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Amanda Abbington

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Amanda Abbington
Abbington in 2015
Born1971 or 1972 (age 52–53)[1]
London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
Partner(s)Martin Freeman
(2000–2016)
Children2

Amanda Abbington (born 1971 or 1972) is an English actress. In a career spanning over thirty years on stage and screen, her most prominent roles include Josie Mardle in Mr Selfridge (2013–2016) and Mary Morstan in Sherlock (2014–2017).

Her other credits include Marilyn Harwood in Dream Team (1999–2000) and Siobhan in the BBC sitcom After You've Gone (2007–2008), as well as appearing in the drama series Cuffs (2015) and Safe (2018). Her stage roles have included God of Carnage (2018), The Son (2019) and The Unfriend (2022–2023).

Early life

Abbington was born in North London, England.[2] An only child, she was brought up in Hertfordshire.[3]

Career

She appeared in the TV series The Bill until 2007, playing various characters.[4] During that time she also appeared in the TV series Wycliffe, Casualty,[4] Dream Team, The Sins,[4] Shades,[4] Doc Martin,[4] Coupling and Teachers.[4] She appeared in the 2005 comedy sketch show Man Stroke Woman, and the 2007–2008 comedy After You've Gone with Nicholas Lyndhurst. She has also appeared in recurring series such as Bernard's Watch and Case Histories.[4]

In 2013, she began appearing in the television series Mr Selfridge as Miss Mardle, alongside Jeremy Piven and Frances O'Connor. In 2014, Abbington appeared as Mary Morstan, the wife of John Watson, played by her then real-life partner Martin Freeman, in the third series of Sherlock the BBC adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.[5][6] In 2015 she appeared in the BBC TV crime drama series Cuffs.[4]

On stage, Abbington appeared in August 2018 in the role of Annette in God of Carnage at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and in 2019 as the character Anne in Florian Zeller's play The Son, at the Kiln Theatre in Kilburn, London;[7] later that year, the play was transferred to The Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End.[4]

In 2023, Abbington starred in the four-part Channel 5 television series Desperate Measures,[8] and appeared as Dana Beckman in an episode of Inside No. 9.[9]

In August 2023, Abbington was announced as a participant in the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing.[10] She was partnered with Giovanni Pernice but suddenly withdrew from the competition on 23 October 2023, after being absent with illness from the show broadcast three days before.[11][12] It was later reported that her departure was due to a disagreement over Pernice's training methods and that she requested footage of her time training with Pernice and was seeking legal advice against Pernice;[13] Pernice denied all accusations of wrongdoing.[14] In July 2024, in an interview with Channel 4 news, Abbington said that, following her withdrawal from Strictly Come Dancing, she had received on social media rape and death threats and messages telling her to kill herself.[15]

In 2024, Abbington joined other former cast members of Inside No. 9 who returned to play fictionalised versions of themselves in its final episode.[16]

Personal life

Abbington was the partner of Martin Freeman, whom she met on the set of the film Men Only in 2000.[5] The couple appeared together on screen in productions such as The Debt, The Robinsons, The Good Night and Sherlock. They have a son and daughter and lived in Hertfordshire before their separation in 2016.[17][18][19][20]

In May 2022, it was reported that Abbington was engaged to former escapologist and stunt performer Jonathan Goodwin.[21] She and Goodwin had met on Twitter in 2012. The two began dating in late 2021, and Goodwin proposed marriage within 30 minutes of their first date, in Vienna.[21][22]

Bankruptcy

In 2013, Abbington was declared bankrupt over an unpaid £120,000 tax bill. She later commented, "It's being paid off now. I would never want to go through this again. But I'm paying it off [...] It was just me not managing my finances properly. I was putting some money away (to pay tax), but not all of it. I was working one year and not working another year. So I was using the money I'd saved".[23][24]

