Jennie McAlpine
Encyclopedia
Jennie Elizabeth McAlpine (born 24 May 1984) is a British
television
actress and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Fiz Stape in the well known British soap opera Coronation Street
.
and Irish
descent, with a grandfather from County Kerry
and a grandmother from County Sligo. As a young girl she used to put on shows on the patio for the neighbours, charging them 50 pence apiece. She did song and dance routines, copying groups like Bananarama
.
Her father Tom McAlpine (b. 1951) works in mental health and was recently awarded the OBE for services to mental healthcare. With his encouragement she took up amateur dramatics at the age of eight, when father and daughter appeared together in a pantomime
by the Bury Parish Players. She was the fairy and he was the dame. As a teenager she joined the Carol Godby Theatre Workshop. McAlpine's parents separated when she was young after which she lived with her father. She has a brother, Thomas McAlpine (b. 1971),
She had a difficult time at school and did not like teachers: 'My reports always said I talked too much and made me think I was crap. I wasn't in the popular group at school and I didn't especially get on with the girls ... All through school I was going for parts. They wouldn't give me time off for the auditions, so I used to end up wagging it.
in London
and came second in a Young Comedian Of The Year competition run by Fanta
. At the grand final at Comedy Store in London
she met TV presenter Jonathan Ross
and comedian Peter Kay
, and was so inspired that she entered a second time in 1998, coming second again. She spent four years (1997–2001) doing stand-up comedy at charity nights, galas and pub nights with her father in Bury.
McAlpine played Michelle Morley in Emmerdale from 1999 to 2001. After leaving school she enrolled in her local college, Holy Cross
, and began studying for A-levels. At the age of 17 she auditioned for the part of Fiz Brown
( now Fiz Stape) on Coronation Street, a role she has played since 2001. McAlpine drew inspiration for Fiz from her father's work with troubled children. She was originally hired for just five episodes, and went back to studying for her A-levels and working part-time in Boots The Chemist. However her comic timing had so impressed Coronation Street producers that they offered her a long-term contract. She won Best Newcomer for the role at the 2002 British Soap Awards
.
In 2008, McAlpine went to South Africa
to film Coronation Street: Out of Africa
. In 2008 she appeared in a Freeview advertisement promoting its PVR
service. She has been a narrator for the Royal Festival Hall
McAlpine was nominated in the category of 'Best Soap Actress' at the 2008 TV Quick
Awards. Additionally she has made a variety of television appearances notably on Big Brother's Big Mouth, F*** Off, I'm Ginger, 8 out of 10 Cats
, The Xtra Factor, " The Door
", and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, where she teamed up with Samia Smith
and raised £50,000 for charity.
In December 2009, she appeared on the Christmas special of Podge & Rodge's Stickit Inn
for RTE
in Ireland
with Johnny Vegas
, where she revealed her Irish ancestry.
In November 2010, Jennie appeared as a guest panellist on ITVs flagship show Loose Women
, in celebration of 50 Years of Coronation Street
.
ancestry, and famous red hair
she said:
through the Thebes Project in Luxor
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actress and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Fiz Stape in the well known British soap opera Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
.
Early life
McAlpine was born and bred in Bury, Greater Manchester. She is of ScottishScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
descent, with a grandfather from County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
and a grandmother from County Sligo. As a young girl she used to put on shows on the patio for the neighbours, charging them 50 pence apiece. She did song and dance routines, copying groups like Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
.
Her father Tom McAlpine (b. 1951) works in mental health and was recently awarded the OBE for services to mental healthcare. With his encouragement she took up amateur dramatics at the age of eight, when father and daughter appeared together in a pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — 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...
by the Bury Parish Players. She was the fairy and he was the dame. As a teenager she joined the Carol Godby Theatre Workshop. McAlpine's parents separated when she was young after which she lived with her father. She has a brother, Thomas McAlpine (b. 1971),
She had a difficult time at school and did not like teachers: 'My reports always said I talked too much and made me think I was crap. I wasn't in the popular group at school and I didn't especially get on with the girls ... All through school I was going for parts. They wouldn't give me time off for the auditions, so I used to end up wagging it.
