Martine McCutcheon
Encyclopedia
Martine McCutcheon is an English
singer
, television personality
and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell
in BBC
's EastEnders
that made her a household name in the UK in 1995. McCutcheon left the series at the end of 1998 to embark on a pop career, this time as a solo artist. She had international success, reaching #1 in 5 countries with her debut single "Perfect Moment". She released three albums to varying degrees of success, but her pop career stalled due to the poor reception of her third album in 2002. She has since appeared in various television programmes, in films such as Love Actually
as 'Natalie', and on stage in My Fair Lady
, where her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle won her a Laurence Olivier Award in 2002. She released her autobiography, Who Does She Think She Is? in 2000.
Mother's Hospital in Hackney
, London
, when her mother, Jenny Tomlin, was 20. She endured a turbulent early childhood due to the abusive and irrational behaviour of her drug addict father, Thomas Hemmings. Her earliest memory of her father is him dangling her over a balcony by her ankles, 30 feet up in the air, threatening to drop her unless her mother did what he wanted. Despite Hemmings leaving when McCutcheon was 2 years old, he would return periodically to threaten her mother so her early years were spent running and hiding in order to escape him. When McCutcheon was nine, her mother won sole custody and an injunction was made against Hemmings seeing McCutcheon until she was 18.
When McCutcheon was 10, her mother met and married window cleaner John McCutcheon (Martine's stepfather) which led to Martine taking her stepfather's surname. McCutcheon has a younger half-brother. She knew she wanted to be a performer from a young age but, as her family could not afford the fees for a drama school, she had to find an alternative method to learn her trade. McCutcheon met a woman at a local dance class who had been to the Italia Conti stage school
, and she suggested that the school would be a good environment for her. After a persuasive letter from McCutcheon, a Church of England
trust agreed to sponsor her. She trained after school and every Saturday (learning tap
, ballet
, jazz
, and drama
) in order to catch up with the more privileged children who were competing with her for a place at the prestigious school.
television commercial for the drink, Kool-Aid, which was followed by modelling
assignments and bit parts in TV shows such as in the ITV
police drama The Bill
. She also appeared in the music video for the song "Caribbean Blue
" by Irish singer Enya
. By the time she was 15, she had formed an all-girl group, 'Milan', with two fellow students and landed a record contract and a gig touring as the 'warm up' group for the British Boyband, East 17
. Milan were reasonably successful. They entered the dance charts three times but were not successful enough for the band to make a living and they collectively disbanded.
, McCutcheon was offered the small part of Tiffany Raymond
on the popular BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
. The role of Tiffany grew as did McCutcheon's popularity and 22 million viewers tuned in to see her final scenes in Albert Square
in 1998 when her character was killed in a special episode screened on New Years Eve. In reality, McCutcheon had decided to leave the soap in order to embark on a pop career and the death of her character was not viewed favourably by the actress as she had intended to return. Since leaving the show, McCutcheon has publicly slammed the BBC's "Controller of Continuing Drama Series", Mal Young
, who made the decision to kill her character. She accused him of treating her unfairly and bringing her role in the soap to an end so irrevocably, merely as punishment for leaving. In turn, Young has hit back at McCutcheon, saying her anger only arose because she wanted him to keep her role in EastEnders open as a 'safety net', in case her pop career failed, and he was not prepared to do this. McCutcheon has subsequently written an autobiography
entitled Who Does She Think She Is?: My Autobiography, which depicts Young less than favourably.
In 1999, McCutcheon debuted as a solo pop artist with Virgin Records
and scored a number 1 in the UK Singles Chart
with the ballad "Perfect Moment" (originally recorded by Edyta Górniak
in 1997). The song was a global success reaching number 1 not only in the UK
, but in Israel
, Italy
, Switzerland
and Ireland
. That same year she scored two more Top 10 hits, reaching number 6 with the singles "I've Got You" and later "Talking in Your Sleep", which featured the double A Side
"Love Me", an album track that was re-recorded for the Children in Need
appeal with all proceeds being donated to that cause. All three singles were taken from her debut album You, Me and Us, which peaked at number 2 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified as double platinum.
In 2000 McCutcheon released her second album Wishing, which was less successful, charting at number 25 in the UK Albums Chart
. The album spawned two singles - the number 2 hit "I'm Over You" and her follow up song "On The Radio". Despite only peaking at #25 the album still managed to sell around 250,000 copies. McCutcheon released her third album Musicality, a Broadway
influenced cover album, in 2002. It reached number 55 in the albums charts, however her pop career stalled when due to poor sales her recording contract
was cancelled.
as well as the British film Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)
in 2000. She went on to play Eliza Doolittle
in My Fair Lady
at the National Theatre
in London. Despite missing many performances (citing health problems) and withdrawing nearly five months early from the production's transfer to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
, she won the award for best actress in a musical at the 2002 Laurence Olivier Awards
.
