Latest news with #Doctors
Daily Record
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
What became of cast of BBC sitcom Bread from major Hollywood roles to soap comeback
It's been more than three decades since the curtain came down on the Boswell family in the final episode of Bread - but where is the cast now and what have they been up to since? It's been over thirty years since the sitcom Bread transported us into the Boswell family's Liverpool home. The widely adored series, set in the 1980s, chronicled the family's varying fortunes as they navigated life under the stern supervision of their matriarch, Nellie Boswell. Making its debut on May 1, 1986, the show's memorable ceramic hen from the opening credits and the theme song performed by the cast quickly became a beloved part of many viewers' evening routines. The programme ran for eight seasons until 1991, delivering numerous unforgettable moments, whether it was Liverpool icon Sonia making a guest appearance or the notorious Italian holiday in the Christmas special. But what have the cast members been up to in the 34 years since the show concluded? Jean Boht - Nellie Boswell Jean Boht portrayed Nellie, the family's matriarch who had to tolerate her family's often eccentric schemes to earn a living. Beyond the show, she featured in all the classic BBC soaps, including Casualty, Doctors, Holby City and The Bill, reports the Liverpool Echo. She also had a stint on stage, performing alongside Jeremy Irons in the 2006 production of Embers. Jean sadly passed away in September 2023 at the age of 91 following a battle with Alzheimer's disease. She spent her final days at Denville Hall, a residence for retired actors and members of the theatrical profession. Ronald Forfar - Freddie Boswell Ronald Forfar was known for his portrayal of Nellie's troublesome spouse Freddie, a character easily identifiable by his unkempt white hair and impressive moustache. Freddie was a constant source of trouble for the family due to his ongoing affair with Lilo Lill and his indifference towards his family's antics. Post-show, Ronald transitioned into writing, penning 'A Wilderness of Monkeys', a narrative about life in theatre. Sadly, Ronald passed away at the age of 81 in October 2020. Eileen Pollock - Lilo Lill Lilo Lill, the 'other woman' in the Boswell marriage, was one of the most memorable and iconic characters on the show, portrayed by Eileen Pollock. After the series concluded, Eileen spent much of her time on stage, collaborating with several Northern Irish companies. She also had a brief stint in Hollywood, featuring in the film adaptation of Frank McCourt's book 'Angela's Ashes' in 1999 and sharing screen space with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in 'Far and Away', playing the role of landlady Molly. Sadly, Eileen passed away in 2020 at the age of 73. Peter Howitt - Joey Boswell Howitt played the eldest of the Boswell boys, Joey, but was replaced in the fifth series when Graham Bickley took over the role. Peter went on to achieve significant success post-show, making a name for himself in Hollywood with films like 'Sliding Doors' and the 2012 thriller 'Reasonable Doubt', starring Dominic Cooper and Samuel L Jackson. However, he is perhaps best known for directing the original 'Johnny English' film, featuring Rowan Atkinson. He currently resides in Vancouver, Canada, with his wife and two children. Nick Conway - Billy Boswell Nick, the youngest of the brothers, portrayed the bumbling Billy Boswell who seemed to constantly struggle with even the simplest tasks, often through no fault of his own. He later appeared in several classic soaps, including roles on The Bill and Casualty, before securing the role of Gavin for a stint on Coronation Street. Now 62, Nick has also dabbled in DJing and opened a theatre school, following his own experiences performing in plays. Victor McGuire - Jack Boswell Post his stint as Jack Boswell in Bread, Victor has bagged significant roles across film and television, including appearances in Hollywood blockbusters such as Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and The Woman in Black. On the small screen, he's made appearances in Sky 1's Trollied, Casualty and more recently, as Big Garth on Coronation Street.
