Charlotte Maria Church is a
WelshThe Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
singer-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into
pop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2010 she was reported to be worth as much as £11m (though one 2003 report quoted her worth at £25m). She hosted a
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
chat show
The Charlotte Church ShowThe Charlotte Church Show was a Channel 4 entertainment television show presented by Welsh singer Charlotte Church. It was first broadcast on 1 September 2006 and ran for 6 subsequent Fridays. The show was commissioned for a further two series, the first of which aired from 23 February to 6 April...
.
Church released her first album in five years, titled
Back To Scratch, on 17 October 2010.
She is also mentioned as one of the
Bohemians in
Ben EltonBenjamin Charles "Ben" Elton is an English comedian, author, playwright and director. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, as a writer on such cult series as The Young Ones and Blackadder, as well as also a successful stand-up comedian on stage and TV....
's musical
We Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
.
Early life
Charlotte Church was born
Charlotte Maria Reed in
LlandaffLlandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
, a district of
CardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
,
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. She was brought up as a Roman Catholic by her mother, Maria, who was separated from Church's biological father, Stephen Reed. Church was adopted by her mother's second husband, James Church in 1986. Her break came at 11 when she sang "
Pie JesuPie Jesu is a motet derived from the final couplet of the Dies irae and often included in musical settings of the Requiem Mass. The settings of the Requiem Mass by Luigi Cherubini, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Duruflé, John Rutter, Karl Jenkins and Fredrik Sixten include a Pie Jesu as an independent...
" over the telephone on the television show "
This MorningThis Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
" in 1997, followed by her performance on
ITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's
Big, Big Talent Show in 1997. This led to concerts at
Cardiff Arms ParkCardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
, the
Royal Albert HallThe Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
and opening for
Shirley BasseyDame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
in
Antwerp. She also received a vocal scholarship to
Howell's School LlandaffHowell’s School Llandaff is an independent school in Llandaff, Cardiff. The school teaches girls from the age of 3 years up to 18, and contains a nursery, junior, senior school and a sixth form college...
in Cardiff where she started in 1998 after leaving
The Cathedral School, LlandaffThe Cathedral School, Llandaff is a coeducational Welsh independent senior, prep and pre-prep day school. It is located in Llandaff, Cardiff. The school is part of the Woodard Schools foundation, as well as having many links to the neighbouring Llandaff Cathedral.In 1880 Dean John Vaughan opened a...
. She balanced performing and school with help from tutors for when she was on the road and said in many interviews that she was "just like every other girl her age".
1998–2005: classical career
Church was then introduced to the Cardiff impresario Jonathan Shalit, who became her manager and negotiated a contract with Sony BMG. Her first album,
Voice of an AngelVoice of an Angel is the title of the debut music recording/album featuring the voice of 12-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 1998.-Track listing:#"Pie Jesu" #"Panis Angelicus" #"In Trutina"...
, was a collection of
ariaAn aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
s, sacred songs, and traditional pieces that sold millions worldwide and made her the youngest artist with a No. 1 album on the British classical crossover charts.
Church appeared on
PBSThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
specials. Her
self-titled second albumCharlotte Church is the self-titled second album, released in 1999, featuring the voice of the then 13-year-old soprano Charlotte Church.-Track listing:#"Just Wave Hello"#"La Pastorella"#"Barcarolle"#"O mio babbino caro"#"Lascia ch'io pianga"...
also included operatic, religious and traditional tracks. One, the soaring and inspirational
Just Wave Hello, was the centre piece of a millennium-themed ad campaign for the
Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
. The song's full-length video, featuring Church, won acclaim at the
Detroit Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
and introduced her to new fans. The track reached No. 31 in Britain.
In 2000, she released
Dream a DreamDream a Dream is the third music recording/album featuring the voice of 14-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2000. The album is principally a collection of Christmas carols, but also includes the title track Dream a Dream, Charlotte's first foray into a more pop-influenced genre, based...