In 2002, McCutcheon presented the National Music Awards for ITV1
and in 2003 she featured in her first major film role. She appeared as tea-lady
Natalie in the Richard Curtis
romantic comedy
Love Actually
, where the British Prime Minister (played by Hugh Grant
) falls in love with McCutcheon's character. The film received good reviews and was a box office success. McCutcheon went to America in the wake of the film's success, but a Hollywood career did not materialise. She did however, win Best Trans-atlantic breakthrough at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards
.
In September 2005 she appeared in two episodes of hit BBC drama series Spooks
, playing Tash, a waitress who witnesses a terrorist bombing. Screened on the UK television station ITV1
in December 2005, McCutcheon appeared in The English Harem, playing a woman in love with a Muslim man (Art Malik
), who marries him despite knowing he already has two wives. That same year she presented and performed on ITV's entertainment programme, Moviemusic Mania.
In 2007, McCutcheon was seen in two independent films, Withdrawal opposite Patrick Swayze
and Jump!, as well Marple
episode At Bertram's Hotel
, where she plays a maid named Jane Cooper that assists Miss Marple with her investigations. She was also a judge in the second series of ITV1
's Soapstar Superstar
. Her appearance on the show drew criticism, with reports alleging that she was becoming a hate figure for the contestants, who were said to have found her comments relentlessly critical and at times patronising. McCutcheon performed in an Art Plus fundraising event at the Whitechapel Art Gallery opposite Natalie Press
, Samantha Morton
and Rhys Ifans
and in January 2008 she starred alongside actor Jason Donovan
, in the ITV
soap Echo Beach
as character Susan Penwarden.
, in 2004. A fitness DVD, Martine McCutcheon: Dance body workout, was released in December 2005.
In August 2006, the supermarket
chain, Tesco
, announced that they would be using McCutcheon in a series of adverts to promote a new green
scheme for recycling used plastic carrier bags. In 2006, she became "the face" of the washing powder brand, Lenor.
In 2009 she had her first novel published by Pan MacMillan, called The Mistress.
In January 2010 she became the face on Danone's UK advertising campaign for its Activia
yogurt brand.
Martine had worked on two BBC Radio plays, most recently with Ricky Tomlinson and Clive Anderson.
, with whom she has been in a relationship since 2009.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, television personality
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Tiffany Dawn Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Martine McCutcheon from 1995 until 1998. The character was created by the writer, Tony Jordan...
in 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...
's 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...
that made her a household name in the UK in 1995. McCutcheon left the series at the end of 1998 to embark on a pop career, this time as a solo artist. She had international success, reaching #1 in 5 countries with her debut single "Perfect Moment". She released three albums to varying degrees of success, but her pop career stalled due to the poor reception of her third album in 2002. She has since appeared in various television programmes, in films such as Love Actually
Love Actually
Love Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress...
as 'Natalie', and on stage in My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, where her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle won her a Laurence Olivier Award in 2002. She released her autobiography, Who Does She Think She Is? in 2000.
Early life
McCutcheon was born as Martine Kimberley Sherri Ponting at the Salvation ArmySalvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
Mother's Hospital in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, 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...
, when her mother, Jenny Tomlin, was 20. She endured a turbulent early childhood due to the abusive and irrational behaviour of her drug addict father, Thomas Hemmings. Her earliest memory of her father is him dangling her over a balcony by her ankles, 30 feet up in the air, threatening to drop her unless her mother did what he wanted. Despite Hemmings leaving when McCutcheon was 2 years old, he would return periodically to threaten her mother so her early years were spent running and hiding in order to escape him. When McCutcheon was nine, her mother won sole custody and an injunction was made against Hemmings seeing McCutcheon until she was 18.
When McCutcheon was 10, her mother met and married window cleaner John McCutcheon (Martine's stepfather) which led to Martine taking her stepfather's surname. McCutcheon has a younger half-brother. She knew she wanted to be a performer from a young age but, as her family could not afford the fees for a drama school, she had to find an alternative method to learn her trade. McCutcheon met a woman at a local dance class who had been to the Italia Conti stage school
Italia Conti Academy
The Italia Conti Academy is a theatre arts training school based in London. It was founded in 1911 by actress Italia Conti...
, and she suggested that the school would be a good environment for her. After a persuasive letter from McCutcheon, a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
trust agreed to sponsor her. She trained after school and every Saturday (learning tap
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
) in order to catch up with the more privileged children who were competing with her for a place at the prestigious school.