Metro
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Major EastEnders star almost quit acting until she landed role in BBC soap
Laura Doddington has revealed she considered a career change (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes) EastEnders star Laura Doddington is already making quite the impact on Albert Square as her troubled character Nicola Mitchell. Across the last month we've seen her try and conceal the fact she murdered son Harry's (Elijah Holloway) ex-girlfriend Shireen. He subsequently learnt the truth in episodes that aired this week, and on the very same day it was revealed to husband Teddy (Roland Manookian) that he isn't the father of their youngest son Barney (Lewis Bridgeman). After an explosive argument in front of their neighbours, the family returned home and resumed normality. But something tells us it won't be long for things to kick off again! The actress, 44, has appeared in Doctors, Casualty and Holby City, as well as in one episode of the BBC's flagship soap in 2009. It wasn't until November when she stepped into Walford as a regular, and now the star has revealed she almost gave up the acting profession had she not landed the part. Speaking to The Mirror, Laura explained that she considered retraining as a hairdresser. She joined the cast as Nicola Mitchell in November (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) Laura has already plunged into some huge storylines for her character (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes) 'The industry is hard at the moment' she said. 'Before this audition came through, I'd been looking at retraining to do something else, I've got a young kid. And that makes you think about their future and stability for them. 'I cut my son's hair and I'm sort of reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option. 'I was in Prime Suspect when I was in my 20s and The Midwich Cuckoos, but they weren't massive parts. I was beginning to think it might not be possible to have that lead role.' She continued: 'Unfortunately in this industry when you get to over the age of about 35 and you haven't made a name for yourself, the interesting roles sort of start drying up. It's just the way that it is and the way the world is a little bit. Follow Metro Soaps on WhatsApp and get all the latest spoilers first! Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! 'That's why I love soaps and continuing dramas as they champion individuals of all ages and put characters at the heart of storytelling.' This weekend she faces competition from Coronation Street's Jacob Roberts, Emmerdale star Shebz Miah and Isabelle Smith, better known as Hollyoaks' Frankie Osborne in the Best Newcomer category at the British Soap Awards. Metro will be heading down to the red carpet for the event, so keep an eye out for chats with your favourite soap stars. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. Arrow MORE: TV legend renews Coronation Street contract to stay on into next year Arrow MORE: EastEnders star Kara Tointon, 41, undergoes double mastectomy Arrow MORE: Hollyoaks star Paul Danan's death at 46 ruled misadventure
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Two huge Doctor Who favourites return to BBC show amid Ncuti Gatwa 'axe' fears
Two Doctor Who favourites are returning to their roles on the hit BBC show amid fears the programme is in crisis following rumours Ncuti Gatwa was being 'axed' from the role Two Doctor Who stars are returning to the BBC show amid fears of a 'crisis'. There had been reports of Ncuti Gatwa being 'axed' from the BBC programme, something which was denied by the broadcaster. It has now been revealed that both Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill - who played Amy Pond and Rory Williams in the Matt Smith era of the show - will return for a special episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed. Steffan Powell will follow the journey of a string of previously announced Doctors, companions, and showrunners, including Ncuti Gatwa, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Varada Sethu, Billie Piper, Pearl Mackie, Mandip Gill, Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall, and Russell T Davies as they discuss the secrets from behind the scenes. Former production designer Edward Thomas and costume designer Ray Holman are also on hand to discuss the exciting moments - both in front and behind the camera - that make the show what it is. A special hour-long episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed will air on Saturday June 7th at 6am on BBC iPlayer, and air on BBC One Wales and BBC Three later that day, a week after the season two finale of Doctor Who - The Reality War. There had been reports that Ncuti would be leaving the show after two series when he pulled out of announcing the UK's jury scores at the Eurovision Song Contest a few weeks back. A BBC spokesperson told The Mirror that Ncuti had not been 'axed' from the show. They said: "Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been 'axed' is pure fiction." As for whether the series will continue, the BBC explained: "As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs and any other claims are just pure speculation. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes – and we still have an entire spin off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air. And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines." Karen left the show in 2012, and at the time said of her departure: "I just can't believe it's real. I have just always thought in my head I am in the show until the final episode airs, so I thought I had loads of time. But now it is approaching. It is a really weird sensation because I can't wait to see the episode and can't wait for everyone else to see it – but I don't want it to air at the same time. "I was emotional for about two weeks filming the episode and I was crying at everything. Things that weren't even sad, anything would set me off. Everything was already bubbling under the surface. So in my final scene it is not even acting, it is real because I knew I had to leave in real life and I had to leave Matt and Arthur."
