- Leslie Ash
Infobox actor
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name = Leslie Ash
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birthdate = birth date and age|1960|2|19
location =Clapham, London ,England
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occupation = Actress
yearsactive = 1964-present
spouse =Lee Chapman (1988 - present)
homepage =
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tonyawards =Leslie Ash (born
19 February 1960 inClapham, London ) is an English actress, best known for her role in thesitcom "Men Behaving Badly ". Her book "My Life Behaving Badly: The Autobiography" was published in 2007.Biography
Leslie first appeared on TV in 1964 at the age of four asking "Mummy, why are your hands so soft?" in an advertisement for the washing-up product
Fairy Liquid .She was educated at the independent
Italia Conti Academy stage school, and then started a career as afashion model appearing on the cover of a number of teen magazines including "Jackie" for which she was photographed by David Bailey.Fact|date=September 2008Having appeared in the 1978 British slapstick comedy "Rosie Dixon, Night Nurse", [cite web | url = http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/movies/rosiedixon.htm | title = Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse | accessdate = 2008-02-22] her first major film role was playing the romantic lead in "Quadrophenia" in 1979. In 1983 she appeared opposite
Nicky Henson as Nancy in theITV situation comedy "The Happy Apple" playing a secretary whose opinions successfully reflected public opinion. She then played a regular role in crime series "C.A.T.S. Eyes ."Ash's most famous role was playing
Neil Morrissey 's romantic interest Deborah (Debs) in the situation comedy "Men Behaving Badly ". This, after six series, led to other options, including theBBC 's "Mersey Beat" and ITV's "Where The Heart Is".More recently, Leslie has appeared in
BBC Radio 4 's darkly comic radio series, Vent, alongsideNeil Pearson ,Fiona Allen andJosie Lawrence .In May 2008 Leslie was asked by Transparent Television to make a documentary about the unregulated cosmetic beauty industry whilst exploring her own experiences. The programme, "Leslie Ash: Face to Face" was broadcast on
ITV1 on 23 September 2008.Personal life
Ash is married to former footballer
Lee Chapman , they have two children. Her sister is former 'Hot Gossip' dancer Debbie Ash.Collagen implants
In 2003 she had a medical accident when her collagen lip implants went wrong and she was left with what the tabloids dubbed a "trout pout". [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/showbiz/3253348.stm| title=Ash speaks out over lip surgery|work=BBC News | Date =
1 December 2003 | accessdate=2006-08-26] During this time Ash starred in a series of advertisements for the DIY chainHomebase (again, withNeil Morrissey ) and she also starred in the BBC police drama "Mersey Beat", which evoked further ridicule from the media about her appearance. [cite news|url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/s2.cfm?id=107792003| title=A slip of her lips could sink a ship on the Mersey|work=Scotsman.com| Date =28 January 2003 | accessdate=2006-08-26] Ash has since spoken out about the press ridicule she has received as a result of her botched implants, commenting: "If I'd lost a leg in a car crash, people wouldn't have felt able to take the mickey out of me so mercilessly....People don't laugh atHeather Mills because she lost a leg." [cite news|url=http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2003/12/1/120992.html| title=Leslie Ash makes trout pout faux pas|work=The Argus| Date =1 December 2003 | accessdate=2006-08-26]Health problems
Ash contracted
toxoplasmosis two months into her pregnancy in France, where toxoplasmosis is extremely common. She told the BBC that she wished to raise awareness of this as an issue in Britain. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1109818.stm BBC-Superfoods Revealed] ]Ash was originally hospitalised at the
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in April 2004 after suffering two cracked ribs, saying she fell off her bed on to a table during a love-making session with her husband. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7192605.stm BBC News] ]Ash was discharged after only a few days, but was readmitted after losing all feeling in her legs. In June 2004 while she was still in hospital, it was announced that a
staphylococcus aureus infection may have rendered her permanently unable to walk. [cite news | first=Sarah-Kate | last=Templeton | coauthors= | title=TV star Ash vows war on superbug | date=2005-03-06 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,10009-1512808,00.html | work=The Sunday Times | accessdate = 2006-08-26 ]In late August Ash was seen taking some steps with the assistance of crutches. Ash appeared on the "British Soap Awards" in May 2006, walking unaided, but still clearly impaired two years after her illness.
In January 2007 Ash confirmed she was suing the hospital. Papers lodged at the High Court asserted that Ash would never return to active TV roles. The hospital admitted breach of duty over part of her treatment but denied responsibility for the extent of her injuries [ [http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=hospital-superbug-has-killed-my-career%26method=full%26objectid=18549453%26siteid=94762-name_page.html Hospital Superbug Has Killed My Career - Mirror.Co.Uk ] ] and in January 2008 paid out a record £5m compensation payout in an out of court settlement. Steve Walker, chief executive of the NHS Litigation Authority, said the payout set a new record for compensation following a hospital-acquired infection. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7192605.stm BBC NEWS | Health | £5m hospital bug payout for Ash ] ]
Ash now calls for cleaner hospitals as a result of her experiences and regularly addresses audiences of healthcare officials on the subject.Fact|date=May 2008
References
External links
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/faces/leslie_ash.shtml BBC Drama Faces - Leslie Ash]
*imdb name|id=0038650|name=Leslie Ash
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