Career
McAlpine's big break came in 1997 when at the age of 13 she did stand-up comedyStand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
in London
London
London 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 came second in a Young Comedian Of The Year competition run by Fanta
Fanta
Fanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide. The drink debuted in Germany in 1941 and originally sold only in Europe.-History:...
. At the grand final at Comedy Store in London
London
London 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...
she met TV presenter Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...
and comedian Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
, and was so inspired that she entered a second time in 1998, coming second again. She spent four years (1997–2001) doing stand-up comedy at charity nights, galas and pub nights with her father in Bury.
McAlpine played Michelle Morley in Emmerdale from 1999 to 2001. After leaving school she enrolled in her local college, Holy Cross
Holy Cross College (UK)
Holy Cross College is a Catholic Sixth Form College on Manchester Road in Bury, England, UK-Admissions:It has around 2200 pupils. It offers education for pupils ages 16–19 including A Levels and a limited selection of Undergraduate degrees-History:...
, and began studying for A-levels. At the age of 17 she auditioned for the part of Fiz Brown
Fiz Brown
Fiona "Fiz" Stape is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Jennie McAlpine. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 April 2001. Initially appearing for five episodes, McAlpine's contract was soon extended and Fiz became a regular character...
( now Fiz Stape) on Coronation Street, a role she has played since 2001. McAlpine drew inspiration for Fiz from her father's work with troubled children. She was originally hired for just five episodes, and went back to studying for her A-levels and working part-time in Boots The Chemist. However her comic timing had so impressed Coronation Street producers that they offered her a long-term contract. She won Best Newcomer for the role at the 2002 British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
.
In 2008, McAlpine went to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to film Coronation Street: Out of Africa
Coronation Street: Out of Africa
Coronation Street: Out of Africa is a 2008 film set in sun and seaside resort of Sun City, South Africa. Cilla Battersby, the mother from hell, brought her son and other "son" over to Africa to win a competition for $500,000- Plot :...
. In 2008 she appeared in a Freeview advertisement promoting its PVR
PVR
PVR may refer to:*Peak Vehicle Requirement, the number of public transport vehicles required to operate the highest frequency service on a route*Penn Virginia Resources, a mining company* Personal video recorder, also known as a digital video recorder...
service. She has been a narrator for the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
McAlpine was nominated in the category of 'Best Soap Actress' at the 2008 TV Quick
TV Quick
TV Choice, is a British weekly TV listings magazine published by H. Bauer Publishing, the UK subsidiary of family-run German company Bauer Media Group...
Awards. Additionally she has made a variety of television appearances notably on Big Brother's Big Mouth, F*** Off, I'm Ginger, 8 out of 10 Cats
8 Out of 10 Cats
8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by...
, The Xtra Factor, " The Door
The Door (TV series)
The Door is a two-part celebrity series broadcast on the ITV Network in the United Kingdom and hosted by Chris Tarrant and Amanda Holden. Keith Duffy and Dean Gaffney made it to the final with Keith winning the show with Dean as the runner-up.-Overview:...
", and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, where she teamed up with Samia Smith
Samia Smith
Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:...
and raised £50,000 for charity.
In December 2009, she appeared on the Christmas special of Podge & Rodge's Stickit Inn
Podge & Rodge's Stickit Inn
Podge and Rodge's Stickit Inn is an Irish Comedy entertainment show, broadcast and produced by RTÉ, featuring the popular puppet characters Podge and Rodge as hosts...
for RTE
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
with Johnny Vegas
Johnny Vegas
Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...
, where she revealed her Irish ancestry.
In November 2010, Jennie appeared as a guest panellist on ITVs flagship show Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
, in celebration of 50 Years of Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
.
Personal life
McAlpine has been going out with her boyfriend Chris since 2005. On the subject of her ScottishScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
ancestry, and famous red hair
Red hair
Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population. It occurs more frequently in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations...
she said:
Other projects
Since the age of 17 McAlpine has devoted her spare time to helping deprived children in EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
through the Thebes Project in Luxor
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
.