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EastEnders star Laura Doddington reveals she nearly quit acting for a VERY different career path before landing her role on the soap
She's become one of the soap's breakout stars, with a nomination for Best Newcomer at this year's British Soap Awards. But EastEnders star Laura Doddington has revealed that she came close to quitting her 22-year acting career, before she landed her role on the soap. The actress, 44, has fast become a fan favourite as Nicola Mitchell in the BBC soap, with her character's historic affair causing huge fireworks in Albert Square this week. Speaking to The Mirror, Laura shared that she was considering changing her career before she landed her breakout soap part. She said: 'The industry is hard at the moment. Before this audition came through, I'd been looking at retraining to do something else, I've got a young kid. And that makes you think about their future and stability for them.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Despite roles in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty, as well as work on the stage, Laura shared that she debated training as a hairdresser before the Walford role came along. Having previously starred in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty as well as on the stage - the lead role Laura had hoped for just wasn't coming. She added: 'I cut my son's hair and I'm sort of reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option. I was in Prime Suspect when I was in my 20s and The Midwich Cuckoos, but they weren't massive parts. I was beginning to think it might not be possible to have that lead role.' Laura landed her role as Nicola just nine months ago, and already she's made a huge splash and become a fan favourite. The actress added: 'Unfortunately in this industry when you get to over the age of about 35 and you haven't made a name for yourself, the interesting roles sort of start drying up. It's just the way that it is and the way the world is a little bit. 'That's why I love soaps and continuing dramas as they champion individuals of all ages and put characters at the heart of storytelling.' The new Mitchell clan made a dramatic arrival in Walford, with Teddy and his sons Harry and Barney revealed to be Stevie's secret family. Nicola then arrived in Walford later in the year, having been in prison for injecting unlicensed filler. In tense scenes earlier this month, Nicola confessed she'd killed Harry's girlfriend Shireen, in a bid to hide that Zack Hudson is actually Barney's real father. After the parternity bombshell came to light, Harry kidnapped Zack to prevent him from telling Barney, and they crashed into a lake. In Thursday's upcoming episode, Zack is still missing and feared dead. Laura is set to grace the red carpet for this year's Soap Awards, after landing a nomination for Best Newcomer opposite Jacob Roberts as Corrie's Kit Green, Emmerdale's Shebz Miah as Kammy Hadiq and Hollyoaks star Isabelle Smith as Frankie Osborne. The glitzy event will be returning to London to Hackney Empire, after previously taking place in Manchester, and will once again be hosted by Jane McDonald as it returns following a surprise hiatus last year. As always, the numerous accolades will be presented by an array of well-known faces from across the TV and showbiz world, with the TV event broadcasting a few days later in a primetime slot. The ceremony will celebrate a mammoth year in soaps looking back on 12 months of murder, mystery, make-ups, break ups, trials, tribulations and tears. Meanwhile Hollyoaks leapt a year into the future and in Emmerdale a dramatic limousine crash into a frozen lake left viewers stunned. The Viewer Voted Categories include Best British Soap, Best Leading Performer, Villain of the Year and Best Comedy Performance. The nominees for Best Leading Performer are Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater, EastEnders), Kellie Bright (Linda Carter, EastEnders), Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale) and Beth Cordingly (Ruby Miligan, Emmerdale). And the public has a tough choice when it comes to Villain of the Year with Calum Lill (Joel Deering, Coronation Street), Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar, EastEnders), Ned Porteous (Joe Tate, Emmerdale) and Tyler Conti (Abe Fielding, Hollyoaks) to choose from. The Best Comedy Performance category includes Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street), Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson, EastEnders), Nicola Wheeler (Nicola King, Emmerdale) and Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks). The ceremony, which first began in 1999, was rested in 2024 but is back