Tag: Celebrities

John Robb Forms The Membranes Band

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John David Robb, born on 4 May 1961 in Fleetwood, grew up in Anchorsholme, Blackpool. He attended Blackpool Sixth Form College and Blackpool Grammar School, where his interest in the emerging punk rock scene led him to form his first band. A lifelong supporter of Blackpool FC, Robb has stated that supporting the local team is something that “gets under your skin for life.” In 1977, inspired by the DIY ethos of punk, Robb founded The Membranes, a punk band that released several albums in the 1980s before disbanding in 1990. Robb then formed Sensuround in the early ’90s, releasing… Read more »

Raine Davison in Emmerdale

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Raine Davison, born on 25 January 1984 in Blackpool, is an actress best known for her roles in Emmerdale (2001–2002), Cutting It (2002), and Holby City (1999). She attended Arnold School in Blackpool before embarking on her acting career. In 2002, at the age of 18, she landed the lead role in the festive pantomime Cinderella at the Preston Guild Hall. She mentioned in interviews that she was excited for the opening night and had been preparing by taking singing lessons and rehearsing her lines. Raine had previously only done school theatre work, so this was a significant step in… Read more »

Janet Munro’s US TV Debut – Hollywood Actress Born in Blackpool

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Janet Neilson Horsburgh, born on 28 September 1934 in Blackpool, was the daughter of Scottish comedian Alex Munro (real name Alexander Neilson Horsburgh) and Phyllis Robertshaw. Janet adopted her father’s stage name professionally and grew up in a showbiz environment, frequently appearing alongside him on stage. Her mother passed away when Janet was just seven years old, after which she was initially raised by her father. At the age of ten, she moved to the village of Embsay to live with her aunt and uncle for a while. Following her father’s remarriage, Janet returned to live with him and her… Read more »

Zoe Ball’s Hardest Ride Home

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Zoe Louise Ball, born on 23 November 1970 in Blackpool, is a renowned broadcaster and presenter celebrated for her pioneering roles on BBC Radio. Raised in Hounslow until 1978, her family relocated to Farnham Common in Buckinghamshire, where she attended Farnham Common First School, Middle School, and later Holy Cross Convent School in Chalfont St Peter. Ball completed a “City & Guilds in radio and journalism” at Amersham College of Art and Technology. She is the daughter of iconic children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball and Julia (née Anderson). Following her parents’ divorce when she was two, Zoe was raised by… Read more »

Peter Chelsom’s First Feature Film

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Peter Chelsom, born on 20 April 1956 in St Annes on the Fylde Coast, to antiques shop owners Kay and Reginald Chelsom, is a renowned film director, writer, and actor. Educated at Wrekin College (1969–1973) and the Central School of Drama in London, Chelsom has crafted a remarkable career spanning acting and filmmaking. Holding dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and the United States, he is also an Honorary Citizen of Fivizzano, a small town in Tuscany, and a member of respected organisations such as the British Academy, the American Academy, the Directors Guild of America, and the Writers Guild… Read more »

Syd Little of Little and Large

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Syd Little, born Cyril John Mead on 19 December 1942 in Blackpool and raised in Manchester, is a renowned British comedian, famed as the straight man in the comedy duo Little and Large alongside Eddie Large. Educated at Yew Tree Secondary Modern School in Wythenshawe, Little initially worked as an interior decorator while performing as a singer and guitarist in Manchester pubs. It was during these gigs that he teamed up with Eddie Large, forming a partnership that began as Cyril Mead and Friend and later became Mead and McGinnis. Their rebranding to Little and Large cemented their place in… Read more »

Hayley Tamaddon in Coronation Street

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Hayley Soraya Tamaddon, an accomplished actress and performer, is best known for her roles in the ITV soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street. Born on January 24, 1977, in Bispham, Blackpool, to an Iranian father and English mother, she grew up in a vibrant cultural environment that inspired her creative pursuits. Tamaddon attended Montgomery High School in Blackpool and honed her skills in dance at Phil Winston’s Theatreworks and Laine Theatre Arts, laying the foundation for her versatile career. Tamaddon gained significant recognition in Emmerdale as Delilah “Del” Dingle, a role she played from 2005 to 2007. Her tenure on… Read more »

Pauline Moran in Agatha Christie’s Poirot

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Pauline Moran is best known for her portrayal of Miss Felicity Lemon in the beloved British television series Agatha Christie’s Poirot, which aired from 1989 to 2013. The show, based on Agatha Christie’s famous detective novels, followed the meticulous and intelligent Hercule Poirot, played by David Suchet, as he solved intricate mysteries across Europe. Moran’s role as Miss Lemon, Poirot’s capable and no-nonsense secretary, became a cornerstone of the series. Her character was responsible for the administrative tasks that allowed Poirot to focus on his investigations, and her calm, efficient presence was integral to the detective’s team. Moran’s portrayal of… Read more »

Pauline Moran in The She Trinity

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Pauline Moran, born on 26 August 1947 in Blackpool, is an actress, presenter, and astrologer, best known for portraying Miss Felicity Lemon in the long-running British television series Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Moran’s acting career spans several decades, and she has built a reputation as a talented stage performer, though her film and television appearances are also noteworthy. She trained at prestigious institutions, including the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), preparing for a successful career in the performing arts. In addition to her acting work, Moran is a professional astrologer, having practiced since 1987, blending… Read more »

Tania Mallet in James Bond – Goldfinger

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Tania Mallet, an English actress and model, is perhaps best remembered for her role as Tilly Masterson in the iconic James Bond film Goldfinger (1964). Born on 19 May 1941 in Blackpool, she was the daughter of Russian noblewoman Olga Mironoff, a former chorus girl, and English millionaire car salesman Henry Mallet. Her maternal grandfather, Pyotr Mironov, was a colonel in the Imperial Russian army and a member of the Russian aristocracy, while her great-grandmother, Countess Lydia Andreevna Kamenskaya, was a descendant of Count Mikhail Fedotovich Kamensky, a renowned Russian general in the Napoleonic Wars. Tania’s distinctive name was often… Read more »