Ellen Thomas (actress)

Ellen Thomas

Thomas in 2016
Born Ellen Thomas
(1964-02-03) 3 February 1964
Occupation Actress
Years active 1980 – present

Ellen Thomas (born 3 February 1964) is a British actress originally from Sierra Leone who has had many television and film roles, but is perhaps best known for her recurring role in the Channel 4 Bristol-based comedy, Teachers[1] or as Grace Olubunmi and Claudette Hubbard in EastEnders.

Career

In Teachers, Thomas played Liz Webbe – a school secretary – and was one of the few characters who appeared in all four series, from 2001 to 2004.[1] She is a regular cast member in BBC Radio 4's Clare in the Community and in BBC Three's Coming of Age, in which she plays the Principal.[2] She has also guest-starred in Doctor Who.[3] Casualty,[4] Holby City,[5] William and Mary[6] and The Bill (twice),[7] as well as playing small film roles in Basic Instinct 2,[8] South West 9,[9] Wonderland[10] and The Secret Laughter of Women.[11] For her role in Rev., she was nominated for "Best TV Comedy Performance" at the Black International Film Festival and Music Video & Screen Awards.[12]

Thomas is perhaps best known for the number of characters she has portrayed in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. She played Pearl Chadwick in 1990, Estella Hulton in 2002, Grace Olubunmi from 2010–11 and is currently playing Claudette Hubbard since 2015. On Thomas' casting of Claudette, current executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins commented, "Ellen Thomas belongs on EastEnders. Albert Square now has a new steely matriarch – with a few twisted secrets hidden behind her beaming smile".

Television

Year Title Role Network Notes
1980 The Gentle Touch[13]LauraITV1 Series 5, Episode 4
1981 Sunday Night Thriller[14]AssistantUnknown "Dark Secret: Part 2" Series 1, Episode 2
1983 Don't Wait Up[15]ReceptionistBBC One Series 1, Episode 5
1984 Shroud for a Nightingale[16]Staff NurseITV1 Series 1, Episode 1–3
1987 The Lenny Henry Show[17]RoseBBC One Series 1, Episode 1–6
1988 French and Saunders[18] Various charactersBBC One Christmas Special
The Lenny Henry Show[19]RoseBBC One Series 2, Episode 1–6
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse[20]Mrs. HolmesCBSSeries 3, Episode 10 "Outpost"
1990 Hallelujah Anyhow[21]Unnamed CharacterUnknown
EastEndersPearl ChadwickBBC OneNovember – December 1990
1991 Grange Hill[22]Pregnancy AdvisorBBC OneSeries 14, Episode 14
1993 Screenplay[23]Aunt MafeUnknown Series 8, Episode 5 "Not Even God Is Wise Enough"
1994 The Bill[24]Iris DavareuxITV1 "Lesson to Be Learned"
Home Away from Home[25]MiriamUnknown
1995 London Bridge[26]Diane Symmons Unknown Series 2, Episode 1–2
1996 Cardiac Arrest[27]Sister Jackie LandersBBC One "Trench Warfare"
Ruth Rendell Mysteries[28]Laurette AkandeITV1 Series 9, Episode 3–5 "Simisola"
1997 Holding On[29]FlorrieBBC One Series 1 Episode 1–8
Kavanagh QC[30]Chief UsherITV1 Series 3, Episode 1 "Mute of Malice"
1998 Ultraviolet[31]MariaChannel 4 Series 1, Episode 5 "Terra Incognita"
2000 The Bill[32]Mrs. OkinITV1 "White Lies"
In Defence[33]Mrs. HopeUnknown Series 1, Episode 1
Where There's Smoke[34]Counsellor Edwards Unknown
Never Never[35]Brenda Channel 4 Short drama
2001–04 Teachers[1]Liz Webb Channel 4 Series 1–4 (39 episodes)
2002 Doctors[36]Mrs. Foster BBC One Series 5, Episode 44 "Nobody's Child"
The Bill[37]Aisha DanversITV1
Holby City[38]Marcia LymeBBC One Series 4, Episode 38 "Love and Devotion"
The Jury[39]Ruby ThomasITV1 Series 1, Episode 1–4
EastEndersEstella HultonBBC One
2003 Strange[40]Mrs. Andoh BBC One Series 1, Episode 2 "Kaa-Jinn"
Lenny Henry in Pieces[41]Unnamed Character BBC One Series 2, Episode 2
Good Food Live[42]HerselfUKTVFood Episode dated 4 November 2003
2005 Casualty[43] Stephanie MellorBBC One Series 19 Episode 45 "Aftermath"
William and Mary[6] Mrs. MorrisITV1 Series 3, Episode 2
2006 Doctor Who[44] Clockwork WomanBBC One Series 2, Episode 4 "The Girl in the Fireplace"
Little Miss Jocelyn[45] Unnamed Character BBC Three Series 1, Episode 1 and 3
Trial & Retribution[46] Judge Joyce Addo ITV1 "Sins Of The Father"
Doctors[47] Marie Crossley BBC One and BBC HDSeries 7, Episode 140 "Ashes to Ashes"
The Marchioness Disaster[48]Linda Hunt Unknown
"The Play's the Thing"[49] HerselfUnknownSeries 1, Episode 2
2007 Outnumbered[50] Jehovah's WitnessBBC OneSeries 1, Episode 4
"One of Us?"[51] MumUnknownShort Drama.
2008 Coming of Age[52] The Principal BBC Three All episodes since series 1, episode 3
New Tricks[53] Cora Trimble BBC One Series 5, Episode 8 "Mad Dogs"
2009 Off the Hook[54] Angela BBC Three and BBC HD Series 1, Episode 1
Doctor Who[55] CarmenBBC One and BBC HD Doctor Who Easter Special "Planet of the Dead"
Moses Jones[56] Libby JonesBBC Two Series 1, Episodes 2 and 3
2010–11 EastEnders[57] Grace Olubunmi BBC One Recurring role
2010 Rev. Adoha Onyeka BBC TwoAll 6 episodes
2011 Come Fly with MeMrs. MbutuBBC OneEpisode 2
EastEnders: E20 Grace Olubunmi BBC Online
2012 DoctorsMrs Francelle NdebeleBBC One and BBC HD"Paradise Lost"
Casualty Florence Asike BBC One "All in a Day's Nightmare – Part 1"
"#HolbyRiot Part 1"
2015–16 EastEnders[58] Claudette Hubbard BBC One Regular role
2015 Humans Lindsey Kiwanuka Channel 4 Episode 1–2
2015– Mount Pleasant Nana Miller Sky 1 Regular role
2016 New Blood Joan Philips BBC One Episode 1