Early career
At the age of 12 McCutcheon obtained her first acting role and was paid £350 to appear in an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television commercial for the drink, Kool-Aid, which was followed by modelling
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
assignments and bit parts in TV shows such as in the ITV
ITV
ITV 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...
police drama The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
. She also appeared in the music video for the song "Caribbean Blue
Caribbean Blue
"Caribbean Blue" is a hit song by Irish musician Enya originally released as the second track on her 1991 album Shepherd Moons."Caribbean Blue" got to Number 13 in the UK Singles Chart...
" by Irish singer Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...
. By the time she was 15, she had formed an all-girl group, 'Milan', with two fellow students and landed a record contract and a gig touring as the 'warm up' group for the British Boyband, East 17
East 17
East 17 are a pop boy band comprising Tony Mortimer, John Hendy and Terry Coldwell. Tony Mortimer is the group's frontman and primary songwriter. Formed in Walthamstow, London in 1991, the group have achieved eighteen Top 20 singles and four Top 10 albums, and were one of the UK's most popular boy...
. Milan were reasonably successful. They entered the dance charts three times but were not successful enough for the band to make a living and they collectively disbanded.
Mainstream success; EastEnders
In 1994, while working as a shopgirl at KnickerboxAnn Summers
Ann Summers is a United Kingdom-based retailer specialising in sex toys and lingerie, with over 140 high street stores in the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Spain. In 2000, Ann Summers acquired the Knickerbox brand, a label with an emphasis on more comfortable and feminine underwear, while...
, McCutcheon was offered the small part of Tiffany Raymond
Tiffany Mitchell
Tiffany Dawn Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Martine McCutcheon from 1995 until 1998. The character was created by the writer, Tony Jordan...
on the popular 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 opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
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...
. The role of Tiffany grew as did McCutcheon's popularity and 22 million viewers tuned in to see her final scenes in Albert Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
in 1998 when her character was killed in a special episode screened on New Years Eve. In reality, McCutcheon had decided to leave the soap in order to embark on a pop career and the death of her character was not viewed favourably by the actress as she had intended to return. Since leaving the show, McCutcheon has publicly slammed the BBC's "Controller of Continuing Drama Series", Mal Young
Mal Young
Mal Young is a British television producer and executive producer.-Background:His initial career was in the Graphic Design industry, and it was not until the age of 27 that he began working in television, on the acclaimed Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.Working on the show for nearly a decade, he...
, who made the decision to kill her character. She accused him of treating her unfairly and bringing her role in the soap to an end so irrevocably, merely as punishment for leaving. In turn, Young has hit back at McCutcheon, saying her anger only arose because she wanted him to keep her role in EastEnders open as a 'safety net', in case her pop career failed, and he was not prepared to do this. McCutcheon has subsequently written an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
entitled Who Does She Think She Is?: My Autobiography, which depicts Young less than favourably.
Pop career
McCutcheon first appearance in the chart occurred in 1995 on a minor dance song "Are You Man Enough" with the dance producers "Uno clio". A promotional video was produced.In 1999, McCutcheon debuted as a solo pop artist with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and scored a number 1 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
with the ballad "Perfect Moment" (originally recorded by Edyta Górniak
Edyta Górniak
Edyta Górniak is one of the most popular female singers from Poland.- Beginnings :At the age of 14 Górniak formed a band and was playing at private parties and evening dances. After taking singing lessons, in 1989, aged 16, she gave her first public appearance on a Polish television talent show...
in 1997). The song was a global success reaching number 1 not only in the UK
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...
, but in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. That same year she scored two more Top 10 hits, reaching number 6 with the singles "I've Got You" and later "Talking in Your Sleep", which featured the double A Side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
"Love Me", an album track that was re-recorded for the Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
appeal with all proceeds being donated to that cause. All three singles were taken from her debut album You, Me and Us, which peaked at number 2 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified as double platinum.
In 2000 McCutcheon released her second album Wishing, which was less successful, charting at number 25 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The album spawned two singles - the number 2 hit "I'm Over You" and her follow up song "On The Radio". Despite only peaking at #25 the album still managed to sell around 250,000 copies. McCutcheon released her third album Musicality, a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
influenced cover album, in 2002. It reached number 55 in the albums charts, however her pop career stalled when due to poor sales her recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
was cancelled.
