Debra Stephenson
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Debra Stephenson (born 4 June 1972, in Kingston upon Hull) is a British actress
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[edit] Career
At the age of fourteen Debra appeared on BBC TV's Opportunity Knocks, winning her way through to the All-Winners' Final broadcast live from the London Palladium. She then appeared on TV screens in 1998 in the comedy drama about women's football Playing The Field.
[edit] Bad Girls
Debra then appeared in a more prominent role in 1999, playing Shell Dockley in the ITV prison drama Bad Girls. Her performance of the psychotic Dockley earned her two consecutive nominations for Best Actress at the National Television Awards in 1999 and 2000. After three years of playing one of the show's most popular characters, she left in 2001, returning for one last time in 2003.
[edit] Comedy
As well as stand-up comedy at venues including London's Comedy Store, Stephenson has played several roles as a comic actress on radio and television. These include playing the part of Josanna in the BBC Radio 4 comedy At Home with the Snails (2002), and sketch show TV to go in 2000 with Hugh Dennis and Pauline McLynn. Debra was also a big part of The Friday Night Project being an interviewer to the public and going undercover with diguises such as 'Debbo'.
[edit] Coronation Street
Since 2004, Debra has starred in the top rated British soap opera Coronation Street playing Frankie Baldwin, the wife of Bradley Walsh's character, Danny. She has received numerous nominations for Best Newcomer at many TV and Soap Awards. On May 14th 2006, producers announced that Stephenson would be leaving the soap at the end of the year. She will be moving to the South of England to be with her family.
[edit] Comic Relief does Fame Academy
In 2005 she took part in Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, a singing competition involving celebrities to raise money for charity, and finished fifth. Among her finest performances was the rendition of "Cry Me A River" which was called "blemishless" and Dionne Warwick's "Anyone Who Had A Heart". Her participation on the show led to a record deal and she has subsequently released her debut album "In The Sunshine". The album includes cover versions of the songs she sang on the show, which range from Kylie to Lemar, as well as a cover of Madonna's "Music", which she sang on the "Madonna Mania" TV show