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2001 South West 9 [59] Mrs. Ashware Directed by Richard Parry
Buried Treasure (2001)[60] Martha Directed by Adrian Shergold
2002 Jeffrey Archer: The Truth[61] First Judge Directed by Guy Jenkin
2006 Basic Instinct 2[8] Prosecutor Directed by Michael Caton-Jones
Losing It [62] Paula Directed by Ben Bolt
Breaking and Entering[63] Judge Directed by Anthony Minghella
2008 Clubbed[64] Mrs. Smith Directed by Neil Thompson
2010 The Future Wags of Great Britain[65] Auntie Deborah Directed by Destiny Ekaragha
The Santa Trap[66] Tooth Fairy Directed by Victoria Thomas
2011 Johnny English Reborn Colin Tucker's mother Directed by Oliver Parker
2016 Golden Years Directed by John Miller

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Teachers (2001)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "Coming of Age (2010)". Retrieved 7 January 2010.
  3. ↑ "Doctor Who (2009)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Casualty (2005)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "Holby City (2002)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  6. 1 2 "William and Mary (2005)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "The Bill (2002)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Basic Instinct 2 (2006)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  9. ↑ "South West 9 (2001)". Retrieved 7 January 2010.
  10. ↑ "Wonderland (1999 film)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  11. ↑ "The Secret Laughter of Women (1999 film)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  12. ↑ "EastEnders up for four MVSAs". EastEnders. BBC Online. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "The Gentle Touch (1980)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  14. ↑ "Sunday Night Thriller (1981)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  15. ↑ "Don't Wait Up (1983)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  16. ↑ "Shroud for a Nightingale (1984)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  17. ↑ "The Lenny Henry Show (1987)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  18. ↑ "French and Saunders (1988)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  19. ↑ "The Lenny Henry Show (1988)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  20. ↑ "CBS Summer Playhouse (1989)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  21. ↑ "Hallelujah Anyhow (1990)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  22. ↑ "Grange Hill (1991)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  23. ↑ "Screenplay (1993)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  24. ↑ "The Bill (1994)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  25. ↑ "Home Away from Home (1994)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  26. ↑ "London Bridge (1995)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  27. ↑ "Cardiac Arrest (1996)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  28. ↑ "CardiacArrest (1996)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  29. ↑ "Holding On (1997)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  30. ↑ "Kavanagh QC (1997)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  31. ↑ "Ultraviolet(1998)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  32. ↑ "The Bill (2000)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  33. ↑ "In Defence (2000)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  34. ↑ "Where There's Smoke (2000)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  35. ↑ "Never Never(2000)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  36. ↑ "Doctors (2002)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  37. ↑ "The Bill (2002)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  38. ↑ "Holby City (2002)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  39. ↑ "The Jury (2002)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  40. ↑ "Strange (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  41. ↑ "Lenny Henry in Pieces (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  42. ↑ "Good Food Live (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  43. ↑ ""Casualty" Aftermath (2005)". Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  44. ↑ "Doctor Who The Girl in the Fireplace (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  45. ↑ "Little Miss Jocelyn (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  46. ↑ "Trial & Retribution (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  47. ↑ "Doctors (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  48. ↑ "The Marchioness Disaster (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  49. ↑ "The Play's the Thing (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  50. ↑ "Outnumbered (2007)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  51. ↑ "One of Us? (2007)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  52. ↑ "Coming of Age (2008)". Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  53. ↑ "New Tricks (2008)". Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  54. ↑ "Off the Hook (2009)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  55. ↑ "Doctor Who Easter Special (2009)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  56. ↑ "Moses Jones (2009)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  57. ↑ Green, Kris (11 May 2010). "Exclusive: Bryan Kirkwood (Executive Producer, 'EastEnders')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  58. ↑ "EastEnders: Ellen Thomas cast as new Albert Square matriarch". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  59. ↑ "South West 9 (2001)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  60. ↑ "Buried Treasure (2001)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  61. ↑ "Jeffrey Archer: The Truth (2002)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  62. ↑ "Losing It (2006)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  63. ↑ "Breaking and Entering (2006)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  64. ↑ "Clubbed (2008)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  65. ↑ "The Future Wags of Great Britain (2010)". Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  66. ↑ "The Santa Trap (2010)". Retrieved 23 June 2010.

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