Views

In March 2023, Abbington tweeted that a drag queen show for parents and babies that included topless performers was "Not for babies. And if you think it is, there is something fundamentally wrong with you."[25][26] Following the announcement of her participation in Strictly Come Dancing, some social media users condemned Abbington for her comments, accusing her of transphobia and threatening to boycott the show.[27] Abbington denied she was transphobic and said she had been upset about "a 12-year-old doing something very over-sexualised and I didn't think it was right."[26][28][29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1996 The Bill: Target Lady Car Driver Direct-to-video, feature-length
2001 Men Only Trina TV film
Saving Grace Isobel Green TV film
2003 The Debt Stacey Ross TV film
2005 Derailed Kerry Hodder TV film
The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure Hunt Leone TV film
2006 The Booze Cruise III: The Scattering' Leone TV film
2007 The Good Night Vivian Jesson
The All Together Sarah
2011 Swinging with the Finkels Lesbian #2
Ghosted Tracy
2013 Joe Mistry Katherine TV film
2016 Bring Back the Cat Mrs. Patricia Ellison Short film
2017 Another Mother's Son Ivy Forster
Crooked House Clemency Leonides
2018 We the Kings Rosa
The Queen and I Anne, Princess Royal TV film
2019 Six Days of Sistine Angelina
2020 Make Me Famous Amanda TV film
2021 Three Pints and a Rabbi Lisa
Decrypted Connie
2022 The Lost King Chair of funding committee, Sheila Lock
2024 The Spaceman Sue Short film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993 The Bill Kirstey Tate Episode: "Picking a Winner"
1997 Plotlands Maude Series regular, 6 episodes
The Bill Sarah Hall Episode: "Copier"
Wycliffe Local W.P.C. Episode: "Strangers Home"
1998 No Sweat Chantelle Episode: "Moon Boy"
Magic with Everything Cat Series regular, 6 episodes
Picking Up the Pieces Staff Nurse Hunter Series regular, 6 episodes
1999 Casualty Jen Reynolds Episode: "Human Traffic"
Snap Zoe Episode: "Missed Her Sister"
The Bill Laura Denny Episode: "On Air"
1999–2000 Dream Team Marilyn Harwood Series regular, 41 episodes
2000 The Thing About Vince Lisa Mini-series, 2 episodes
The Sins Belinda Edgeley Mini-series, 2 episodes
2001 Hearts and Bones Mia Episode: "Series 2, episode 6"
Shades Rebecca Jacobs Mini-series, 1 episode
2002 Always and Everyone Tessa Episodes: "Out of Time", "Warrior's Heart" & "Do Not Pass Go"
2003 20 Things to Do Before You're 30 Shona Series regular, 8 episodes
2004 Bernard's Watch Sonia Recurring role, 9 episodes
Coupling Nicola Episodes: "9½ Minutes" & "Nightlines"
Teachers Sarah Episode: "Series 4, episode 3"
2005 The Robinsons Polly Series regular, 5 episodes
2005–2007 Man Stroke Woman Various roles Series regular, 12 episodes
2007 The Bill Rachel Inns Episodes: "A Model Murder", "Model Murder Uncovered" & "Caught by the Killer"
Doc Martin Isobel Episode: "Happily Ever After"
Sold Zoe Episode: "Series 1, episode 6"
2007–2008 After You've Gone Siobhan Series regular, 21 episodes
2008 Harley Street Susie Linn Episode: "Series 1, episode 2"
Coming Up Daughter Episode: "Lickle Bill Um"
Agatha Christie's Poirot Miss Blake Episode: "Cat Among the Pigeons"
2009 Psychoville Caroline Episode: "Blackmail"
2010 Married Single Other Babs Series regular, 6 episodes
Money Doris Artthur Mini-series, 2 episodes
2011 Postcode Anna Recurring role, 3 episodes
2011–2013 Case Histories D.I. Louise Munroe Series regular, 9 episodes
2012 Being Human Golda Episode: "Puppy Love"
2013–2016 Mr Selfridge Josie Mardle Series regular, 36 episodes
2014 Dinopaws Gwen (voice) Recurring role, 10 episodes
Would I Lie to You? Herself Contestant
2014–2017 Sherlock Mary Morstan Series regular, 7 episodes
2015 Cuffs D.S. Jo Moffat Series regular, 8 episodes
2016 Stag Fran Mini-series, 2 episodes
2017 Uncle Siobhan Episode: "...Is This Just Fantasy?"
2018 Safe D.S. Sophie Mason Series regular, 8 episodes
2019 Flack Alexa Episodes: "Brooke" & "Alexa"
2020 Unsaid Stories Lyndsey Mini-series, 1 episode
I Hate Suzie Charon Bander Episode: "Anger"
2021 Wolfe Dot Series regular, 6 episodes
2022 We Are Not Alone Caroline Grieves TV film
The Net Erika Green Mini Series
2023 Lockwood & Co. Marissa Fittes Episode: "Sweet Dreams"
The Family Pile Nicole Series regular
Jon & Lucy's Odd Couples Herself 1 Episode
Desperate Measures Rowan Taylor Mini series, 4 episodes
The Weakest Link Herself Contestant
Inside No. 9 Dana Beckman Episode: "Paraskevidekatriaphobia"
Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant; series 21
2024 Inside No. 9 Herself Episode:

'Plodding On'.

