Devon Anderson
Encyclopedia
Devon Carlo Anderson is an English actor who has been acting since an early age and became a CBBC
presenter on BBC One
and the CBBC Channel
. Anderson is best known for his roles as Billie Jackson in EastEnders
, Taj Lewis in the CBBC sitcom Kerching!
and Sonny Valentine
in Channel 4
's Hollyoaks
.
. He then went on to appear in the BBC
soap EastEnders
where he played the character Billie Jackson from 1993 to 1997. He made an appearance in the 1997 film Spiceworld
as one of the competition winners ghat falls into the river during a video shoot. He then played David in the television drama, The Greatest Store in the World
. In 2002, he appeared in the film Thunderpants
playing the character of Dan. His next role was in 2002's CBBC
Ace Lightning
where he played Pete, the English friend of the main character, Mark. The character appeared in internet talks with Mark at the start of the programme and sometimes at the end.
In 2003, Anderson starred as the lead character in the CBBC sitcom Kerching!
, Taj Lewis, an Internet whizzkid who was trying to make a million pounds for his single mum. In 2006, he won the role of Sonny Valentine
in the Channel 4
soap Hollyoaks
, but his contract was terminated on 6 January 2007. He has also made an appearance on the television show TMi
, and appeared on Doctors
on 15 May 2008.
In summer 2009, Devon starred as Kian Oduya in the online drama Who Killed Summer sponsored by Vodafone which saw six young characters travelling Europe and the UK culminating in a murder mystery.
It was confirmed in November 2009 that Anderson would reprise the role of Billie Jackson in EastEnders, 15 years after he was last seen on the soap. He remained in the soap till October 2010 when his character Billie was killed.
.
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
presenter on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
and the CBBC Channel
CBBC Channel
CBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...
. Anderson is best known for his roles as Billie Jackson in EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, Taj Lewis in the CBBC sitcom Kerching!
Kerching!
Kerching! was a children's comedy drama on CBBC devised by Juliet Denison and Chris Cockerham in the later series. It follows the lives of teenagers Taj, Danny and Seymour. The programme revolves around Taj's website, Rudeboy, and his money-making schemes...
and Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Devon Anderson, who played the character between 2006 and 2007 before he was sacked for "time-keeping issues".-Character description:...
in Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 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...
's Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
.
Acting career
Anderson made his acting debut when he played three year old Glenn in Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn GouldThirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould is an award-winning 1993 film about the piano prodigy Glenn Gould played by Colm Feore. The film's screenplay was written by François Girard and Don McKellar....
. He then went on to appear in the BBC
BBC
The 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...
soap EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
where he played the character Billie Jackson from 1993 to 1997. He made an appearance in the 1997 film Spiceworld
Spiceworld (film)
Spice World is a 1997 British musical comedy film directed by Bob Spiers, written by Kim Fuller and Jamie Curtis, and starring the best-selling pop girl group the Spice Girls...
as one of the competition winners ghat falls into the river during a video shoot. He then played David in the television drama, The Greatest Store in the World
The Greatest Store in the World
The Greatest Store in the World is a book by Alex Shearer and later made into a telemovie which was broadcast on 24 December 1999. The story is told in flashback by Livvie , a bright young girl who is in police custody on Christmas Day...
. In 2002, he appeared in the film Thunderpants
Thunderpants
Thunderpants is a 2002 family film about a boy whose incredible capacity for flatulence gets him a job as an astronaut. The film was directed by Pete Hewitt, whose previous work included Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and The Borrowers...
playing the character of Dan. His next role was in 2002's CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
Ace Lightning
Ace Lightning
Ace Lightning is a children's television show co-produced by the BBC and Alliance Atlantis, which has been broadcast in the United States as well as in the United Kingdom and Australia. The show was filmed in Canada, but the program was set in America...
where he played Pete, the English friend of the main character, Mark. The character appeared in internet talks with Mark at the start of the programme and sometimes at the end.
In 2003, Anderson starred as the lead character in the CBBC sitcom Kerching!
Kerching!
Kerching! was a children's comedy drama on CBBC devised by Juliet Denison and Chris Cockerham in the later series. It follows the lives of teenagers Taj, Danny and Seymour. The programme revolves around Taj's website, Rudeboy, and his money-making schemes...
, Taj Lewis, an Internet whizzkid who was trying to make a million pounds for his single mum. In 2006, he won the role of Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Devon Anderson, who played the character between 2006 and 2007 before he was sacked for "time-keeping issues".-Character description:...
in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 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...
soap Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, but his contract was terminated on 6 January 2007. He has also made an appearance on the television show TMi
TMi
Sam & Mark's TMi Friday was a British children's television show that was presented by Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes . It originally aired on Saturday mornings on BBC Two from its launch on 16 September 2006, until the end of its fourth series on 19 December 2009. Sam & Mark were joined by Caroline...
, and appeared on Doctors
Doctors (BBC Soap Opera)
Doctors is a British daytime television soap opera, set in the fictional Midland town of Letherbridge, defined as being close to the City of Birmingham. It was created by Chris Murray; Mal Young drove its development, and Carson Black was the original producer. The first episode was broadcast on...
on 15 May 2008.
In summer 2009, Devon starred as Kian Oduya in the online drama Who Killed Summer sponsored by Vodafone which saw six young characters travelling Europe and the UK culminating in a murder mystery.
It was confirmed in November 2009 that Anderson would reprise the role of Billie Jackson in EastEnders, 15 years after he was last seen on the soap. He remained in the soap till October 2010 when his character Billie was killed.
Presenting career
Following his role in Kerching!, Anderson became a CBBC presenter. He presented on both the BBC1 CBBC show and the CBBC ChannelCBBC Channel
CBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...
.