Ronni Ancona

Veronica 'Ronni' Ancona (born 4 July 1968) is a Scottish impressionist and actress of Italian/Jewish ancestry who won the Best TV Comedy Actress award at the British Comedy Awards for her work in "Big Impression".

Career

She made a one-off appearance on "Blue Peter" in 1986 while she was still at school [BBC 1, 2007, "Comedy Map of Britain", episode 1.6] , but only became a household name as a result of appearing in the BBC's "Big Impression" alongside Alistair McGowan. Her most famous impressions include Victoria Beckham, Jennie Bond, Audrey Hepburn, Nigella Lawson, Carol Smillie, Barbara Windsor, Ruby Wax and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

As part of BBC's "Big Read" she promoted "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/bookchampions.shtml |title=Book Champions |accessdate=2007-10-13 |work=The Big Read |publisher=bbc.co.uk]

Before "Big Impression", Ancona had featured in films and TV shows for many years, as well as performing stand-up comedy. She also appeared in the first series of "The Sketch Show".

In 2005 she played Barbara, opposite Miranda Richardson and Bill Nighy, in Stephen Poliakoff's "Gideon's Daughter" on BBC One.

She was Beline in Molière's "The Hypochondriac" at the Almeida Theatre.

In October 2006, she appeared on the BBC celebrity panel show "QI" (D series, episode 4, 'Dictionaries'), and received praise from Stephen Fry. She won the show (with 13 points), finishing in front of Alan Davies, Phill Jupitus and Rory Bremner (all of whom scored -7). She will appear in another episode, in the future F series. In November 2006 she was a guest presenter of "Have I Got News For You".

In December 2006 she revealed herself as a fan of "Strictly Come Dancing" and appeared on "".

In 2007, following a successfully received pilot, the BBC commissioned a new comedy sketch series titled "Ronni Ancona & Co" consisting of her own material and co-starring Phil Cornwell, Jan Ravens and John Sessions. The show initially aired on 25 May 2007 and had 3 episodes.

Personal life

Ancona was born in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland and is of Italian Sephardic Jewish origin.cite news |last=Ellen |first=Barbara |title='They don't think I'm the thinking man's crumpet' |publisher=Guardian Unlimited |date=2004-12-19 |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1376635,00.html |accessdate=2006-12-13] In 2004, in the City of Westminster, London, she married Doctor Gerard Hall, and in April 2005, in the same borough, gave birth to a girl, Lily Francesca Hall, weighing 7lbs 7oz. [ [http://www.findmypast.com England and Wales Marriages and Births 1984-2005] ] According to an article published in the Mail on Sunday on 3 June 2007cite news |last=Mcpherson |first=Lynn |title=RONNI: MY TEARS FOR LOST BABY |publisher=Mail On Sunday |date=2007-06-03 |url=http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_headline=ronni%2D-my-tears-for-lost-baby%26method=full%26objectid=19238578%26siteid=64736-name_page.html |accessdate=2007-06-06] , her second child, a boy, was stillborn. In January 2008 Ancona gave birth to her third child.

In the programme "Comedy Map of Britain", she returned to her old school in Troon and talked about her earliest comedy performing experience as part of an improvisation group called "Pots People".cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedymap/episode6.shtml |title=Episode 6 Belfast to Glasgow |work=The Comedy Map of Britain |publisher=bbc.co.uk]

References

External links

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Persondata
NAME= Ancona, Ronni
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Comedian
DATE OF BIRTH=4 July 1968
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=