Film, stage and television
McCutcheon appeared in ITV's The KnockThe Knock
The Knock was a primetime UK drama series, created by Anita Bronson and broadcast on ITV from 1994 to 2000, which portrayed the activities of customs officers from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise....
as well as the British film Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)
Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)
Kiss Kiss is a 2000 English comedy film written and directed by Stewart Sugg. It features Stellan Skarsgård, Chris Penn, and Paul Bettany.- Plot :Felix is a hit-man who wants out of the business...
in 2000. She went on to play Eliza Doolittle
Eliza Doolittle
Eliza Sophie Caird , better known by her stage name Eliza Doolittle, is an English singer–songwriter from London, who signed to the Parlophone record label in October 2008. Her debut self-titled album, Eliza Doolittle was released on 12 July 2010, where it debuted at number 3 in the UK...
in My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
at the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in London. Despite missing many performances (citing health problems) and withdrawing nearly five months early from the production's transfer to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
, she won the award for best actress in a musical at the 2002 Laurence Olivier Awards
Laurence Olivier Awards
The Laurence Olivier Award is presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre. Named after the renowned British actor Laurence Olivier, they are given for West End shows and other productions staged in London...
.
In 2002, McCutcheon presented the National Music Awards for ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
and in 2003 she featured in her first major film role. She appeared as tea-lady
Tea lady
A tea lady is a woman in an office or working environment, whose sole job is to provide beverages and light snacks during the allocated tea break. Tea ladies are a mainly British custom. They entered the mainstream in the UK during the second world war, when tea ladies were used in an experiment...
Natalie in the Richard Curtis
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually and The Girl in the Café, as well as the hit...
romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
Love Actually
Love Actually
Love Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress...
, where the British Prime Minister (played by Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
) falls in love with McCutcheon's character. The film received good reviews and was a box office success. McCutcheon went to America in the wake of the film's success, but a Hollywood career did not materialise. She did however, win Best Trans-atlantic breakthrough at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general...
.
In September 2005 she appeared in two episodes of hit BBC drama series Spooks
Spooks
Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
, playing Tash, a waitress who witnesses a terrorist bombing. Screened on the UK television station ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
in December 2005, McCutcheon appeared in The English Harem, playing a woman in love with a Muslim man (Art Malik
Art Malik
Art Malik is a Pakistani-born British actor who achieved international fame in the 1980s through his starring and subsidiary roles in assorted British and Merchant-Ivory television serials and films...
), who marries him despite knowing he already has two wives. That same year she presented and performed on ITV's entertainment programme, Moviemusic Mania.
In 2007, McCutcheon was seen in two independent films, Withdrawal opposite Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest...
and Jump!, as well Marple
Marple (TV series)
Marple is a British television series based on the Miss Marple and other murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It is also known as Agatha Christie's Marple. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role. She was replaced...
episode At Bertram's Hotel
At Bertram's Hotel
At Bertram's Hotel is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 15 November 1965 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retailed at sixteen shillings and the US edition at $4.50...
, where she plays a maid named Jane Cooper that assists Miss Marple with her investigations. She was also a judge in the second series of ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
's Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar was a reality singing competition produced by Granada Television which first aired on British television station ITV in 2006. In the competition, ten soap opera actors perform in front of a celebrity panel, which included Cilla Black, Billy Sammeth and Chris Cowey...
. Her appearance on the show drew criticism, with reports alleging that she was becoming a hate figure for the contestants, who were said to have found her comments relentlessly critical and at times patronising. McCutcheon performed in an Art Plus fundraising event at the Whitechapel Art Gallery opposite Natalie Press
Natalie Press
Natalie Press is an English actress, perhaps best known for her award-winning performance in the 2004 film My Summer of Love and a number of short and feature length independent films, including Wasp, which won the 2005 Academy Award for Live Action Short Film.-Personal life:Press is from North...
, Samantha Morton
Samantha Morton
Samantha Jane Morton is an English actress and film director. She began her performing career with guest roles in television shows such as Soldier Soldier and Boon before making her film debut in the 1997 drama film This Is the Sea, playing the character of Hazel Stokes...
and Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans is a Welsh actor and musician. He is known for his portrayal of characters such as Spike in Notting Hill and Jed Parry in Enduring Love and as a member of the Welsh rock groups Super Furry Animals and The Peth. Ifans also appeared as Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly...
and in January 2008 she starred alongside actor Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
, in the ITV
ITV
ITV 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...
soap Echo Beach
Echo Beach (soap)
Echo Beach was a short-lived British teen-drama series that aired on ITV in 2008. Set in the fictional Cornish coastal town of Polnarren, it ran for twelve weekly episodes from 10 January to 21 March 2008...
as character Susan Penwarden.
Other work
McCutcheon released her autobiography, Who Does She Think She Is? in 2000, and in 2003 Martine McCutcheon: Behind the Scenes - A Personal Diary, was published by Harper Collins. McCutcheon, along with many global stars, also featured in a promotional film for London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, in 2004. A fitness DVD, Martine McCutcheon: Dance body workout, was released in December 2005.
