Judith Jacob

Judith Jacob (born 13 December 1961) is a British actress best known for her role as the health visitor Carmel Roberts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role she played from 1986 to 1989.[1] During her stint in Albert Square, her character suffered from severe marital abuse and her husband's attempted murder and eventual separation.

Jacob attended London’s Anna Scher Theatre. Two of her classmates were also former EastEnders actors, Susan Tully (playing Michelle Fowler) and Phil Daniels (playing Kevin Wicks). Before landing her role on EastEnders, Jacob was a co-founder of the Black Theatre Co-op (BTC), a London theatre group of black actresses.[1]

Jacob's first appearance on UK television was in the BBC production Play for Today (1976). Before her role in EastEnders, she had been a regular cast member in the hospital drama Angels (1979-1981) and the sitcom No Problem! (1983-85). Other television credits include various roles in the comedy sketch-show The Real McCoy (1991); The Queen's Nose (1995); Holby City (2003); Doctors (2003); and My Family (2004).

She starred as a prison guard in the 2006 drama Provoked, which told the true story of a Punjabi woman named Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who leaves India to marry a London-based man, only to be badly abused. She ends up in prison for murdering her abusive husband.

In May-June 2009, Jacob hosted Judith Jacob Yabba Yabbas with Friends in the Marie Lloyd Bar at the Hackney Empire, interviewing her showbiz friends "to find out what makes them tick".[2] The singers, actors and comedians participating included Felix Dexter, Janet Kay, Curtis Walker, Wayne Marshall, Victor Romero Evans, Tameka Empson and Noel McKoy.

Jacob's daughter Aisha worked with her on EastEnders during her time on the show in the 1980s, playing her young niece Aisha Roberts. Now in her 20s, Aisha plans to follow in her mother's footsteps by also becoming an actress.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Larry Jaffee, "Judith Jacob Looks Back on Carmel", Walford Gazette interview with Judith Jacob
  2. ↑ "What's On", Hackney Empire.

External links