Amanda Redman

Early life

Redman was born in Brighton, Sussex, on 12 August 1957. Her father, Ronald Jack Redman (1929–1980), was born in Camberwell, London to parents from the East End, and her mother, Joan Beryl Redman (née Herrington, 1927–2014), was born in Quetta which was then still in India to William Herrington, a British Indian Army soldier. Redman's father died at the age of 51, when she was 23. Redman had one brother, who died of pneumonia in 2008.

Redman is badly scarred on her left arm as a result of an accident when she was 18 months old. She was scalded by a pan of boiling hot turkey and vegetable soup and suffered burns to 75% of her body. Her arm was the only part of her body permanently affected, but the trauma was so severe that she was pronounced clinically dead at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, Sussex.

Career

Redman trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She was in the same year as Daniel Day-Lewis, Miranda Richardson and Greta Scacchi.

In 1984, she appeared as Marina in the BBC Shakespeare production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre opposite Mike Gwilym. She also played Maxine in Oxbridge Blues, a British television mini-series, produced by the BBC and first shown in 1984 written by Frederick Raphael. In 1985, she played Janet in the touring version of The Rocky Horror Show.

In 1986, she played Miss Fairfax (Gwendolen) in the BBC Drama production of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. In 1988, she played Julia Melville in the BBC Theatre Night production of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The Rivals.

She played opposite Liv Ullmann in Richard's Things (1980), took over from Alfred Molina in the 1990s comedy drama El C.I.D., playing a new female lead in the series, and played Diana Dors in the TV film The Blonde Bombshell (1999). She presented an MTV show on satellite TV in the 1990s. She co-starred in the first two series of Dangerfield in 1995, playing Joanna Stevens, and played a role in Taggart the same year. In 2000, she played Deedee Dove in the feature film Sexy Beast. From 2000 until 2003, she played Alison Braithwaite, a woman whose life is turned upside down after she wins the lottery, in ITV's At Home with the Braithwaites.

From 2003 to 2013, Redman took the role of DSI Sandra Pullman in the BBC's New Tricks. In July 2013, she announced her departure; Tamzin Outhwaite replaced her.

In June 2006, Redman performed in Children's Party at the Palace as Cruella DeVil for the Queen's 80th birthday, and was the subject of an episode of the BBC documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?, a programme that explored her family history.

In 2015, Redman played the role of Jackie Rose in the three-part ITV drama The Trials of Jimmy Rose, starring alongside Ray Winstone. From 2017, she played Lydia Fonseca in the ITV drama series The Good Karma Hospital.

Redman is the founder and principal of the Artists Theatre School. She directs an annual show which is performed at The Questors Theatre in Ealing.

In 2018, she became a patron of Brighton Open Air Theatre. She told the Brighton Argus:

In 2024, Redman was awarded an honorary benchership with Middle Temple. In the same year, she became a trustee of the Royal Theatrical Fund.

Awards and nominations

• 2001 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award – Best Actress for At Home with the Braithwaites
• 2002 – Winner – Chlotrudis Award – Best Actress for Sexy Beast
• 2003 – Nominated – National Television Award – Most Popular Actress for At Home with the Braithwaites
• 2007 – Nominated – TV Quick Award – Best Actress for New Tricks
• 2008 – Nominated – Crime Thriller Award – Best Actress for New Tricks
• 2015 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award – Best Supporting Actress for Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This
• 2016 – Winner – New York Festivals International TV and Film Awards – Best Actress for The Trials of Jimmy Rose

Personal life

Redman married actor Robert Glenister in 1984; they had one child together, daughter Emily, before divorcing in 1992. Redman is credited with encouraging her then-brother-in-law, Philip Glenister, to go to drama school and pursue acting; he has played DCI Gene Hunt in both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes.

Redman was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.

Filmography

Theatre

References

References

1. General Register Office England and Wales Birth Index 1916–2005 shows her birth registered in 1957 (Amanda J. Redman 1957 Q3 Vol 5h, page 131 Brighton)
2. (28 April 2018). "There’s nowhere quite like Brighton - it feels like home".
3. Pryer, Emma. (22 August 2015). "Ray Winstone helped me after mum and Lynda Bellingham died says Amanda Redman".
4. (1 January 1970). "Who Do You Think You Are? - Past Stories - Amanda Redman". BBC.
5. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/whodoyouthinkyouare/past-stories/amanda-redman.shtml "Biographical note to BBC's ''Who Do You Think You Are?''"], Bbc.co.uk
6. (20 January 2015). "Amanda Redman: 'My mother's guilt after I was burned as a child'".
7. Viner, Brian; [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/amanda-redman-how-ive-learnt-to-live-with-my-scars-655637.html "Amanda Redman: How I've learnt to live with my scars"] ''Independent.co.uk'', 27 March 2002 (Retrieved: 14 July 2008) (dead link as of October 26, 2020)
8. [http://www.oldvic.ac.uk/past_graduates.html "Alumni: Past Graduates"] {{webarchive. link. (25 September 2009 ''OldVic.ac.uk'' (Retrieved: 14 July 2008))
9. (19 September 2003). "It's an actor's life for us!".
10. (20 April 2007). "Amanda Redman".
11. "The Rivals / BBC Theatre Night".
12. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/09_september/24/who_redman.shtml "Who Do You Think You Are?: Amanda Redman"] ''BBC.co.uk'' (Press Office), 24 September 2004 (Retrieved: 14 July 2008)
13. Waddell, Dan; [https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/wdytya_s1_celeb_gallery_02.shtml "WDYTYA? Series One: Celebrity Gallery"] ''BBC.co.uk'', 19 October 2004 (Retrieved: 14 July 2008)
14. "Artists Theatre School for drama school, acting sc".
15. '[http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/16177304.Top_actress_backs_open_air_theatre_project/ Top actress backs open air theatre'], ''The Argus'', 23 April 2018
16. [https://www.middletemple.org.uk/bencher-persons-view?cid=170254]
17. [https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/222080/trustees]
18. [http://chlotrudis.org/awards/past-awards/2002-8th-annual-awards/ "2002, 8th Annual Awards,"] Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films website. Accessed October 4, 2019.
19. "2016 World's Best Television & Films™ Winners".
20. Whiting, Kate. (13 July 2009). "Amanda Redman: The laughing policemen are back in New Tricks". [[Chester Chronicle]].
21. {{London Gazette. (16 June 2012)
22. (15 June 2012). "Kenneth Branagh knighted in Queen's Birthday Honours". BBC News.
23. "Amanda Redman".