides celebrity after-dinner speakers for corporate events.[17] The company's website also state that they also provide "film & video production facilities, multi-camera event coverage, CV & biography writing services, promotional & training films, film & TV commercials, press coverage, scriptwriting and product endorsement".[16]
Radio
Michelle has been broadcasting a weekly chat show on Brentwood radio station Phoenix FM since October 2017.[18]
Michelle has been married to cinematographer Graham Fowler since 1974.[20] They have one daughter, Louise, born in 1989 who is also an actress.
In September 2015, Michelle was a guest on Big Brother's Bit on the Side and feared she could have been blinded after being hit on the back of the head with a champagne glass thrown by Farrah Abraham during a fight between Abraham and Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace.[21] The show had to be taken off air early and the incident prompted a police investigation. Michelle was hospitalised and suffered from whiplash, concussion and balance issues.[22][23] It was later reported Michelle wanted to 'press charges' against Abraham,[24] although there is no mechanism for her to have done so in English law.
In 2016, Michelle said she suffers from tinnitus.[25]
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