, an album of
Christmas carolA Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
s. It included Church's first foray into a more pop-influenced style in the title track
Dream a Dream, borrowing the melody from
Fauré'sGabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
PavaneThe Pavane in F-sharp minor, Op. 50, is a composition by the French composer Gabriel Fauré, written in 1887. It was originally a piano piece, but is better known in Fauré's version for orchestra and optional chorus...
and featuring young American country singer
Billy GilmanWilliam Wendell "Billy" Gilman III is an American country music artist. In 2000, at the age of 12, he debuted with the single "One Voice," a Top 20 hit on the Billboard country music charts and became the youngest singer to a Top 40 hit on the country music charts...
. Church also sang with Gilman in "Sleigh Ride" on his CD
Classic Christmas.
In 2001, Church added more pop, swing, and Broadway with her album
EnchantmentEnchantment is the fourth music recording/album featuring the voice of 15-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2001.Enchantment was Church's last classical studio album with any original material; her next album, Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church, would be a "best of" collection, and...
. That year, Church made her first film appearance in the 2001
Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
film
A Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American drama film based on the life of John Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. The film was directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman. It was inspired by a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1998 book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar...
.
Celine DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
was beginning a concert engagement in
Las VegasLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and was not available to perform the film's end title song, "All Love Can Be", so composer
James HornerJames Roy Horner is an American composer, orchestrator and conductor of orchestral and film music. He is noted for the integration of choral and electronic elements in many of his film scores, and for frequent use of Celtic musical elements...
enlisted Church and the song was rewritten for her
vocal rangeVocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
. Church also handled other vocal passages throughout the score.
In 2002, at 16, she released a "best of" album called
PreludePrelude: the Best of Charlotte Church is a 'best of' collection spanning the four classical music albums of the 16-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2002, and also available on DVD....
, and took part in the Royal Christmas tour alongside
Julie AndrewsDame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
and
Christopher PlummerArthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
, concluding her classical music career.
2005–09: pursuing pop career; Tissues and Issues
In 2005, Church issued her first pop album
Tissues and Issues-Notes:#When "Even God" was released as a single on 12 December 2005, the name was changed to "Even God Can't Change the Past".-Charts:-Release history:...
. Four singles were moderately successful in the UK with "
Crazy Chick"Crazy Chick" is a pop song written by Sarah Buras, Wirlie Morris, Fitzgerald Scott, produced by Tore Johannson for Charlotte Church's fifth studio album Tissues and Issues . It was released as the album's first single in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2005 as a CD single. The song reached number...
" reaching no. 2, "Call My Name" number 10, "
Even God Can't Change the Past"Even God Can't Change the Past" is a pop song written by Rick Nowels, George O'Dowd and John Themis, produced by David Fortman for Charlotte Church's fifth album Tissues and Issues...
" number 17, and "
Moodswings (to Come at Me like That)"Moodswings " is Charlotte Church's fourth and last released single from her 2005 album Tissues and Issues. "Moodswings" reached number fourteen on the UK Singles Chart in early 2006...
" number 14. Although these were released in Australia as well, they failed to reach the same level of success there, and in March 2006 it was announced that there would be no US releases of Church's pop work until she had achieved a number 1 hit in the UK. Tissues and Issues accounted for no more than 2% of her total sales. Church's pop album was released in the U.S. through Amazon.com MP3 shop, and iTunes in 2009.
In April 2006, she performed three concerts in
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
,
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Cardiff, in venues holding between 2,000 and 3,000 people; the dates at London and Cardiff were sold out. Supported by
IrishIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
band the New Druids, Church performed a mix of tracks from her debut pop album and a number of pop covers including Prince's "
KissIn 1988 Art of Noise released a cover of the song, featuring Tom Jones on vocals. The song became the band's biggest hit to that point, reaching number eighteen on the U.S. dance charts and number five on the UK Singles Chart, higher than the original in that country...
" and
Gloria EstefanGloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
's "Rhythm is Gonna Get You". Though Church hinted at the possibility of a full tour in the future, none took place.
In November 2006, it was announced that she and Sony had parted ways. According to her publicist, this was a mutual decision reached after a series of meetings throughout the year, which were held since her five and later six album deal had come to an end. There was some speculation that Church had decided to take a break from her singing career, in order to focus on her television show. Others suggested that the performance of her pop releases in the charts also contributed to the decision. Soon, she became pregnant with her daughter, Ruby Megan Henson, and this was widely believed to have contributed to the decision.
