Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon | |
---|---|
Born | Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting 14 May 1976 |
Nationality | English |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
Years active | 1988–present |
Spouse | |
Children | 1 |
Musical career | |
Genres | Pop |
Years active | 1992–2002, 2017–present |
Labels | Innocent, Virgin, Liberty, BMG |
Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (born Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting, 14 May 1976), is an English singer, television personality and actress. McCutcheon's first television role was the role of Mandy in the TV show Bluebirds in 1989. She also had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s, but it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell in the BBC's EastEnders that she is best remembered for, as well has her role in the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually. For the former she won the 1997 National Television Award, while for the latter she received the 2004 Empire Award and the 2004 MTV Movie Award. She was written out of EastEnders at the end of 1998 and then embarked on a pop career, this time as a solo artist.
McCutcheon's debut studio album You Me & Us (1999) peaked at number two in the UK, was certified platinum and spawned the UK number one single "Perfect Moment" and two other top 10 hits. Her second studio album, Wishing (2000), was less successful, peaking at number 25. However, it produced two top 10 singles and was certified gold. Her pop career stalled because of the poor reception of her third album, Musicality in 2002, which only reached number 55 in the UK and received silver certification. She has since appeared on various television programmes, 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. In 2017, she returned to music with the album Lost and Found, which peaked at number 17 in the UK, becoming her highest-charting album since her debut.
Early life
Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting[1] was born on 14 May 1976 at the Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital in the London Borough of Hackney[2] to Jenny Ponting and Thomas "Keith" Hemmings.[3] While in a relationship with Keith, Jenny experienced domestic violence, which continued for many years after their split.[4] After one of many incidents in which he attempted to kill both Jenny and Martine, he was arrested and later charged and remanded in custody for six months.[5] Jenny then met John McCutcheon, whom she later married.[6] [7] Shortly after, her surname was changed to her stepfather's, McCutcheon.[8] When Martine was sixteen, her mother gave birth to her half-brother, Laurence "LJ".[9] Jenny and John eventually divorced, and she married Alan Tomlin in 2000.[10][11]
McCutcheon attended a nursery school in Colchester, Essex,[12] and later the Shacklewell Infants' School in Hackeny, where she performed in her first play Away in a Manger, before progressing to the Shacklewell Juniors' School at the age of six, where she appeared in more plays, including Noah's Ark.[13] At the age of five, she began to attend extra dance classes, and later enrolled in a dance school in Stoke Newington.[14] Shortly before her tenth birthday, she successfully auditioned for a place at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.[15] However, due to the changing policy of the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) and was unable to take her place.[16] She then began to attend Italia Conti's Saturday lessons.[17] Later, the Reeves Foundation, a Church of England charity based in Moorgate, offered McCutchon a grant, and she was able to enrol at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.[18] She finished school with nine GCSEs.[19]
Career
Early career
At the age of 12, McCutcheon obtained her first acting role and was paid £350 to appear in an American television commercial for the drink Kool-Aid, which was followed by modelling assignments and bit parts in TV shows.[20] She was given the part of Mandy in the TV series Bluebirds (1989) alongside Barbara Windsor, and played Susan, Jane's sister (played by Denise van Outen), in the Anthony Newly directed production of Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, London, later transferred to the West End Lyric Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue.[21] This was followed by two guest appearances on the ITV police drama The Bill in 1991 and 1992. McCutcheon also appeared in the music video for the song "Caribbean Blue" by Irish singer Enya. By the time she was 15, she was part of an all-girl group, Milan, with two fellow pupils, and landed a record contract with Polydor and a gig touring as the warm-up act for the British boyband, East 17. Milan were reasonably successful. Three of their singles: "Is It Love You're After", "Affectionately Mine" and "Lead Me On", charted in the top ten of the dance charts, with the latter also making it to the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart.[22] However, they were not successful enough to make a living and disbanded.[23][20]
EastEnders
In 1994 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.[24] 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.[20] 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.[20]
For her portrayal of the character she received the 1997 National Television Award for Most Popular Actress and the 1998 TV Quick Award for Best Actress.[25]
Pop career
McCutcheon's first appearance on the charts occurred in 1995 on a minor dance song "Are You Man Enough" with the dance producers Uno Clio. A promotional video was also produced. In 1999, she debuted as a solo pop artist with Virgin Records and scored a number one on the UK Singles Chart with the ballad "Perfect Moment" (originally recorded by Edyta Górniak in 1997). Also that year, she had two more top 10 entries, reaching number six with two singles: "I've Got You" and later with "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. The three singles were taken from her debut album, You Me & Us, which peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
In 2000, McCutcheon released her second album, Wishing, which was less successful, charting at number 25 in the UK. The album spawned two singles – the number two hit "I'm Over You" and the follow-up song, a cover of the Donna Summer classic "On the Radio" which peaked at number seven. Despite peaking at only number 25, the album still managed to sell around 250,000 copies, and received a gold certification from BPI. McCutcheon released her third album, Musicality, a Broadway-influenced cover album, in 2002. It reached number 55 in the UK and was certified silver by BPI, however her pop career stalled when her recording contract was cancelled due to poor sales.[20] Her two-CD best-of-album called The Collection was released in September 2012.[26]
McCutcheon returned to music in 2017 with her fourth studio album, Lost and Found, released in August by BMG. Its lead single, "Say I'm Not Alone" was released on 30 May 2017.[27] The album peaked at number 17 in the UK, becoming McCutcheon's highest-charting album since the release of You Me & Us.[28]
Film, stage and television
Whilst still in EastEnders, McCutcheon appeared in her first pantomime, playing the title role in Cinderella, at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, Kent.[29] She appeared in ITV's The Knock 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,[30] she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical at the 2002 ceremony.
