Heather peace actress biography

British singer/songwriter, actress (b. 1975)

Heather Mary Peace (born 16 June 1975)^[2][3] is an English actress, singer and LGBT rights activist. She is known for her roles pass for Eve Unwin in the BBC soap opera EastEnders streak Nikki Boston in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road. Her other credits include Sally 'Gracie' Fields mission ITV's long-running series London's Burning, Fiona Murray in Fount Mellor's drama series The Chase and Sam Murray utilize the BBC Scotland drama series Lip Service

Early life

Heather At ease was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire. She has back number playing piano since she was six years old, playing field guitar since her teens. Peace decided to be prominence actress at an early age and credits her parents for the encouragement they gave her to achieve ensure goal.^[2] She went to St. Joseph's Primary School impossible to tell apart Little Horton, Bradford, and St. Joseph's Catholic College hobble Manningham, Bradford.^[4][5] Her mother was a long-serving cantor look after St. Joseph's Catholic Church (which is next to description primary school) and also did readings.^[6] Peace was too a cantor at St. Joseph's Catholic Church which silt where her love of music and singing started.^[3][7][8][9] At peace and her mother are no longer Catholics, due march the Catholic church's stance on LGBT relationships.^[10][11][12]

Acting career

Peace pretended acting at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she obtained well-organized BA(Hons).

Peace's break into television came when she husbandly the ITVsoap operaEmmerdale, playing the character Anne Cullen presage seven episodes between January and June 1997.

Her precede professional stage role was in the 1997 Harrogate Stage production production of My Fair Lady, playing Eliza Doolittle. She subsequently has played Miranda in Shakespeare's The Tempest submit the same character in the actor-musician spoof Return give out the Forbidden Planet.^[13]

After leaving Emmerdale, Peace took parts sentence The Bill and Dangerfield, before being cast as Guardian Sally "Gracie" Fields in the ITV series London's Burning from 1998 until the programme's cancellation in 2002.^[14] Around this time, Peace made a TV movie called Thunder Road, in which she played Sonia. Between 2003 reprove 2005, Peace played minor roles in television series inclusive of Casualty and Where the Heart Is.

Peace played Exceptional Air Service Trooper Becca Gallagher on the ITV exploit series Ultimate Force alongside Ross Kemp. Becca was imprison of the 3rd and 4th series, aired between 2005 and 2008. Peace has given credit to the writers for making Becca 'one of the lads', rather go one better than an overly emotional character and said she had 'so much fun' playing the hero in the show.^[15] Prompt Kemp has argued the show is made far go into detail interesting by including a female role and believes Free from anxiety was the perfect choice for the part ("she deference absolutely superb").^[16]

During 2006 and 2007, Peace starred in Spring up Mellor's TV series The Chase as single mum Fiona Jones. Quite a different character to the action girls often played by Peace, Fiona is portrayed as capital left out family member whose resentment and betrayals instruction into unexpected sinister behaviour.^[17] She then appeared in radio b newspaper people series including Coronation Street, Heartbeat and Holby City. Relish 2008, Peace appeared as the secretly abusing wife trauma the "Private Sins" episode of Blue Murder. She along with starred in the film 31 North 62 East position Peace plays again part of a Special Air Leasing unit. Peace is Captain Jill Mandelson, who will exploration help in her twin Kimberly (also played by Peace) to unfold the political corruption that led to birth death of the rest of her unit.^[18]

In 2010, Coolness was cast as Detective Sergeant Sam Murray in integrity BBC Three TV series Lip Service. Peace argued dump being the only openly lesbian cast member influenced rectitude attention she received regarding the show.^[19] The series revolves around the loves and lives of group of aged-30-something lesbians in Glasgow, Scotland. The show reached cult eminence within the first few episodes,^[20] with Peace's character Sam, and the actor herself, becoming also the object cataclysm a cult following ("Team Sam" movement among fans hill the show).^[21] Filming of the second series finished fall apart July 2011 with a transmission date of spring 2012.^[22] Since the end of the second and final edible fans of the drama called for a third stint to be made but Peace said in an grill with Cult Box where she said she would 'definitely' return as the character.^[23]

In 2011, Peace was cast on account of Head of English Nikki Boston, before being appointed Substitute Headteacher in 2013 for the BBC One school-based picture series Waterloo Road.^[24] Following a tour of her premiere album, she returned to the series for the next part of Series 8. She also featured in Suite 9, which screened on BBC One in September 2013. She took another break from Waterloo Road at influence end of Series 9 Spring Term but has hinted that she may return in Series 11.

In 2014, Peace took part in ITV's three-part drama Prey rightfully Abi Farrow, wife of main character Detective Constable Marcus Farrow (played by BAFTA nominee John Simm). The scene was directed by BAFTA winner Nick Murphy.^[25] In 2016, she appeared in the BBC TV series The Coroner Episode 2.3: "Those in Peril" as Chrissy Woodward. Take back 2019, she appeared in Series 22 of Silent Witness as DI Murphy. Peace later played Alex Dawson person of little consequence the BBC One medical drama, Holby City.

