Gemma Bissix

Infobox actor television
name=Gemma Bissix

---

birthname=Gemma Bissix
birthdate=birth date and age|1983|6|6
birthplace=England
occupation=Actress
gender=Female
yearsactive=1993–present
status= Single
credits=Clare Bates in "EastEnders" Clare Devine in "Hollyoaks"

Gemma Bissix (born June 6, 1983) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Clare Bates in the BBC One soap "EastEnders" (1993-1998 & 2008), and as the second actress to play Clare Devine in the Channel 4 soap "Hollyoaks" (2006-2007) — for which she has won multiple awards. She has been acting since the age of 9.

Personal life

Bissix is the oldest of five siblings. Her parents divorced when she was 11. [" [http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=saggy-baggy-old-alone&method=full&objectid=20329500&siteid=93463-name_page.html SAGGY, BAGGY, OLD & ALONE] ", "The People". URL last accessed 2008-03-14.]

Career

Bissix began her acting career at a young age. At the age of nine, in 1993, she was cast as Clare Tyler (later Bates), the daughter of Debbie Tyler (Nicola Duffett) and stepdaughter of Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), in the long-running BBC soap opera, "EastEnders". Her first acting role, Bissix had received no formal training, and has since commented, "that was my training [...] quite a lot of people [attend] drama school, I was trained by "EastEnders"."cite episode |title=This Morning |series= This Morning|serieslink=This Morning |network=ITV |station=ITV1|airdate=2008-02-01] She played the role for 6 years, but was eventually written out of the serial in 1998, after Paul Bradley (the actor who played her character's stepfather), decided to leave the show. [cite news|url= http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_19971116/ai_n14470623 |title= LOVE AT LAST FOR NIGEL THE NERD|publisher="The Mirror" | date = 1997-11-16| accessdate=2007-10-21]

Following her departure from "EastEnders", Bissix took a break from acting for a few years. After leaving school she ran a pub for two years, worked for her father's electrical wholesalers, and also worked in Marks & Spencer as a bra measurer. [ [http://www.maximmag.co.uk/maximgirls/celebrities/4078/gemma_bissix.html Gemma Bissix | Celebrities | Maxim Girls | Maxim Magazine UK ] ] However, she still desired to act, and continued to audition for roles. In 2000 she guest starred in the "Doctor Who" radio drama, "The Fires of Vulcan", and in 2002 she returned to television, guest starring in an episode of the medical drama series "Doctors". She then played Sadie in an episode of the CBBC show "The Crust" and also appeared in three pantomimes and various adverts.

In February 2006, she joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera "Hollyoaks", playing Clare Devine (later Cunningham). She took over the role from model/actress Samantha Rowley, who had played the character since August 2005, but was subsequently axed because the producers wished to take the character, who had been cast as a likeable teenager until this point, into a darker and more "evil" persona, and Rowley did not want to play a villain. Bissix played villainous Clare for over 18 months, but opted to leave the soap in 2007. [" [http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/27299/GEMMA-TO-THE-RESCUE/ GEMMA TO THE RESCUE ] ", "Daily Star". URL last accessed 2008-02-03.] "Hollyoaks" producer Bryan Kirkwood commented, "Gemma was a fantastic asset to the "Hollyoaks" cast. Recasting Gemma in the role of Clare was the first thing I did when I joined Hollyoaks and it was a decision which paid off handsomely. She was excellent in the role of Clare Cunningham and I wish her all the best of luck..." [" [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a76188/ex-hollyoaks-actress-returns-to-eastenders.html Ex-'Hollyoaks' actress returns to 'EastEnders'] ", "Digital Spy". URL last accessed 2008-02-03.]

On 19 September 2007, it was announced that Bissix would be reprising her role as Clare Bates in "EastEnders", ten years after she had last appeared in the soap. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/news/news_20070924.shtml BBC - EastEnders - News - Gemma Bissix Returns ] ] She was reintroduced by the executive producer of "EastEnders", Diederick Santer, and returned on-screen on 1 February 2008. Of her decision to return to "EastEnders", Bissix has said "I'm ecstatic. It really is fantastic. Clare's a deeper character [than Clare was in Hollyoaks] - I've got more scope with her and it's more of a challenge. I'm back home...". [" [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a88468/gemma-bissix-im-back-home.html Gemma Bissix: "I'm back home"] ", "Digital Spy". URL last accessed 2008-02-03.] It was announced on 23 May 2008 that Bissix was leaving the soap once again in Summer 2008. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/news/news_20080523.shtml BBC - EastEnders - News - Gemma Bissix set to leave ] ]

She will appear in the upcoming series of Hotel Babylon. [" [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a112553/gemma-bissix-clare-bates-eastenders.html Gemma Bissix (Clare Bates, 'EastEnders')] ", "Digital Spy". URL last accessed 2008-07-29.]

On 14 March 2008, Bissix appeared on a "Sport Relief" special of "Strictly Come Dancing", with cricketer Darren Gough, to raise money for the charity appeal. The pair scored 22 out of 30 points with their dance, the American Smooth.

She appeared in an EastEnders special edition of The Weakest Link in June 2008.

Awards

Notes

External links

*imdb name|0084340|Gemma Bissix
* [http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/H/hollyoaks/cast/girls/clarecunningham/ Hollyoaks - Clare's Profile]
* [http://www.maximmag.co.uk/maximgirls/celebrities/4078/gemma_bissix.html Maxim magazine photoshoot]
* [http://www.tv.com/gemma-bissix/person/120161/summary.html?q=&tag=search_results;title;1 TV.com Profile]