In 2007, Church became Patron of the charity The Topsy Foundation UK, helping to raise awareness and funds for its work to support rural communities in South Africa, empowering people infected with and affected by
HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, through medical care, social support and skills development.
Articles emerged in the UK press in March and April 2008 stating that she was still training classically and was contemplating a return to classical crossover at some point. Church has sung in religious services in
TaizéTaizé is the name or part of the name of several places in France and an asteroid:* Taizé Community in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, a monastic order visited by many young people* Taizé, Saône-et-Loire in the Saône-et-Loire département...
. She has also performed before
Pope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Queen Elizabeth II, the
Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
In June 2008, she again became pregnant, this time with her son, Dexter Lloyd Henson. In Church's latest interview, she mentioned she would be ready to work on more music a few months after she was fully recovered from her second pregnancy, and Dexter was a little bit older, though was not sure whether she would further develop her classical career, her pop career, or both as she loves both genres for different reasons, and plans to work on both genres but needs to be in a creative state of mind to continue work on her second Pop album. Charlotte also mentioned that she has been working with a vocal instructor to keep her voice in check during, and after her second pregnancy, and while she has never put a focus on her body image, she would like to get back into the shape she was in before becoming a mother when she resumes work.
In June 2009, Church was interviewed for '
Hello!Hello is a weekly magazine specializing in celebrity news and human-interest stories, published in the United Kingdom since 1988. Hello is sister magazine to ¡Hola!, the Spanish weekly magazine launched in Spain in 1944...
' magazine, and discussed her life since having her second child. She said that she is currently in the studio, resuming work on her new album. She is excited to further her music career and plans on enlisting the help of both sets of grandparents, and their father, Gavin Henson, to help care for the children, now that they are a little bit older. She mentioned that Henson has been strongly encouraging her to get back to work, and pursue her career that she has greatly missed since settling down.
2010–present: Return to Music and Back to Scratch
Church appeared on
Friday Night With Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
on 13 March 2010, where she confirmed that she had already begun writing and recording her sixth studio album. Church also stated that the album was of a different sound to previous, more mature with a "kooky" vibe.
On 4 August 2010, Church made a new track, "Cold California", available to download from her Web site .
Church's new album,
Back to ScratchBack to Scratch is the sixth studio album from Welsh classical crossover artist and singer songwriter Charlotte Church. The album was released on October 25, 2010, five years after the release of Church's last studio album Tissues and Issues...
, was released in the UK on October 25, 2010. The 14-track set has been produced by Martin Terefe.
Back to Scratch was preceded by a single - the LP's title track - on October 24. "Back to Scratch" was originally inspired "by problems facing a family member", but Church admitted in a press release that the song now has resonance to her own personal life following her recent split from Gavin Henson.
Other tracks confirmed for the album include "Ruby", originally recorded by French singer Camille and written by Euston Jones, "Logical World", "Story Of Us", "Don't Think About It" and "Cup Of The Sun".
Back To Scratch will also feature "The Actors", which Church performed on BBC One talent contest Over The Rainbow in May, and a cover of Joni Mitchell's "River".
A video featuring a snippet of another song from the album, "Snow", is available to watch on the singer's YouTube channel and is currently streaming on her official Web site.
On 6 September 2010 Church posted a short video to her official YouTube channel showing her being filmed for the video of the lead single and title track "Back to Scratch" in the background the song can be heard playing.
It was announced on March 13, 2011 that Charlotte had terminated her $3 million (£2 million)deal with Power Amp Music over promotional disputes. Her spokesperson released the following statement "All I can really say, because of the confidentiality issues, is that it was in Charlotte's financial interests to do so before the agreement entered the second year of its term. This is typical for these type of deals, which are investment deals rather than record deals. I can also say that the decision to terminate the term early, which suited both parties, was made well before the commercial release of the album." A spokesperson from the record label also released a statement saying "It didn't work out with Charlotte and that's fair enough. There was no falling out. It was a mutual decision. They decided to exit the deal."
The third single to be released from the album Snow will be released on April 11, 2011.
