Jessie Wallace

Infobox Celebrity
name = Jessie Wallace

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image_size =
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birthname = Karen Jane Wallace
birth_date = birth date and age|1971|9|25
birth_place = Enfield, Greater London, England
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Actress
salary =
networth =
spouse =
website =
footnotes =
children = Tallulah

Jessie Wallace (born Karen Jane Wallace on September 25, 1971 in Enfield, Greater London) is an English actress.

Biography

Karen Jane Wallace was born at 204 Durants Road, Enfield, North London. [Jessie Wallace interview, BBC One Show - 9th May, 2008]

After schooling, Wallace trained as a make-up artist and worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company for two years. She met and became friends with actor Iain Glenn, who helped her apply for London drama college The Poor School, from where she graduated in 1999. While undertaking auditions - including for Andrew Lloyd Webbers "Sunset Boulevard," she worked as a real life barmaid at her local pub, The Royal Oak in Loughton, Essex.citeweb|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15502010&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=the-jessie-wallace-story-name_page.html|title=The Jessie Wallace Story|publisher=Daily Mirror|date=11 November, 2005|accessdate=2008-01-03]

Her first television appearance was in an episode of the ITV police drama series "The Bill" in 1999. Wallace is best known for playing the role of Kat Slater in BBC One soap opera "EastEnders" between 2000 and 2005. [citeweb|url=http://www.thecustard.tv/linksandlists/nationaltvawards.html|title=National Television Awards|publisher=thecustard.tv|accessdate=2008-01-03] In Summer 2008, Wallace said she hadn't ruled out a return to EastEnders.

Since leaving "EastEnders" in November 2005, Wallace has made a guest appearance, as Kat Slater, in the 2005 French and Saunders "Christmas special". On February 17, 2006, Wallace was the "guest host" of an edition of the Channel 4 programme "The Friday Night Project". She has recently been seen in the one-off BBC1 television dramas "A Class Apart" opposite Nathaniel Parker, "The Dinner Party" with Lee Evans and Alison Steadman. After visiting Hat Trick Productions with her agent, and singing an impromptu version of Marie Lloyd's song "The Boy I Love Is up in the Gallery," she was offered the lead role in "Miss Marie Lloyd - Queen of The Music Hall" for BBC Four, opposite Stephen Fry's Oscar Wilde. [citeweb|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article2522073.ece|title=Jessie Wallace: The former Eastenders star becomes queen of the music hall|publisher=The Independent|date=8 May 2007|accessdate=2008-01-03]

Wallace made her West End theatre debut, replacing Denise van Outen in the role of "Maureen" in "Rent remixed" at the Duke of York's Theatre from December 27, 2007 until February 2, 2008. [citeweb|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display/cm/contentId/97044|title=Wallace takes Rent from Van Outen|publisher=Official London Theatre Guide|date=12 December 2007|accessdate=2008-01-03] Wallace played "Amy Kriel" in the third series of ITV1's "Wild at Heart," and will be next seen in a run of "Haunted" at the Arts Theatre from May 24.. [cite news
url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a71150/jessie-wallace-joins-wild-at-heart.html?rss
title=Jessie Wallace is 'Wild At Heart'
publisher=digitalspy.co.uk
date=13 August 2007
accessdate=2007-08-14]

It has also been reported that Jessie is set to play Ellie in a new BBC1 drama called "Hope Springs" about four ex-cons hiding out in a village.

Wallace is competing with partner Darren Bennett in the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing which began on 20th September, 2008.

Awards

Wins

British Soap Awards:

Best Newcomer-2001

Sexiest Female-2002

Sexiest Female-2003

Sexiest Female-2004

National Television Awards:

Most Popular Newcomer-2001

Most Popular Actress-2003

TV Quick and Choice Awards

Best Soap Newcomer-2001

Best Soap Actress-2003

Inside Soap Awards

Best Newcomer-2001

Sexiest Female-2002

Sexiest Female and Best Family (The Moons)-2003

Best Couple and Best Family (The Moons)-2004

Smash Hits T4 Pollwinners' Party

Best Soap Actor or Actress-2005

Nominations

British Soap Awards 2002-Best Dramatic performance, Hero of the year and Best Actress

British Soap Awards 2003-Best Actress

British Soap Awards 2004-Best on Screen Partnership (shared with Shane Ritchie) and Best Actress

British Soap Awards 2005-Sexiest Female and Best Actress

British Soap Awards 2006-Best Exit and Best Actress

National Television Awards 2002-Most Popular Actress

National Television Awards 2004-Most Popular Actress

National Television Awards 2005-Most Popular Actress

Personal life

After coming to fame in "EastEnders," her personal life became a focus of the tabloid newspapers. She entered the soap cast in the later stages of a three year relationship with Majorca based ex-criminal Paul Whitworth. After being warned by BBC executives, she spilt with Whitworth and had a holiday romance with 25 year old American Andy Burton, who immediately sold his story.

After being suspended by the BBC from "EastEnders" for excess drinking, partying and adverse publicity; she returned to the soap but was then stopped by police and arrested for driving one and half times over the limit. The BBC offered her counselling, but while attending County Court for sentencing, she was attended by policeman Dave Morgan in case she was accosted by fans. The couple started dating, and then moved in together after Wallace confirmed she was pregnant. Wallace gave birth to daughter Tallulah Lilac on November 2, 2004, but the couple split up shortly afterwards, with Wallace's lawyers placing a gagging order on Morgan. [citeweb|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20050515/ai_n14628232|title=Jessie Wallace:I'm happy to be a single Mum now|publisher=Sunday Mirror|date=May 15, 2005|accessdate=2008-01-04]

In a later tabloid story revealed by her best friend who suggested she still regularly took ketamine, [citeweb|url=http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/celeb_news/celeb_article_145769.html?aff=rss|title=EastEnders star accused of excessive drinking and drug use|publisher=Now Magazine|date=25 September 2007|accessdate=2008-01-03] Wallace admitted at one point taking drugs but denied taking them since the birth of her daughter. [citeweb|url=http://showbiz.sky.com/showbiz/article/0,,50001-1218201,00.html|title=Jessie Wallace admits taking drugs|publisher=Sky News Entertainment|date=April 10, 2006|accessdate=2008-01-03]

In 2004, Wallace was referred to as a "vile dog" by "EastEnders" colleague Leslie Grantham, during a sordid webcam chat. [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1227543,00.html Harriet Lane meets EastEnders' Jessie Wallace | Review | The Observer ] ]

She is good friends with former co-star Shane Richie. [ [http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=jessie-s-anguish&method=full&objectid=19537805&siteid=93463-name_page.html People.co.uk - JESSIE'S ANGUISH ] ]

Wallace presently lives in Wanstead, East London with her daughter.

References

External links

*imdb|name=Jessie Wallace|id=0908707
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/eastenders/characters/character_content/character_kat_s.shtml Kat Moon, BBC character profile]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/communicate/archive/jessie_wallace/page1.shtml Ask Jessie Wallace transcript]
* [http://www.tellyzone.com/strictlycomedancing/2008/08/010-jessie.html Jessie Wallace's Strictly Come Dancing profile]