In 2002, McCutcheon presented the National Music Awards for ITV1 and in 2003 she featured in her only 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. However, she did win the MTV Movie Award for Best Trans-Atlantic Breakthrough Performer. She also won the Empire Award for Best Newcomer at the 9th Empire Awards 2004 ceremony.
In September 2005, she appeared in two episodes of hit BBC drama series Spooks. Screened on the UK television network 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 as the Agatha Christie's Marple television series episode "At Bertram's Hotel". She was also a judge for 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.[31] She 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 the character Susan Penwarden.[32]
In September 2016, McCutcheon was announced as a regular panellist on the ITV daytime show Loose Women, after making a few guest appearances on the show earlier in the year.[33] She left the show in 2017 after one season.
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 HarperCollins. McCutcheon was one of many celebrities who featured in a 2004 promotional film for London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. A fitness DVD, Martine McCutcheon: Dance Body, 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.[34] In 2009, her first novel, The Mistress, was published by Pan MacMillan.[35] In January 2010, she became the face on Danone's UK advertising campaign for its Activia yogurt brand.[36]
Personal life
McCutcheon was engaged to DJ Gareth Cooke, but broke off the relationship in 1996.[37] She was also in a relationship with Jonathan Barnham,[38] with whom she fell pregnant in 1999, however she miscarried.[39] McCutcheon married singer Jack McManus[40] at Lake Como in September 2012.[41] The couple had been dating since 2009.[42] On 4 February 2015, she gave birth to a son, Rafferty Jack McManus.[43]
In 2013, she was declared bankrupt by the Kingston upon Thames County Court with creditors including HM Revenue and Customs.[44]
In July 2014, she was awarded an Honorary Degree by the University of Bolton for her services to entertainment.[45]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Martine McCutcheon: This Is My Moment | Herself | TV movie documentary |
2001 | Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) | Mia | |
2002 | Martine | Herself | TV movie |
2003 | Love Actually | Natalie | 2004 Empire Award for Best Newcomer 2004 MTV Movie Award for Best Trans-Atlantic Breakthrough Performer |
2005 | The English Harem | Tracy Pringle | TV movie |
2006 | Withdrawal | Bonnie | Short |
2008 | Jump! | Liuba Halsman | |
2013 | The Home Office | Jane | TV movie |
2017 | Red Nose Day Actually | Natalie | Television short film |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1989 | Bluebirds | Mandy | 6 episodes |
1991 | The Bill | Paper Girls | Season 7, Episode 53 "Skeletons" |
1992 | Amanda Jones | Season 8, Episode 57 "A Scandalous Act" | |
1995–1998 | EastEnders | Tiffany Mitchell | 364 episodes 1997 National Television Award for Most Popular Actress 1998 TV Quick Award for Best Actress[25] Nominated—1999 British Soap Award for Best Exit |
2000 | The Knock | Jenny Foster | Season 5, Episode 2 |
2005 | Spooks | Tash | Season 4, 2 episodes (uncredited) |
2007 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Jane Cooper | Season 3, Episode 1 "At Bertram's Hotel" |
Soapstar Superstar | Herself/Judge | Series 2 | |
2008 | Echo Beach | Susan Penwarden | Season 1, 12 episodes |
Moving Wallpaper | Herself | Season 1, 4 episodes (uncredited) | |
Moving Wallpaper: The Mole | Herself | Short, Season 1, 2 episodes (uncredited) | |
2012 | Let's Get Gold | Herself/Judge | |
2013 | Midsomer Murders | Debbie Moffett | Season 15, Episode 6 "Schooled in Murder" |
2016–2017 | Loose Women | Herself/Panellist | Series 21 |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Martine McCutcheon: Dance Body | Herself | Fitness DVD |
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
---|---|---|---|
UK [46] | |||
You Me & Us | 2 | ||
Wishing |
|
25 |
|
Musicality |
|
55 |
|
Lost and Found |
|
17 |
Compilation albums
Title | Details |
---|---|
The Collection[26] |
|
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [46] |
GER [48] |
IRL [49] | ||||
"Perfect Moment" | 1999 | 1 | 100 | 3 |
|
You Me & Us |
"I've Got You" | 6 | — | 17 | |||
"Talking in Your Sleep"/"Love Me" | 6 | — | 26 |
| ||
"I'm Over You" | 2000 | 2 | — | 23 | Wishing | |
"On the Radio" | 2001 | 7 | — | 18 | ||
"Say I'm Not Alone" | 2017 | — | — | — | Lost and Found | |
"Any Sign of Life" | — | — | — | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
As featured artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
UK [46] | |||
"Are You Man Enough" (Uno Clio featuring Martine McCutcheon) |
1995 | 62 | Non-album single |
Other appearances
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Mamma Mia" | 1999 | ABBAmania |
"I Could Have Danced All Night" | 2001 | My Fair Lady (2001 London Cast Recording) |
References
Footnotes
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 11.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 1.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 2, 4.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 6–7.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 56–61.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 61, 63.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 65–69.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 69.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 5, 118–119.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 274, 358.
