Suzanne Shaw
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Suzanne Shaw (b. 29 September 1981 in Bury, Greater Manchester, England) is an English singer, Performer and Actress, most famous for winning the first series of the talent contest Popstars and so subsequently being a member of the band Hear'Say.
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[edit] Early career
She started ballet at the age of two, and by the age of three she was attending the Lupino and Freeland Dance school, where she trained in all forms of dance. Suzanne also studied acting, and performed in her first show Annie at just five years of age. She joined an amateur dramatics society and did various productions, including The sound of music, and a west end production of Showboat at the age of nine. Suzanne was a member of an ABBA tribute band, The Right Stuff, and appeared in countless television roles including an Esso ad, Holby City, and a BBC production, Elidor.
Suzanne also developed her musical abilities, learning the recorder and violin, at St Marys primary school and later the saxophone at St Gabriels RC secondary school. After leaving school, Suzanne attended Oldham College for a BTec National Diploma in Performing Arts with extra units in acting essentials and devising and developing performance. A tutor recalls: She pushed back the norms of dance in a production she choreographed with a Nepalese student. "Suzanne was a good team player, enthusiastic and involved in all the activities. She was ambitious and always willing." At this time Suzi joined an Abba tribute band, touring worldwide, which was the beginning of her professional career.
[edit] Popstars / Hear'Say
Her big chance came when in 2001 the ITV show called "Popstars", gave an opportunity for contestants to become part of a newly formed pop band. Suzanne had just turned 20, and attended the auditions and successfully made it through several elimination rounds. She was chosen as one of the ten finalists and became one of the members of "Hear'Say",along with Kym Marsh, Myleene Klass, Noel Sullivan and Danny Foster having in total beat off 4,000 other hopefuls. Their debut single was the fastest selling non-charitable record ever; selling 1.3 million copies.
Their album, Popstars, went on to sell 1.2 million copies in the UK, followed by their own television show entitled Hear'say It's Saturday, performing with established artists such as Lionel Richie, Joe Pasquale, Bradley Walsh, Blue and Atomic Kitten. Subsequently the band achieved a 37 date sell-out arena tour and performed numerous television guest appearances.
She made many appearances with the band in TV and live performance venues, including in 2002 "Hear'Say: A New Chapter in Full", "The Hear'Say Story", "Hear'Say It's Saturday!" and the "Royal Variety Performance" for television in 2001. They had two number one singles, a number three single and a number six single in The British charts, before splitting among a blaze of media headlines.
[edit] Post Hear'Say
Since the band broke up on October 1st 2002, just after her 21st birthday, she has appeared in musical theatre and landed a leading role in the remake of the "Summer Holiday" musical in London's West End, and later in a UK tour of the show. In February 2005, Suzanne took on the role of narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, in the London's West End. The leading role in Snow White followed, which was hailed as the UKs best Pantomime, and a current role in The Rocky Horror Show has firmly established her as a leading lady with potential. She has also appearded in the reality television programmes Have I Been Here Before? and Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver. Her TV appearances have also included The Court for Channel Four, Loose Women and Celebrity Regression with Philip Schofield.
She got engaged to record producer Terry Adams during Hear'say. The relationship ended during Suzanne's UK tour of Summer Holiday when she fell for "personality" Darren Day. The relationship was to prove stormy, with Darren allegedly cheating on a then eight months pregnant Shaw with a dancer. The couple vowed to struggle on and Corey Mackenzie Day was born in the December of 2004. Darren however walked out in March, uttering the now immortal words "I don't do family".
After having a relationship with Actor Andrew-Lee Potts, she now dates Radio 1 DJ JK, of radio duo JK and Joel who presents the chart show on a Sunday afternoon. The couple had been friends since Suzannes Hear'say days but began dating in December of 2005 after doing Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver.
[edit] Career
[edit] Theatre
- Summer Holiday, Barbara/Bobby, UK Tour, Michael Gnygell,
- Showboat, Kim, Manchester Palace, Royal Shakespeare Company,
- Bob Fosse's Pippin, Chorus, Grange Theatre, Joan Illingsworth,
- Joseph Narrator, New London Theatre, Bill Kenwright,
- Rocky Horror Show, Jannet Weiss, UK Tour 2006
(Numerous professional pantomime performances as leading lady).
[edit] Television
- The Courtroom Channel 4 Debbie Jennings/Witness (Merseyside TV),
- At home with the Love Rats
- (Documentary) Sky Television (LWT Production),
- Holby City BBC Emily (1 Episode),
- City Central BBC Hayley (3 Episodes),
- Elidor CBBC Helen Watson (6 Episodes),
- Loose Women ITV,
- Celebrity Regression ITV with Philip Schofield.
[edit] Pop Industry
Suzanne won the first ITV1 national Popstars talent competition beating 4,000 other contestants to acquire a much coveted position in the band Hear'say. The Band went on to have huge national success.
[edit] Commercials
- Johnson & Johnson Clean and Clear,
- Piaggio Mopeds,
- Peugeot 206 cars,
- River Island,
- Microsoft,
- Reveal diet and fitness.
[edit] Other Credentials
- Professionally trained singer (Mary Hammond),
- Professionally trained dancer (Lupino Dance School, Freelance Studios),
- Intermediate in tap, ballet and modern.
- Professionally trained actress - method, Shakespeare and contemporary,
- Professionally trained musical theatre actress (Anthony Williams),
- Oldham College of Theatre - trained in music, acting and dance; including study of Bob Fosse and Eastern dance techniques and technical gymnast.
Suzanne is currently starring in a national tour in the UK with a brand new production of Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. The show is heading to the Westend for Christmas and will be in the Comedy Theatre, Panton St SW1, from 21st Dec for a 5 week run until Jan 27th 2007.
