Daisy Donovan
| Daisy Donovan | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 July 1975 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Dan Mazer (m. 2005; 2 children) |
Daisy Donovan (born 11 July 1975) is an English television presenter, actress and writer.
Early life
Donovan was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA.[citation needed] Her father was fashion photographer and film director Terence Donovan; her mother, Diana (St. Felix Dare),[1] is chairwoman of the English National Ballet School. She is sister to Rockstar Games co-founder Terry Donovan and half-sister to Big Audio Dynamite keyboard player Dan Donovan - and therefore former sister-in-law of Patsy Kensit. Donovan went to the independent St Paul's Girls School in Hammersmith, London, where she met her inspiration – the High Mistress, Baroness Brigstocke. She went to the University of Cambridge to read Classics, but found that subject was not for her and went to Edinburgh University to study English and performed with the Edinburgh University Drama Society.[2] She then studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.[3]
Career
Donovan became a receptionist, and then a runner on the first series of The Eleven O'Clock Show. The producers were looking for a female interviewer who would act straight but use comedic lines, and searched everywhere - until they tried their receptionist, the rather posh-talking Donovan. She made occasional appearance as "It Girl" Pandora Box-Grainger. In the second series she presented shorts, "Angel of Delight", in which she interviewed politicians (she once asked Denis Healey whether he would ever give Margaret Thatcher a "pearl necklace")[4] and got the co-host job with Iain Lee from late 1999–2000.
In 2000, Donovan was featured prominently in series one of sitcom My Family, playing Brigitte, Ben's annoying, superstitious dental assistant.
Donovan subsequently hosted quiz shows: Does Doug Know? and the eponymous Daisy Daisy, which she also wrote and produced. In 2006, Donovan presented the British Fashion awards and later presented one series of a programme based in America called Daisy Does America.
Personal life
She married longtime boyfriend, the Academy Award nominated Ali G producer Dan Mazer, in 2005 in a quiet ceremony in Morocco.[5] They have two daughters: Maisy and Mini Ivy.[citation needed]
She lives in west London.[4]
Filmography
- Spiceworld: The Movie (reporter, uncredited) 1997
- Still Crazy (female reporter) 1998
- Parting Shots 1998
- The Eleven O'Clock Show (presenter) 1998-2000
- The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Alexanda/Marina) 1999
- My Family BBC television comedy series 1 (Brigitte) (2000)
- Daisy, Daisy (host) 2001
- Does Doug Know? (host) 2002
- Second Nature (Kristina Kane/Amy O'Brien) 2003
- Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile for UK television (Cornelia Robson) 2004
- Coming Up (Jen) Pillow Talk episode 2004
- Millions (Dorothy) 2004
- Angel's Hell (Polly) 2005
- Daisy Does America (host) 2005
- Death at a Funeral (Martha) 2007
- Wild Child (Miss Rees-Withers) 2008
- The Greatest Shows On Earth (host) 2013
References
- ↑ Published: November 25, 1996 (1996-11-25). "Terence Donovan, 60, Society Photographer - New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
- ↑ "It's funny how being a mum changed Daisy Donovan". Daily Record. 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
- ↑ "Daisy Does America - Daisy Donovan". Tbs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Liam O'Brien (2013-06-22). "The Conversation: Daisy Donovan, TV presenter - Profiles - People". The Independent. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ↑ Post. "The Times | UK News, World News and Opinion". Women.timesonline.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2012-03-06.