with Jane hosting the ceremony which will air on ITV1 and ITVX in June. The Soap Awards will take place on Saturday at Hackney Empire, London and will broadcast at 8pm on June 5 on ITV1. British Soap Awards 2025: Full List of Nominations Viewer Voted Categories: Best British Soap: Coronation Street EastEnders Emmerdale Hollyoaks Best Leading Performer: Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater, EastEnders) Kellie Bright (Linda Carter, EastEnders) Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale) Beth Cordingly (Ruby Miligan, Emmerdale) Villain of the Year: Calum Lill (Joel Deering, Coronation Street) Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar, EastEnders) Ned Porteous (Joe Tate, Emmerdale) Tyler Conti (Abe Fielding, Hollyoaks) Best Comedy Performance: Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street) Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson, EastEnders) Nicola Wheeler (Nicola King, Emmerdale) Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks) Panel Voted Categories: Best Family: The Platts (Coronation Street) The Slaters (EastEnders) The Dingles (Emmerdale) The Osbornes (Hollyoaks) Best Dramatic Performance: Peter Ash (Paul Foreman, Coronation Street) Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell, EastEnders) Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale) Isabelle Smith (Frankie Osborne, Hollyoaks) Best Single Episode: Mason's death (Coronation Street) Phil's psychosis: the Mitchells in 1985 (EastEnders) April's life on the streets (Emmerdale) Hollyoaks time jump (Hollyoaks) Best On-Screen Partnership: Alison King and Vicky Myers (Carla Connor and Lisa Swain, Coronation Street) Rudolph Walker and Angela Wynter (Patrick and Yolande Trueman, EastEnders) William Ash and Beth Cordingly (Caleb and Ruby Miligan, Emmerdale) Nathaniel Dass and Oscar Curtis (Dillon Ray and Lucas Hay, Hollyoaks) Best Newcomer: Jacob Roberts (Kit Green, Coronation Street) Laura Doddington (Nicola Mitchell, EastEnders) Shebz Miah (Kammy Hadiq, Emmerdale) Isabelle Smith (Frankie Osborne, Hollyoaks) Best Storyline: Paul's battle with MND (Coronation Street) Phil Mitchell: Hypermasculinity in crisis (EastEnders) Belle and Tom - Domestic Abuse (Emmerdale) Sibling sexual abuse (Hollyoaks) Best Young Performer: Will Flanagan (Joseph Winter-Brown, Coronation Street) Sonny Kendall (Tommy Moon, EastEnders) Amelia Flanagan (April Windsor, Emmerdale) Noah Holdsworth (Oscar Osborne, Hollyoaks) Scene of the Year: Mason's death (Coronation Street) Angie Watts' shock return (EastEnders) Amy's deathly plunge reveals a grisly secret (Emmerdale)
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EastEnders star ready to quit acting for very different job before landing role
EastEnders' Laura Doddington has revealed she planned to retrain in a very different career after giving up hopes of securing an acting role before taking on Nicola Mitchell Laura Doddington has quickly become a soap favourite after her bombshell entrance as Nicola Mitchell in EastEnders. Since then her character has been embroiled in a murder and this week an historic affair was uncovered which blew up some major drama. With the makings of a true soap matriarch - it's no surprise Laura, 44, has found herself nominated for Best Newcomer at this weekend's Soap Awards. But before bagging her dream role, the actress of 22 years admitted she mused the idea of changing careers after thinking her big break wouldn't come. 'The industry is hard at the moment,' admitted mum-of-one Laura. 'Before this audition came through, I'd been looking at retraining to do something else, I've got a young kid. And that makes you think about their future and stability for them.' Having previously starred in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty as well as on the stage - the lead role Laura had hoped for just wasn't coming. 'I cut my son's hair and I'm sort of reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option,' she mused. 'I was in Prime Suspect when I was in my 20s and The Midwich Cuckoos, but they weren't massive parts. I was beginning to think it might not be possible to have that lead role.' But she got the breakthrough she wanted so much, landing the part of the latest fiesty Mitchell woman, Nicola, nine months ago. And Cambridge-born Laura made an immediate impression. 'I've been a jobbing actor for 22 years and over that time you deal with really amazing highs, but also lows,' explained Laura. 'Missing out on jobs, not even getting seen for jobs. So when I got the part, especially as I'd been in it before for a fleeting moment, I was ecstatic. 