Acting and television career
Church has made a number of cameo appearances on television. She appeared in the
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
, starred in the 1999
ChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
special of
Heartbeat, and in 2002 and 2003 she appeared on episodes of
Have I Got News For YouHave I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
(the first time as the show's youngest-ever panelist; the second time as host). In 2005 she played herself in an episode of
The Catherine Tate ShowThe Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
, in a sketch with the fictional character
Joannie TaylorJoannie "Nan" Taylor is a fictional character in The Catherine Tate Show. She is one of the main characters of the show and is portrayed by Catherine Tate.-The Catherine Tate Show:...
. In 2008 she appeared briefly in a sketch in
Katy Brand's Big Ass ShowKaty Brand's Big Ass Show is a British comedy programme on ITV2.The show features comedian Katy Brand in skits of real life situations and stereotypes, as well and celebrities such as Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Adele and Kate Winslet.The second series began on 2 September...
.
In December 2005, for
The Paul O'Grady ShowThe Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
ChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
pantomimePantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
,
The Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, which has been adapted into several different works, the most famous being the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland...
, Church played
Dorothy GaleDorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
.
In January 2010 for
Hospital 24/7, Church made an appearance on the program finale, where she visits the Children's Hospital for Wales to launch the Noah's Ark Appeals campaign to fund the equipment in the new Critical Care Unit, which will help children needing high dependency, or critical & intensive care.
In the summer of 2006, Church began work on her own entertainment
TVTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show,
The Charlotte Church ShowThe Charlotte Church Show was a Channel 4 entertainment television show presented by Welsh singer Charlotte Church. It was first broadcast on 1 September 2006 and ran for 6 subsequent Fridays. The show was commissioned for a further two series, the first of which aired from 23 February to 6 April...
. After a pilot episode which caused some controversy and which was never released to the public, the series began on 1 September 2006 on
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The show, hosted by Church and featuring two celebrity guests each week, involved a mixture of sketches,
reality TVReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, interviews, extremely foul language, and music, as well as a recurring
WelshWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
theme. The show has averaged 1.9 million viewers and 10% of the available audience, and on 6 October 2006, it was announced that
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
paid Church a reported £1,200,000 for a further two series of the show. According to her official website, the final series, originally planned for summer of 2007, was deferred until after Church gave birth.
Church won a British Comedy Award for "Best Female Comedy Newcomer" in 2006, and the 'Funniest TV Personality' award at the 2006
Loaded Magazine'sLoaded, first published in 1994, is a British magazine for men that is considered to be the "original lads' mag". Its motto is "For men who should know better".-History:...
'LAFTA' awards. In 2008 she was nominated for the
Rose d'OrThe Rose d’Or is one of the most important international festivals in entertainment television. It was founded in Montreux in 1961 and has taken place in Lucerne since 2004. Producers, executives from independent and public service broadcasters and heads of production companies from over 40...
Special Award for Best Entertainer.
In late June 2008,
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
began showing trials for the series. It has since concluded its eight-show run. Church confirmed on 28 August 2008 that The Charlotte Church Show would return for a Christmas special, which aired on 21 December 2008. On
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Church revealed that the third series would be shown on Thursday nights beginning on 10 July 2008. The show ended after its third series.
Church was confirmed by the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in February 2010 to be one of the judges on
Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's new West End revival show
Over The RainbowOver the Rainbow is a British television talent series which aired on BBC One from March to May 2010. It documents the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Dorothy in the forthcoming Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and a...
.
She made her silver screen debut in 2003's
I'll Be There, co-starring and directed by
Craig FergusonCraig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
. Church played the role of Olivia, the daughter of a washed-up '80s rocker from a one-night-stand, played by Ferguson. The film did not meet with widespread success, playing for only ten days in British cinemas and being released directly to video in the US.
Charlotte was also under consideration to appear in the 2004 film adaptation of
Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's
Phantom of the Opera as the leading female character
Christine DaaéChristine Daaé is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera , the young singer with whom the main character Erik, the Phantom of the Opera falls in love.- Character history :...
but elected not to audition as it was specified she would have to lose weight before she could try out which she declined to do. The part eventually went to
Emmy RossumEmmanuelle Grey "Emmy" Rossum is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She first starred in a string of movies including Songcatcher , An American Rhapsody, and Passionada . However, it was her role in Mystic River that garnered her wider recognition...