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue
2002 The Safari Party Bridget Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough & Hampstead Theatre, London
Something Blue Pam Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
2004 Love Me Tonight Sian Hampstead Theatre, London
2014 God Bless the Child Sally Rayner Royal Court Theatre, London
2017 Abigail's Party Beverly Moss Theatre Royal, Bath
2018 God of Carnage Annette Reille Theatre Royal, Bath
A Little Princess Miss Minchin Royal Festival Hall, London
2019 The Son Anne Kiln Theatre, London
2022 The Unfriend Debbie Minerva Theatre, Chichester
2023 The Unfriend Debbie Criterion Theatre
2024 When It Happens to You Tara Park Theatre

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2011 Crime Thriller Awards Best Supporting Actress Case Histories Nominated
2014 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries Sherlock Nominated
Crime Thriller Awards Best Supporting Actress Sherlock Won

References

  1. ^ Akbar, Arifa (23 May 2022). "'None of it has felt insurmountable': Amanda Abbington on Sherlock, separation and her fiancé's nightmare fall". The Guardian.
  2. ^ Rampton, James (30 December 2013). "Sherlock's Amanda Abbington admits partner Martin Freeman is one of her favourite actors". The Independent. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  3. ^ John, Emma (23 August 2016). "Amanda Abbington: 'I want to be a princess". The Observer. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Amanda Abbington". westendtheatre.com. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b Jones, Paul (27 March 2013). "Martin Freeman's partner Amanda Abbington joins the cast of Sherlock". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  6. ^ Garcia, Megan (2 September 2013). "Sherlock season 3 filming finished: 'It's a wrap,' says Sue Vertue – BBC new trailer released". Christian Today (with video). Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  7. ^ Billington, Michael (27 February 2019). "The Son review – Florian Zeller's frightening tale of teen depression". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  8. ^ Hogan, Michael (21 February 2023). "Desperate Measures, review: Amanda Abbington is too good for this fag-packet thriller". Daily Telegraph.
  9. ^ Singh, Anita (4 May 2023). "Inside No 9, BBC Two, review: Friday 13th is unlucky for some as the twists start to unravel". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Amanda Abbington is our first celebrity contestant confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2023!". 4 August 2023.
  11. ^ Badshah, Nadeem (23 October 2023). "Amanda Abbington quits Strictly Come Dancing after medical absence". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Anton Du Beke makes bold claim about Amanda Abbington after Strictly exit". The Independent. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  13. ^ Vassell, Nicole (7 January 2024). "Amanda Abbington 'requests Strictly Come Dancing rehearsal footage with Giovanni Pernice; amid legal advice". The Independent.
  14. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice rejects claims over teaching methods". BBC News. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Amanda Abbington says she 'received online rape threats' after Strictly". BBC News. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  16. ^ Perry, Kevin E.G. (12 June 2024). "Inside No 9: Social media reacts to star-studded final episode". The Independent.
  17. ^ Edmonds, Lizzie (15 April 2021). "Amanda Abbington says she is sure split with Martin Freeman caused her children 'irreparable damage'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  18. ^ McLean, Craig (26 May 2013). "Amanda Abbington: Sherlock's Martin and Benedict have a fantastic chemistry". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  19. ^ Mance, Henry (22 December 2016). "Martin Freeman on Sherlock, politics and why he's not on Twitter". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  20. ^ Jones, Emma (5 July 2013). "'Don't turn on the people that I love': A stern Martin Freeman reveals he is more Bilbo Baggins than Tim from The Office". The Independent. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  21. ^ a b "Britain's Got Talent star Jonathan Goodwin paralysed". BBC News. 3 May 2022.
  22. ^ Cernik, Lizzie (28 December 2022). "How Amanda Abbington met Jonathan Goodwin: 'I was on him like a rat up a drainpipe'". The Guardian.
  23. ^ "Mr Selfridge actress Amanda Abbington brands bankruptcy publicity 'mean' and upsetting". Independent. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  24. ^ John, Emma (23 August 2015). "Amanda Abbington: 'I don't want to be a princess'". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  25. ^ Simpson, Craig (2 March 2023). "Actress called transphobic for condemning 'abhorrent' drag queen cabaret for parents and their babies". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  26. ^ a b Duff, Seamus; Hartley, Joshua (7 August 2023). "Strictly Come Dancing star responds as fans threaten to boycott". Nottingham Post.
  27. ^ "Strictly fans set to boycott show amid Amanda Abbington backlash". Digital Spy. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Amanda Abbington responds to Strictly boycott calls: "I'm not transphobic"". Radio Times. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Amanda Abbington denies being transphobic after Strictly backlash". The Daily Telegraph. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
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