Alison Newman

Alison Newman (born 25 January 1968) is a British actress, best known for her role in the hit ITV1 television series Footballers' Wives as Hazel Bailey, and as DI Samantha Keeble in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Alison Newman
Born (1968-01-25) 25 January 1968
Bournemouth, Dorset, England
OccupationActress
Spouse(s)Hugh Williams

Biography

Alison Newman was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, to David and Jenny Newman.[1] She has one sister called Sarah. Both her parents were school teachers who encouraged her to take up acting as a hobby, but discouraged her from attending stage school when she was younger, a decision she subsequently agreed was probably sensible. Instead she joined the National Youth Theatre when she was 16.[2] Her father died in October 2002, while she was filming the second series of Footballers' Wives. The producers allowed her to take time off from filming some of her last scenes in the series finale so she could be with her family.[3]

Despite studying drama at the University of Manchester Alison Newman did not work as an actress for almost ten years after graduating. She says that she hated the experience of being at drama school and lost her confidence.[3] During this time, she worked in a variety of professions, including publishing, catering, barwork and spent a number of years working in the music industry.[2]

She returned to acting when she was almost 30 after being offered a part in a play written by Anthony Neilson, with whom she had previously worked as an assistant director.[2] This was followed by a role playing a psychotic serial killer in Touching Evil III (1999) with Robson Green (who she would later appear with in RocketMan), and the film Butterfly Collectors (1999), alongside Pete Postlethwaite.

Footballers Wives

In 2002, Newman was cast in the role of ruthless lesbian football agent, and later club chair, Hazel Bailey in Footballers Wives. Newman was allegedly awarded the role on the strength of a two-episode guest appearance in the series Bad Girls, in which she played Renee Williams who set out to secure revenge on nemesis Top Dog Yvonne Atkins (Linda Henry).[4] Both programmes were made by Shed Productions. The part of Hazel Bailey required Newman to have her naturally blonde hair dyed red. Newman left the show at the end of series 4, when her character decided to return to sports representation, after becoming romantically involved with a professional tennis player.

Other work

After Footballers Wives, Newman played Diane Scott in Rocket Man for BBC One in the autumn of 2005. In 2008, she appeared as Lynette Hopkins in Rock Rivals,[5] another Shed Productions drama for ITV1, and later that year she appeared as Detective Inspector Samantha Keeble in several episodes of the BBC soap EastEnders.[6] She played the part of a back-street abortionist in an episode of the popular BBC One drama Call the Midwife, as well as appearing in the short film Father in 2013.[7] In July 2014 Newman resumed the role of DI Samantha Keeble in EastEnders when her character was put in charge of the Lucy Beale murder case.

Newman has extensive theatre experience, including Loveplay by Moira Buffini; Luminosity by Nick Stafford; Night of the Soul by David Farr and The Big Lie by Anthony Neilson, all for the RSC, as well as The Censor and The Lying Kind, both by Anthony Neilson, for the Royal Court Theatre, London. Between 2003 and 2006, she appeared in Vagina Monologues, both on tour and in the West End. Her most recent theatre work was in Two Women, by Martina Cole, and performed at the Theatre Royal Stratford East between February and March 2010.[8]

She co-created the TV series Harlots with Moira Buffini.

Personal life

Newman is married to Hugh Williams, a graphic designer.[3] They live in Hackney, East London.

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1998The BillMaria ScanlonEpisode: "Love's Labours Lost"
1999Touching EvilLynn SouthyEpisodes: "Fiery Death", Parts One and Two
Great ExpectationsSupplicant Mother
2000Bad GirlsRenee WilliamsEpisodes: "Facing Up", and "Rough Justice"
The BillKim PalmerEpisode: "Streetwise"
2001Family AffairsLinda Renshaw
2002–2005Footballers WivesHazel BaileySeries 1–4
2003Holby CityJanet BoydEpisode: "Going it Alone"
2004HexReverend GeorgePilot episode
This MorningHerself
Liquid News
2005Rocket ManDiane Scott
The New Paul O'Grady ShowHerself
Open WideRose
GMTVHerself
FavouritismEpisode: "Boy George's Queerest TV Moments"
Loose Women
2006DoctorsMonica GreelyEpisode: "Regular Fare"
CasualtyJocelyn PikeEpisode: "Family Matters"
2008TV's 50 Hardest MenHerself
Rock RivalsLynette Hopkins
The Wright StuffHerself
2008, 2014–2016EastEndersDI Samantha KeebleRecurring role; 51 episodes
2010Trinny & Susannah: From Boom to BustClodagh Malone
2011New TricksKaren ChapmanEpisode: "Only the Brave"
SilkSue Crocker
2012CasualtySian BrothwickEpisode: "Hero Syndrome"
WhitechapelJudy Miles3 episodes
2013Call the MidwifeMrs. Pritchard
By Any MeansAssistant Commissioner
2014Holby CityAngela Doyle"Affair of the Mind"
2019EndeavourViv WallSeries 6
2020–presentDun BreedinWanda WalkerOnline series; main role

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1999The Butterfly CollectorsSandra Hollins
2000The Prince and the PauperAnn Canty
2003Ashes and SandHayley's Mother
2006KidulthoodClaire's Mum
2007iThe EyeShort
2013FatherMargherita

Theatre
Year Title Role Notes
1990The TempestSpirit[9]Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
1997The CensorWifeFinborough Theatre and Royal Court Theatre London
1998Electronic Dark AgeEdinburgh Festival
2001LoveplayVarious[10]RSC
LuminosityBetty Mercer/Midwife[10]
Epitaph for the Official Secrets ActThe One Who Stays[10]RSC Playreading
2002Night of the SoulLiz Chappell[11]RSC
2002The Lying KindGronyaRoyal Court Theatre London
2003–2006Vagina MonologuesUK tour, and West End
2008The Big LieRSC/Latitude Festival
The Long RoadElizabeth[12]Synergy Theatre Project in association with The Forgiveness Project, Soho Theatre, London
2010Two WomenDoreenTheatre Royal Stratford East

References
  1. "Footballer$ Wives – Alison Newman As Hazel Bailey". Archived from the original on 12 August 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  2. "Metro Interview with Alison Newman". 15 April 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
  3. "Dame of Two-Halves". 2005. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
  4. Lindsay, Duncan (27 March 2015). "Remember when EastEnders stars Linda Henry and Kellie Bright, aka Shirley and Linda Carter, nearly kissed?". Metro. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  5. "DigiGuide: Rock Rivals Cast List". Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  6. "Ex-'Wives' actress lands 'Enders stint". Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  7. "Radio Times: Call the Midwife Episode Guide". Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  8. "Review of Two Women". The Independent. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  9. "Footballers Wives Official Website Series 3 Cast Interviews: Alison Newman". Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  10. "Theatricalia – Alison Newman". Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  11. "Theatricalia – Alison Newman". Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  12. "The Long Road, review". Retrieved 5 July 2013.
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