. Church also stated she had wanted the part of
Hermione GrangerHermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...
in the
Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series of films, however, at 14 she was too old for the part, which eventually went to
Emma WatsonEmma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress and model.Watson rose to prominence playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. Watson was cast as Hermione at the age of nine, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2001 to 2011, she starred in all eight Harry Potter...
.
Church sat in for
Zoë BallZoë Louise Ball is an English television and radio personality, most famous for becoming the first female host of the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show and for her earlier work presenting the 1990s children's show, Live & Kicking.-TV career:The daughter of the children's TV presenter Johnny Ball and his...
on
BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
's Saturday breakfast show on September 10 and 17, 2011
Personal life
Church's personal life has often been portrayed in UK tabloid newspapers, inspiring the song "Let's Be Alone" on her album
Tissues and Issues-Notes:#When "Even God" was released as a single on 12 December 2005, the name was changed to "Even God Can't Change the Past".-Charts:-Release history:...
.
Church released an autobiography titled
Voice of an Angel (My Life So Far) at 14, before the release of
EnchantmentEnchantment is the fourth music recording/album featuring the voice of 15-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2001.Enchantment was Church's last classical studio album with any original material; her next album, Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church, would be a "best of" collection, and...
and just after she had wrapped up her
Dream a DreamDream a Dream is the third music recording/album featuring the voice of 14-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2000. The album is principally a collection of Christmas carols, but also includes the title track Dream a Dream, Charlotte's first foray into a more pop-influenced genre, based...
Christmas CD. Her change of music direction is hinted at in the final chapter, "Turning Corners". She released a second autobiography titled
Keep Smiling in late 2007, very different in tone from the first.
Aspects of her personal life have been criticised in the press. In 2002, she was photographed
smokingTobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
, which was controversial due to its possible effects on her voice. It subsequently emerged that she had developed a habit, and that many members of her family were heavy smokers, making it difficult for her to quit. Her smoking habit was alluded to on the album
Tissues and Issues, in "Confessional Song". Her weight gain has also been criticized in the media. Regarding the pressure to lose weight, Church has been quoted as saying, "I'm happy with how I look. I like looking like this. Why change just to be like everyone else? What's the point of that?" In an interview with
Reveal magazine in June 2006, she said, "I do look a bit of a heifer on telly and in pictures but that's because the camera puts pounds on you."
The press devoted much attention to Church's relationship with boyfriend
Gavin HensonGavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008...
, a
Welsh InternationalThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
rugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. At the end of 2005, she bought a property in her native
CardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, for a reported
£The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
500,000 which she later sold for £900,000. The couple then bought a
manorA manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
with a 20-acre (8 hectare) small holding in the county borough of the
Vale of GlamorganThe Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
in the scenic village of
St. Bride's MajorSt. Brides Major is a village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. It has a population of 2,009.The village is the location of St. Bridget's church, the Fox & Hounds and the Farmer's Arms pubs, Pitcot Pool and St. Brides Primary School....
. The couple mentioned marriage on talk shows and in the press but put off marriage while Church was pregnant.
In 2007, Church made another appearance on a British young people's
rich listThe Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
with Henson. They were ranked 49th-richest young people in Britain with an estimated joint wealth of £12 million, although most estimate her wealth at £20 million.
The couple bought a
PrincessPrincess Yachts International is a motor yacht manufacturer, french majority owned and based in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England.Founded in Plymouth in 1965 as Marine Projects Ltd, it was bought in 1981 by South African businessman Graham J...
yachtA yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
in spring 2008 for £800,000, named
Sketchy, which is berthed at
Swansea marinaSwansea Docks is the collective name for several docks in Swansea, Wales. The Swansea docks are located immediately south east of Swansea city centre. In the mid-19th century the port was exporting 60% of the world's copper from factories situated in the Tawe valley...
. In late 2009, returning from a day-trip in the
Bristol ChannelThe Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
, Church called out
Her Majesty's CoastguardHer Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating air-sea rescue.HM Coastguard is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civilian maritime Search and Rescue within the UK...
to rescue their lost
RiBA rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or rigid-inflatable boat is a light-weight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy...
tender. Church practices
karateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
to keep fit.