- ^ "Anguish of Martine's mum". Evening Standard. 18 April 2005. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 28.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 42–44.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 72–74.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 77–79.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 79.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 80.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 81-84.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 117–119.
- ^ a b c d e Hattenstone, Simon (15 November 2003). "It's got to be perfect". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 99-102.
- ^ "Milan". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 116.
- ^ "Martine McCutcheon: By George she's got it", BBC. URL last accessed on 2007-01-13.
- ^ a b "EastEnders cleans up". BBC News. 3 September 1998. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Collection". www.amazon.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ White, Jack (30 May 2017). "Martine McCutcheon releases new single Say I'm Not Alone and announces comeback album Lost and Found". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Ed Sheeran pips Elvis Presley to Albums Number 1 in one of the year's closest chart races". Official Charts Company. 18 August 2017. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 260.
- ^ Reynolds, Nigel (3 November 2001). "McCutcheon quits show over fears for her voice". London, UK: Telegraph. Archived from the original on 30 August 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Martine a "hate figure" for soap singers Archived 5 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine", Digital Spy; retrieved 17 January 2007.
- ^ 'Echo Beach' and 'Moving Wallpaper' lineup revealed Archived 21 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Three new Loose Women revealed!". Hello!. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
- ^ "Martine in Tesco advert Archived 30 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine", Tesco. URL last Retrieved 13 January 2007.
- ^ The Mistress Archived 5 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, PanMacmillan.com; accessed 4 July 2015.
- ^ "2010 is officially the Year of TLC – Tummy Loving Care". Activia promotion. Danone Plc. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "MARTINE MCCUTCHEON ON WHY SHE'S NOT GIVEN UP ON ROMANCE Archived 31 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine", The People. URL last Retrieved 13 January 2007.
- ^ "Martine McCutcheon: 'I think because of childhood stuff I've always wanted fantasy'". Irish Independent. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ McCutcheon 2001, p. 352-354.
- ^ Sarah Bull (14 April 2011). "Martine McCutcheon insists she is proud to be a role model for real women". London, UK: Dailymail.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Martine McCutcheon marries Jack McManus Archived 6 February 2013 at WebCite, express.co.uk; accessed 4 July 2015.
- ^ "A piece of my mind: Martine McCutcheon". The Herald. 16 November 2009. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Martine McCutcheon and Jack McManus welcome baby son". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Martine McCutcheon declared bankrupt". The Guardian. London, UK. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ "Former Eastenders star Martine McCutcheon and former Bolton Wanderers star Chris Eagles get honorary degrees from University of Bolton". The Bolton News. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "Martine McCutcheon". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (Enter the keywords "Martine McCutcheon", select search by Artist, tick the "Exact match" box and click search) on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Germany:
- "Perfect Moment": "Offiziellecharts.de – Martine McCutcheon – Perfect Moment" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
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- "Perfect Moment": "Offiziellecharts.de – Martine McCutcheon – Perfect Moment" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ "Enter the keywords "Martine Mc Cutcheon" in the "Search by Artist" section and click search". The Irish Charts. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
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Sources
- McCutcheon, Martine. Who Does She Think She Is?: My Autobiography. Martine McCutcheon with Matthew Wright Arrow Books; 2001. ISBN 978-0-09-956918-3.
External links
- 1976 births
- Living people
- English female singers
- English film actresses
- English musical theatre actresses
- English soap opera actresses
- English stage actresses
- English television actresses
- Alumni of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
- Actresses from London
- Best Newcomer Empire Award winners
- Laurence Olivier Award winners
- People from Hackney Central
- 20th-century English actresses
- 21st-century English actresses
- People associated with the University of Bolton