'I'm really lucky that Chris Clenshaw took a punt on a jobbing actor and gave me the chance. This came at the right time. It feels incredible.' She says her audition process was an emotional rollercoaster - fearing she'd missed out on the chance of a lifetime. 'I didn't hear anything for four weeks,' recalled Laura. 'I thought it had gone to someone else. Unfortunately in this industry when you get to over the age of about 35 and you haven't made a name for yourself, the interesting roles sort of start drying up. It's just the way that it is and the way the world is a little bit. That's why I love soaps and continuing dramas as they champion individuals of all ages and put characters at the heart of storytelling.' Writing the opportunity off initially, eventually the call came through and Laura had got the part. 'When I found out there were a lot of tears and a lot of expletives!' she laughs. Stepping out on the Albert Square set for her first scenes as Nicola, Laura said she was full of nerves. But said soap stalwart Adam Woodyatt, who was her mentor was on hand to steady them. 'He was amazing,' smiles Laura. 'He came in, he was on set on my first day in case I had any questions. It was his day off, bless him. Everyone on the are so welcoming and kind. It was also daunting doing scenes with soap legends as colleagues. 'Seeing Steve (McFadden), Letitia (Dean) - it was just like, 'Oh my god'. But they are amazing. And the boys, Roland, Elijah and Lewis, they were awesome. We gelled so quickly.' The new Mitchells - Teddy (Roland Manookian), and his sons Harry (played by Elijah Holloway) and Barney (played by Lewis Bridgeman) - arrived in Walford in June causing shockwaves when it was revealed they were Stevie's secret family. Mum Nicola joined later, having spent time behind bars for injecting unlicensed filler. Earlier this month she confessed she'd murdered Harry's girlfriend Shireen to her son. She did it to conceal how Teddy is not Barney's real father – Zack Hudson ( James Farrar) is. The paternity bombshell was exposed this week leading to Harry kidnapping Zack to stop him telling Barney and the pair crashing into a lake. Tonight's episode sees Zack still missing and feared dead. Laura says it can be intense filming dramatic scenes and often likes to lighten the mood in between takes. 'The boys and I often burst into song between takes,' she revealed. 'It's hilarious when you belt out a tune and no one else joins in and you're like, 'That song was too random'. 'I'm high energy, a bit like a cocker spaniel most of the time. Then I realise that I have to portray the character and I'll take a minute to focus and get into Nicola's head. Although very different to her villainous character, Laura says they do share one quality. 'I relate to her protectiveness of her children." Letting her young son watch her EastEnders entrance last year - it was the first and last episode he's seen. Laura recalled: 'He turned to me and he said, 'Mummy, you're not very nice in this, are you?' 'I went, 'No I'm not, lovely' And he asked, 'Do you mind if I don't watch it?' in my head I was going, 'Thank God - I mean you were never gonna watch it!'.' One thing she will let him watch is mummy's appearance at the Soap Awards. Laura is up against Jacob Roberts as Coronation Street 's Kit Green, Shebz Miah and Emmerdale 's Kammy Hadiq and Isabelle Smith and Hollyoaks 's Frankie Osborne. 'When you've been doing something for a really long time and then suddenly someone acknowledges it… it's special,' she beams. 'I was really overwhelmed by it because I wasn't expecting it. I spent a lot of that first day bursting into tears - and I'm not a crier.' Gracing her first event red carpet, she says she's both excited and nervous. 'I'm a little bit of a clown,' admits Laura. 'I'm slightly worried that I might, in my head, think it's funny on the red carpet to pull a stupid face and then it's there for forever, isn't it? 'I'm really worried about tripping. It's probably gonna be me that falls flat on her face on the red carpet in front of everyone. But I can't wait to celebrate EastEnders and all the other amazing people and shows.' With a murder, an affair and huge family secret now exposed, is there a future for Nicola on EastEnders? 'There's always redemption,' Laura jokes. 'The knock-on effect of the secret of 16 years coming out would bring drama to anyone's life. In Nicola and the boys' case I think there's a journey to be had in that. It'll be interesting to see what she would do in a situation, how she repairs it with Barney.' Hoping to become an EastEnders favourite for years to come, Laura vowed: 'I don't want to go! But in the end that's not up to me. Everything is finite. I will just enjoy every moment that I'm here.' ITV at 8pm on June 5. To vote, visit Voting closes on Friday.