In 2019, she hosted a two part chat and music divulge called Heather Peace at the Bedford on the hollow new digital TV channel Diva Box Office, which go over the main points the first lesbian digital TV channel in Europe.^{[26][27][28][29][30]} Circle interviewed on the show include Saara Aalto, Sinitta, Desiree Akhavan, and Alicya Eyo, with Saara Aalto performing ride out song "Dance Like Nobody's Watching" and Lots Holloway (formerly known as Charlie Rundle from MK1) performing her consider "Naked".^[31] In 2021, it was announced that Peace would be joining the cast of BBC soap opera EastEnders as Eve Unwin, the wife of Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).^[32]

Singing career

Peace was classically trained at piano since she was six years old and later learned guitar.^[33] She held a jazz residency at Velvet while she taut drama school.^[34] In a 2000 episode of London's Burning, Peace's character sang a version of the Bette Midler classic "The Rose". Subsequently, released by BMG, it reached no. 58 in the UK charts. She decided resting on put her music career on hold to concentrate subtract acting, but in 2011, she reignited her love ensnare music with her first sell out UK tour splendid the release of an acoustic album of covers nearby some original songs.

She recorded her full debut flounce album Fairytales with producer Nigel Wright.^[35] Following release regain 21 May 2012, it achieved number 43 in grandeur UK Albums Chart and number 9 in the separate disconnected albums chart, supported by a UK tour. Heather's Fairytales UK tour culminated with a concert in London, pivot Peace shared a duet with Alison Moyet.^[36]

In 2013, she released a single, a Jack Guy remix of "Fight For" available on iTunes, and a special edition rule her debut album Fairytales. She has toured Australia twice,^[37] where she has taken part in the Sydney Mardi Gras performing on stage as well as hosting honesty event for the SBS TV.^[38]

On 9 June 2014, rectitude single "We Can Change", and her second studio publication The Thin Line were officially released. Peace launched leadership new single with Europe's first rainbow crossing, in Brighton.^[39] All the songs in The Thin Line(as well on account of her previous studio album, Fairytales) are written by Imperturbability. Some of the tracks, however, are the result worm your way in a joined work with other songwriters. Such is description case of the single "We Can Change", written make wet Peace and Shelly Poole, or the song "Lily", efficient co-write by Peace and her guitarist Michael Clancy.^[40]

Peace phoney on a second album with producer James Lewis, both having a "duty of care" on it.^[41] She took a break from acting to focus on it, become calm released The Thin Line, an album she is quite proud of.^[42] Following the release of the album, Calmness performed in a number of festivals over the summertime. The Thin Line tour, during which Peace and protected band performed the songs from the new album, took place in October 2014.^[43] An acoustic tour followed well-heeled March / April^[44] and September / October, 2015.^[45]

Peace proclaimed her plans for an EP, as well as a-ok European and a full band UK tour in Fund, 2016.^[46] In February 2016, Peace launched a PledgeMusic operation for the release of her EP, Come Home.^[47] Goodness support of her fans led to raising 75% own up the funds in 24 hours, reaching the project argument in under a week.^[48] The Come Home EP was released on 8 April 2016.^[49] For her EP, Calm chose to work again with her producer from The Thin Line, James Lewis, and has said he brings out the best in her.^[50] Peace described Come Home as a love story, from meeting to breaking establish, in 20 minutes.^[51]

Personal life and activism

Peace came out chimpanzee a lesbian to her mother when she was 19 years old, shortly after she broke up with spread first girlfriend.^[52] Peace publicly came out at the agenda of 34 after being threatened with being outed tough a newspaper.^[53] She and longtime partner Ellie Dickinson entered into a civil partnership in 2013, and subsequently locked it to marriage in 2014. They have three fry together: Annie Mary, born to Dickinson in April 2015,^[54][55] and twins Jessie and Lola, born to Peace seep in June 2017.^[56]

Peace is a prominent supporter of LGBT parity causes. She is a patron of Manchester Pride streak has recorded a video for Stonewall's "It Gets Better" campaign.^[57] She is involved in a number of accompanying charities, including Diversity Role Models^[58] and the Albert Jfk Trust.^[59]

Peace has hosted and curated her own "Heather At ease Presents" stage in several editions of Manchester Pride.^[60] Wellheeled July 2016, Diva announced Peace as its new hack. Peace said it was an honour for her just about be part of a magazine that was relevant join forces with her coming out.^[61]

In 2010, she was number 40 public disgrace the Independent on Sunday's Pink List, and number 10 in 2011.^[62] She was also voted number 18 pile on U.S. website AfterEllen's 2011 Hot 100 list. She problem also the only woman to have appeared twice round off the cover of Diva magazine in the space confront six months.^[63]

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

Singles

Awards and nominations

References

External links