On 20 September 2007, Church gave birth to daughter named Ruby Megan Henson. On 11 January 2009, Church gave birth to her second child, son Dexter Lloyd Henson. Church has stated she wants her childbearing days to be over by the time she is 32. She has also said she wants four to six children, whereas Henson wanted eight. The
Daily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
reported on 31 May 2010 that Church and Henson had split up.
Controversy
Church has provoked controversy on some occasions with her comments and criticisms — in an interview with
Davina McCallDavina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
, she agreed being diplomatic was "not in her nature". In the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks, at which time Church was 15, she visited Ground Zero and later stated, "I went to Ground Zero just as an ordinary person. It was awful, people taking debris to sell ... Everyone there has to relate themselves to it. They are like 'Yeah, my neighbour's dog's owner's sister's dog was involved, but he got out just in time'. It was a bit sick. People overdramatise and lose perspective." Regarding the rescue workers at Ground Zero, Church commented, "They went from here in society to celebrities. They are even invited here to present television awards which I just don't agree with." After some Americans took offence to these comments, Church insisted that her comments were "distorted and misrepresented", and that "The New York fire-fighters display remarkable courage and sacrifice every day and their work and efforts at Ground Zero are an extension of that."
The pilot episode of Church's talk show,
The Charlotte Church ShowThe Charlotte Church Show was a Channel 4 entertainment television show presented by Welsh singer Charlotte Church. It was first broadcast on 1 September 2006 and ran for 6 subsequent Fridays. The show was commissioned for a further two series, the first of which aired from 23 February to 6 April...
, provoked a backlash from some religious groups, as Church reportedly mocked the
Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and made controversial comments about
Pope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, calling him a "Nazi" in reference to his service in the
Hitler YouthThe Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
and
German ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
. One large Catholic distributor of books, CDs and other goods,
Ignatius PressIgnatius Press, named for Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, is a Catholic publishing house based in San Francisco, California, USA. It was founded in 1978 by Father Joseph Fessio SJ, a Jesuit priest and former pupil of Pope Benedict XVI...
, pulled Church's products from its catalogue.
In her video blog entry for 22 March 2007, Church referred to the UK's
EurovisionThe Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
entry,
ScoochScooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
, as "absolute shit" and went on to say, "I've never seen shit like it, because Scooch really are shit."
Russ SpencerRussell Spencer is an English television presenter and singer.-TV work:Spencer is a television presenter, hosting shows such as the ITV1 game show Make Your Play. He was also anchor presenter three nights a week for The Great Big British Quiz on Five...
of Scooch hit back, saying, "What a pity the voice of an angel has acquired the mouth of a sewer." Spencer's fellow band member
Natalie PowersNatalie Powers is a British solo recording artist and lead vocalist of the pop group Scooch, which represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007.-Early career:...
added, "As a mother of a young child myself I find her behaviour and language quite unacceptable. What kind of role model is this for a mum-to-be?" Church hit back by saying on her
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
show, "They called me
attention seekingEnjoying the attention of others is quite socially acceptable. In some instances, however, the need for attention can lead to difficulties. The term attention seeking is generally reserved for such situations where excessive and "inappropriate attention seeking" is seen.-Styles:The following...
... then what's doing the Eurovision dressed as air hostesses?"
She has claimed she would be a better judge for the reality show
X-Factor than any of the judges on the show. She becomes "annoyed" when their remarks are inaccurate, stating, "They just do not know the ins and outs of a voice or music."
In January 2011, in an interview with
Esquire magazine, Church referred to Queen Elizabeth II as "an old woman who has no idea what's going on", but apologised within days.
In November 2011, Church testified before the
Leveson InquiryThe Leveson Inquiry is an ongoing public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal. On 6 July 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron announced to Parliament that a public government inquiry would convene to further...
about the media intrusion into her personal life stating "I've been made a caricature for so long, and this person portrayed in the tabloids really isn't me. It's not the person I am, and it's had a massive impact on my career. As an artist, I find it hard to be taken seriously because my credibility has been blown to bits."
Discography
- Voice of an Angel
Voice of an Angel is the title of the debut music recording/album featuring the voice of 12-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 1998.-Track listing:#"Pie Jesu" #"Panis Angelicus" #"In Trutina"...