In August 2006, the supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, announced that they would be using McCutcheon in a series of adverts to promote a new green
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
scheme for recycling used plastic carrier bags. In 2006, she became "the face" of the washing powder brand, Lenor.
In 2009 she had her first novel published by Pan MacMillan, called The Mistress.
In January 2010 she became the face on Danone's UK advertising campaign for its Activia
Activia
Activia is a brand of probiotic dairy products owned by Danone . Activia is marketed as a beneficial health product, with a focus on improved digestion for both men and women...
yogurt brand.
Martine had worked on two BBC Radio plays, most recently with Ricky Tomlinson and Clive Anderson.
Personal life
McCutcheon was engaged to DJ Gareth Cooke, but broke off the relationship in 1996. She is now engaged to singer Jack McManusJack McManus (singer)
Jack McManus is a BRIT School educated singer-songwriter from West Wickham, Kent in England.-Music career:A singer who has been compared to Elton John and Billy Joel, McManus' debut album Either Side Of Midnight was released on Polydor Records/UMRL on 5 May 2008, preceded by his first single "Bang...
, with whom she has been in a relationship since 2009.
Filmography
- EastendersEastEndersEastEnders 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...
(1994-1998) - Tiffany MitchellTiffany MitchellTiffany Dawn Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Martine McCutcheon from 1995 until 1998. The character was created by the writer, Tony Jordan... - Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Kiss Kiss is a 2000 English comedy film written and directed by Stewart Sugg. It features Stellan Skarsgård, Chris Penn, and Paul Bettany.- Plot :Felix is a hit-man who wants out of the business...
(2000) - Mia - Love ActuallyLove ActuallyLove Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress...
(2003) - Natalie - The English Harem (2005)
- Withdrawal (Indie short film) (2006)
- Jump!Jump! (film)Jump! is a 2007 British-Austrian drama film written and directed by Joshua Sinclair. It starred Ben Silverstone, Patrick Swayze and Martine McCutcheon. It was loosely based on the real-life Halsman murder case. The film was premiered on the 2009 Jewish Film Festival in June 2009...
(2007) - Liuba Halsman
Albums
| Information |
|---|
| You Me & Us You Me & Us You Me & Us is the debut album by English pop singer and actress Martine McCutcheon, released in 1999. It went into the UK album charts at #2....
|
| Wishing
|
| Musicality Musicality (album) Musicality is the third solo album from actress-singer Martine McCutcheon. This album was all covers of songs from Martine's favourite musicals.-Track listing:# Maybe This Time – from Cabaret# Zing Went the Strings of My Heart – from Listen Darling... |
Singles
| Year | Single | Album | Chart positions | UK Certification | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
IRE Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
D | ITA | IL | ||||
| 1999 | "Perfect Moment Perfect Moment "Perfect Moment" is a song written by Jim Marr and Wendy Page, originally recorded by Polish singer Edyta Górniak in 1997 but the best known version is by English actress Martine McCutcheon that reached number one in the UK in 1999. It was McCutcheon's first single in which she launched a music... " |
You Me & Us | 1 | 1 | 100 | 1 | 1 | Platinum |
| "I've Got You" | 6 | 12 | ||||||
| "Talking in Your Sleep"/"Love Me" | 6 | 10 | Silver | |||||
| 2000 | "I'm Over You" | Wishing | 2 | 8 | ||||
| 2001 | "On the Radio On the Radio (Donna Summer song) "On the Radio" is a single by Donna Summer released in 1979 on the Casablanca record label. It was written for the soundtrack to the film Foxes and included on Summer's first international compilation album On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2. It was released as a single and became, in... " |
7 | 19 |
Other songs
- 1999: "Mamma MiaMamma Mia (song)"Mamma Mia" is a song from ABBA's 3rd album, ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song "Mamma Mia" is a common song used in bands or orchestras...
" - from the ABBAMania compilation album - 2002: "I Dreamed a DreamI Dreamed a Dream"I Dreamed a Dream" is a song from the musical Les Misérables. It is a solo that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron...
" - From 101 Songs from the musicals CD - 2001: "On The Radio" - from "Now That's What I Call Music! 48"
- 1999: "Perfect Moment" - from "Now That's What I Call Music! 43"
- 2000: "I've Got You" - from "Now That's What I Call Music! 47"
- 2001: "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" - from "My Fair Lady" 2001 London Cast Recording
- 2001: " I Could Have Danced All Night" - from "My Fair Lady" 2001 London Cast Recording