Beth Cordingly

Beth Cordingly (born 1 November 1976) is an English actress, known for her appearances in the television series Family Affairs and The Bill.

Beth Cordingly
Cordingly in 2009
Born (1976-11-01) 1 November 1976
Brighton, Sussex, England
Years active1999–present
Spouse(s)Adam Speers (m. 2011)
Children1
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Cordingly was born in Brighton and went to Brighton and Hove High School.[1] She is the daughter of writer and historian David Cordingly.

Cordingly went to the University of Birmingham where she gained a double First in English and Drama. She went on to train as an actress at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Career

She made her first major television appearance in the soap opera, Family Affairs as troubled teenager Sara Warrington;[2] a lapdancer who blew most of her wages on cocaine. She left the soap after a year to play the lead in Noël Coward's Semi-Monde at the Lyric Theatre, West End. The play was directed by Philip Prowse and produced by Thelma Holt.[3] She then played Rose, a cabinet secretary reporting to Derek Jacobi's Major Merton, in Two Men went to War, a film starring Kenneth Cranham and Leo Bill.

In 2002, she joined The Bill as PC Kerry Young [4][2] After her departure from the show when her character was murdered in 2004, ITV made an hour-long spin off called Kerry's Story that aired on ITV3.

In 2005 she played Vienna Keen, an exotic dancer, in BBC's Funland and in 2007 played Naomi in Secret Diary of a Call Girl, a call girl who has a threesome together with the shows main protagonist, Hannah, played by Billie Piper.

In March and April 2017, Cordingly appeared as Debbie Morton, Shirley Carter's (Linda Henry) cellmate in British soap opera EastEnders.

She has played a variety of roles on television, notably filming two series for Charlie Brooker, playing Veronica in his zombie series Dead Set [5] and featuring in his sketch show, How TV Ruined Your Life with Kevin Eldon.

In theatre she has worked nationally and abroad. In 2006 she played the role of Nina in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Breakfast with Jonny Wilkinson. In 2013, it was made into an independent feature film and she reprised her role, this time opposite George MacKay, Nigel Lindsay and Norman Pace. When playing Amy in Salt at Manchester Royal Exchange she was nominated for the Manchester Evening News Award for Best Performance in a Studio Production (2010). She worked with Sharon Gless on A Round Heeled Woman in the West End (2012) and has twice played lead roles in Feydeau farces for Sam Walters at the Orange Tree Theatre. In 2012 she played Louisa in Children's Children at the Almeida Theatre, a play directed by Jeremy Herrin and written by Matthew Dunster. In 2015, Dunster directed her in Love's Sacrifice for the RSC, in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. In the same RSC season she played Bellamira in The Jew of Malta, starring Jasper Britton.

Writing

Cordingly has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London.[6] In 2009, her short story Marianne and Ellie was selected by Sarah Waters to be published in an anthology of short stories, Dancing with Mr. Darcy. In 2012, she won the Litro magazine Double Dutch short story competition for her short story about Amsterdam, The Bike Ride.[7]

Charity work

Cordingly is an Ambassador for ChildLine and regularly speaks on their behalf. She ran the London Marathon in 2004 for them and spoke at the 2006 Anti-bullying week conference at Westminster Central Hall. In 2009 she was given an award at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom for her outstanding contributions to the NSPCC.[8]

Filmography

TV and Film
Year Programme Role Notes
2017EastEndersDebbie MortonRecurring (Three episodes)
2016SuspectsChrissy2 episodes
2013Breakfast with Jonny WilkinsonNinaFilm
2011How TV Ruined Your LifeLucy
2010CasualtySharon Holder1 episode: Making Other Plans
2010Material GirlLynn Jones
2009MerlinForridel1 episode: The Nightmare Begins
2009Trial & RetributionWendy Bilkin1 episode: Shooter
2008Dead SetVeronica
2008CartwheelsSylviaShort film
2008New TricksAnna Hodgkiss1 episode: Couldn't Organise One
2007Secret Diary of a Call GirlNaomi1 episode
2006HeartbeatConnie Green1 episode: Stumped
2005FunlandVienna Keen[9]
2005DoctorsMel Brindell1 episode: Credit Limit
2002-04The BillPC Kerry Young133 episodes
2002Two Men Went to WarRoseFilm
2001CasualtyLiz1 episode: Consequences
2000-01Family AffairsSara Warrington

Theatre
Year Programme Role Theatre
2019-20The Canterville GhostMrs OtisUnicorn Theatre, London
2019The Memory of WaterMaryNottingham Playhouse/Guildford
2019Romeo and JulietPrince EscalusStratford-upon-Avon/The Barbican
2019The Merry Wives of WindsorMistress FordRSC, The Barbican
2018SidewaysTerraSt James's Theatre, London
2015Love's SacrificeFiormondaRSC, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
2015The Jew of MaltaBellamiraRSC, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
2012Sauce for the GooseLucienneOrange Tree Theatre
2012Children's ChildrenLouisaAlmeida Theatre
2012A Round Heeled WomanNathalieRiverside Studios/West End
2011Once BittenCesarineOrange Tree Theatre
2010SaltAmyRoyal Exchange Theatre
2009Our Man in HavanaMilly Wormold/Beatrice SevernNottingham Playhouse
2007Bedroom FarceSusannahNo.1 Tour
2006Breakfast with Jonny WilkinsonNinaMenier Chocolate Factory
2005Monkey's UncleCecile/ChristineOrange Tree Theatre
2001Semi-MondeNormaLyric Theatre, West End
1999OthelloDesdemonaOrange Tree Theatre
1998York Mystery CyclesMary MagdalenToronto Festival

References
  1. "My Favorite Things: Beth Cordingly". The Argus. 7 November 2009.
  2. "Me and my health: Beth Cordingly". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle. 10 July 2003. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  3. https://variety.com/2001/legit/reviews/semi-monde-1200467126/
  4. Beth Cordingly, Hello Magazine. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  5. "EAT MY BRAINS! - Interview with Beth Cordingly from Charlie Brooker's Dead Set". 22 October 2008.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 September 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Dutch short story competition Winner: Rebecca Cordingly - The Bike Ride". 24 March 2012.
  8. "Hall of Fame celebs 2009 - Beth Cordingly".
  9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/09_september/27/funland_cordingly.shtml
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