(1998)
- Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church is the self-titled second album, released in 1999, featuring the voice of the then 13-year-old soprano Charlotte Church.-Track listing:#"Just Wave Hello"#"La Pastorella"#"Barcarolle"#"O mio babbino caro"#"Lascia ch'io pianga"...
(1999)
- Dream a Dream
Dream a Dream is the third music recording/album featuring the voice of 14-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2000. The album is principally a collection of Christmas carols, but also includes the title track Dream a Dream, Charlotte's first foray into a more pop-influenced genre, based...
(2000)
- Enchantment
Enchantment is the fourth music recording/album featuring the voice of 15-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 2001.Enchantment was Church's last classical studio album with any original material; her next album, Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church, would be a "best of" collection, and...
(2001)
- Tissues and Issues
-Notes:#When "Even God" was released as a single on 12 December 2005, the name was changed to "Even God Can't Change the Past".-Charts:-Release history:...
(2005)
- Back to Scratch
Back to Scratch is the sixth studio album from Welsh classical crossover artist and singer songwriter Charlotte Church. The album was released on October 25, 2010, five years after the release of Church's last studio album Tissues and Issues...
(2010)
Filmography
| Television |
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1997 |
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
|
Herself |
Cameo Role |
| 1999 |
Heartbeat |
Katie Kendall |
Guest Role |
| 2002–2003 |
Have I Got News For YouHave I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
|
Herself |
Presenter |
| 2003 |
I'll Be There |
Olivia Edmonds |
Lead Role |
| 2005 |
The Catherine Tate ShowThe Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
|
Herself |
Cameo Role |
| 2006–2008 |
The Charlotte Church Show The Charlotte Church Show was a Channel 4 entertainment television show presented by Welsh singer Charlotte Church. It was first broadcast on 1 September 2006 and ran for 6 subsequent Fridays. The show was commissioned for a further two series, the first of which aired from 23 February to 6 April...
|
Herself |
Presenter |
| 2008 |
Katy Brand's Big Ass ShowKaty Brand's Big Ass Show is a British comedy programme on ITV2.The show features comedian Katy Brand in skits of real life situations and stereotypes, as well and celebrities such as Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Adele and Kate Winslet.The second series began on 2 September...
|
Various |
Guest Role |
| 2010 |
Hospital 24/7 |
Herself |
Guest Role |
Awards and nominations
| Year |
Award |
Category |
Result |
| 2000 |
Classical BRIT Awards The Classic BRIT Awards are an annual awards ceremony held in the United Kingdom covering aspects of classical music, and are the classical equivalent of pop music's BRIT Awards....
|
Best Female Artist |
Nominated |
| Classical BRIT Awards The Classic BRIT Awards are an annual awards ceremony held in the United Kingdom covering aspects of classical music, and are the classical equivalent of pop music's BRIT Awards....
|
British Artist Of The Year |
Won |
| Hollywood Reporters Young Star Awards |
Best Young Recording Artist Or Musical Group |
Won |
| Institute Of Public Relations In Wales |
Millenium Communicator Of The Year |
Won |
| 2002 |
Rear of the year Rear of the Year is a light-hearted British award for celebrities who are considered to have a notable posterior. It was created by publicity consultant Anthony Edwards and is organised by Rear of the Year Limited.-History:...
|
N/A |
Won |
| 2005 |
GQ Awards |
Woman Of The Year |
Won |
| 2006 |
Brit Awards The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
|
Best British Female |
Nominated |
| Loaded Loaded, first published in 1994, is a British magazine for men that is considered to be the "original lads' mag". Its motto is "For men who should know better".-History:...
Magazine LAFTA Awards |
Funniest T.V Personality |
Won |
| Glamour Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
Awards |
Editors Choice Award |
Won |
| Glamour Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
Awards |
Solo Artist Of The Year |
Won |
| British Comedy Awards The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
|
Best Female Newcomer |
Won |
| 2007 |
Glamour Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
Awards |
Readers Favourite TV Personality |
Won |
| 2008 |
Rose d'Or The Rose d’Or is one of the most important international festivals in entertainment television. It was founded in Montreux in 1961 and has taken place in Lucerne since 2004. Producers, executives from independent and public service broadcasters and heads of production companies from over 40...
Awards |
Best Entertainer |
Nominated |
External links