Martine McCutcheon

Martine McCutcheon Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: May 14, 1976

Age: 48 years old

Birth Place: Hackney, London, England, UK

For as long as she can remember, British actress and pop star Martine McCutcheon wanted to be in the spotlight. Whether as a singer, dancer, actress or stripper, it didn't matter: McCutcheon craved adoration. And from an early age, she got it. At a mere six weeks old, McCutcheon made her first television appearance in a Party Political Broadcast-a sort of infomercial explaining to the British public a political party's position on key issues. Not exactly the West End, but it was a start. At 4, she appeared in ads for Pears soap and Kool Aid. And at 10, McCutcheon burst onto the music scene when she played a fairy in an Enya video. And to think the tyke's career was just beginning.

McCutcheon was a born entertainer. As a child, she had a penchant for copying song lyrics from Barbara Streisand or Crystal Gayle and belting them out for her mum to hear. In 1995, McCutcheon's career took off-in Britain, at least-with her role on the famous soap, "EastEnders" (BBC, 1985- ). McCutcheon played Tiffany Raymond, a bitchy barmaid at the character's favorite hangout. The actress won numerous awards for her performances, but after a only a few years, McCutcheon wanted out. The producers had her character killed off-the victim of vehicular homicide by the hand of former love. When McCutcheon announced her departure from the show, the BBC was flooded with phone calls from distraught fans.

In 1997, McCutcheon sang in a BBC charity event, rekindling her interest in music. After a successful appearance at the famed Royal Albert Hall, McCutcheon recorded her first album, You, Me & Us. The album was a smash, eventually reaching multi-platinum status; the first single, "Perfect Moment," reached number one. Her second album, Wishing wasn't quite so successful, but it made an impression. A third record, Musicality, a collection of famous show tunes, was a dismal failure, selling a paltry 3,000 copies its first week. McCutcheon returned to television with "The Knock" (1994-2000), in which she played a nightclub owner who uses her business as a front to sell drugs. McCutcheon then got the role of a lifetime as Eliza Doolittle in a stage rendition of "My Fair Lady".

From the start, however, McCutcheon ran into problems. She missed opening night, and many subsequent nights, due to illness. As it would turn out, her understudy performed the role nearly as much as McCutcheon did. Some fans were so outraged that they openly called for her to be sacked. A poll conducted online declared that 75% of fans were against personalities like McCutcheon being in the cast to begin with. Despite the pressure and multiple stays in hospital, McCutcheon eventually won an Olivier Award, Britain's most prestigious theatrical award. McCutcheon made the jump to film, naturally, first as Mia in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2001), a crime-comedy starring Stellan Skarsgard and Christopher Penn. Released by the UK's Sky Pictures, the film failed to make its presence known outside the festival circuit.

Next for McCutcheon was the romantic comedy, "Love Actually" (2003), directed by first-time helmer, Richard Curtis. As part of a mostly-British ensemble cast, McCutcheon played Natalie, the slightly overweight tea girl and love interest to the Prime Minister (played by Hugh Grant)--McCutcheon boasted of gaining ten pounds for the role. With such a high profile appearance, McCutcheon hoped to make the trip across the Atlantic to star in American-made films.

Credits

Love Actually: 20 Years Later

Self
Special
2022

The Chris and Rosie Ramsey Show

Guest
Show
2022

All I Want(ed) for Christmas

Self
Show
2021

Blankety Blank

Contestant
Show
2021

Blankety Blank

Guest
Show
2021

Martin and Roman's Weekend Best!

Guest
Show
2021

Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains

Guest
Show
2021

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Celebrity Specials

Contestant
Show
2020

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel

Contestant
Show
2020

Ainsley's Food We Love

Guest
Show
2020

Comedy Game Night

Guest
Show
2020

Rolling In It

Guest
Show
2020

Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow

Contestant
Show
2020

Supermarket Sweep

Guest
Show
2019

Celebrity Gogglebox

Self
Show
2019

The Best Christmas Food Ever

Actor
Show
2018

The Best Christmas Food Ever

Guest
Show
2018

Celebrity Catchphrase

Contestant
Show
2018

The Bromley Boys

Actor
Gertie Roberts
Movie
2018

Red Nose Day

Guest
Show
2017

Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule

Guest
Show
2017

Red Nose Day Actually

Actor
Natalie
Movie
2017

John Bishop: In Conversation With

Guest
Show
2016

Through the Keyhole

Self
Show
2013

Catchphrase

Guest
Show
2013

Sunday Brunch

Guest
Show
2011

The Truth About Beauty

Host
Show
2010

Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong

Guest Star
Show
2008

Greatest Ever Rom-Com Movies

Self
Show
2007

Marple: At Bertram's Hotel

Actor
Movie
2007

Jump!

Actor
Liuba Halsman
Movie
2007

The One Show

Actor
Show
2006

The One Show

Guest
Show
2006

The English Harem

Actor
Tracy Pringle
Movie
2005

Agatha Christie's MarpleStream

Actor
Series
2004

Love ActuallyStream

Actor
Natalie
Movie
2003
64%

Loose Women

Host
Show
2002

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

Guest
Show
2001

Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)

Actor
Mia
Movie
2001

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Contestant
Show
1998

The Knock

Actor
Jenny Foster
Show
1994

This Morning

Guest
Show
1988

Classic EastEnders

Actor
Tiffany
Show
1985

EastEndersStream

Actor
Tiffany
Soap
1985

The Bill

Actor
Amanda Jones
Show
1984

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