Biography JACK DAVENPORT - Steve Although he comes from a family steeped in acting - his mother is the acclaimed actress Maria Aitken, his father Nigel Davenport - Jack decided to study Film and English at the University of East Anglia. He acted professionally, briefly, before he went to University, with Theatre Clwyd. “I dithered about whether to carry on or go to University and do something else for a while.” On graduating he was given a tiny part in FIERCE CREATURES, “which quite frankly a potato could have done just as well” and then he was offered the role of ‘Miles’ in two series of the cult television drama THIS LIFE. He was in the feature film THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY opposite Hollywood heavy-weights Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Philip Seymour Hoffman, which opened in cinemas across the UK as the first series of COUPLING was in production. Other television credits include: THE ASYLUM; THE WYVERN MYSTERY (BBC); ULTRAVIOLET (C4); THE MOTH (Tyne Tees) and Michael Bogdanov’s MACBETH (Granada). Other film credits include: 3 MEN IN A RESTAURANT; TERRIBLE KISSES; ALWAYS REIGNING; GYPSY WOMAN; THE BUNKER; NOT AFRAID NOT AFRAID; THE WISDOM OF CROCODILES; TALOS THE MUMMY and Mike Leigh’s CAREER GIRLS. Theatre includes: LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN (dir: Peter Hall); THE SERVANT (Lyric, Hammersmith); THE TEMPEST (Holders Festival Barbados) and HAMLET (Theatre Clwyd). Radio includes: JANE AUSTEN; ESCAPEMENT; DICKENS; MAN AND SUPERMAN, a special recording directed by Sir Peter Hall to mark thirty years of radio plays, with Judi Dench, Juliet Stevenson and Ralph Fiennes; THE AIRMEN WHO WOULD NOT DIE; THE CRUEL SEA; A CLOCKWORK ORANGE; THE PATRICK AND MAUREEN MAYBE EXPERIENCE and EASY VIRTUE. 1 Biography GINA BELLMAN - Jane Gina Bellman was born in New Zealand and came to England at the age of eleven. “I started elocution lessons because I was being teased, and I had a brilliant drama teacher. At the age of fourteen I appeared at the National Theatre in THE CRUCIBLE. I carried on acting during school holidays, and was all set to go to drama school when I was offered my first professional job appearing in KING DAVID with Richard Gere. So I packed all my school books away and went to Italy on a fourteen million dollar picture.” She became a household name after appearing in Dennis Potter’s drama BLACKEYES, although she says she always knew she wanted to do comedy as well. Gina Bellman’s other television credits include: METROPOLIS (Granada); JONATHAN CREEK (BBC); METROPOLIS (Granada); TED AND RALPH (BBC); DAVID (TNT); SHARMAN (World Prods); LITTLE NAPOLEONS (C4); HORSE OPERA (Initial); ORPHEUS AND EURIDICE (Jim Henson Prods); MUSSOLINI (NBC) and ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES (BBC). Other films include: MARRIED/UNMARRIED; SEVEN DAYS TO LIVE; PARANOIA; SILENT TRIGGER; EVERYTHING I LIKE; SECRET FRIENDS and LEON THE PIG FARMER. Theatre includes: ‘Karen’ in SPEED-THE-PLOW (Duke of York’s Theatre); CLEO, CAMPING, EMMANUELLE AND DICK (Royal National Theatre); TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS (Arts Theatre); ‘Ophelia’ in HAMLET (dir: Peter Hall); ‘Janet’ in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Piccadilly Theatre) and TARTUFFE (Palace Theatre). 2 Biography SARAH ALEXANDER - Susan Sarah Alexander is particularly familiar to television audiences for such award- winning series as PEOPLE LIKE US, ARMSTRONG & MILLER and three series of SMACK THE PONY, the all-female comedy sketch show. Sarah knew that she wanted to act from a very young age: “But I kept it quiet. My father was a television director and producer, working on documentaries and current affairs programmes including “Panorama”, and I didn’t think he’d find acting a sensible option. But as soon as I’d finished my A’ Levels I got on a train to Edinburgh and that was it.” She continues: “Having started in theatre, for a long time I wanted to be a classical actress. But I’ve always loved making people laugh - at school I was quite mischievous – and bit by bit I found myself working more and more in comedy. Then I met up with Ben Miller and Alexander Armstrong and we started doing lots of stuff for the Paramount Channel. Meanwhile I appeared in DROP THE DEAD DONKEY and RED DWARF and I eventually ended up as part of the regular team in SMACK THE PONY.” Other television credits include: THE RETURN OF NEVILLE DEAD; NATURAL LIES (BBC); THE BILL (Thames); COVINGTON CROSS (Thames); YOU, ME AND IT (Wall to Wall); CRISS CROSS; ANNA LEE (LWT); BARRIER ISLAND; SMITH AND JONES (two series); PUNY HUMANS (LWT); TILLY TROTTER; A SUMMER IN THE SUBURBS (BBC); THE STRANGERERS (Sky); MIDSOMER MURDERS (Carlton); THE ELEVEN O’CLOCK SHOW (C4) and DR TERRIBLE’S HOUSE OF HORRIBLE: VOODO FEET OF DEATH. Films include: SEA VIEW NIGHTS; PRINCESS; ‘Juliet’ in ROMEO AND JULIET (Michael Bogdanov); PINNOCCHIO and GOING OFF BIG TIME. Theatre includes: ‘Jesus’ in A PEASANT OF EL SALVADOR (Edinburgh Festival); GASLIGHT (Gateway, Chester); THE SECRETARY BIRD (Far East Tour); ‘Lady Macbeth’ in MACBETH (Gateway, Chester); NORTHANGER ABBEY (Queens, Hornchurch); THE SECRETARY BIRD (Far East Tour); HAND IN HAND (Hampstead Theatre) and THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES (New Ambassadors Theatre). 3 Biography KATE ISITT - Sally Kate Isitt trained at the Arts Educational School, “which involved a rigorous three years’ method training. I never intended to be a comedy actress. I thought I would get stereotyped as a classic stage actress.” Then came three series of Simon Nye’s award-winning sitcom IS IT LEGAL? in which she played the glamorous but prickly secretary Alison: “I was incredibly lucky that that put me on the map as a comedy actress.” Kate’s other television credits include: DOCTORS (BBC); HEARTBURN HOTEL (BBC); CORONATION STREET (Granada); A MANY SPLINTERED THING (BBC); JONATHAN CREEK CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (BBC); THE TRIBE; PEAK PRACTICE VI (Carlton); A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME (BBC); DOUGLAS (BBC); STICK WITH ME KID; CHILLER SERIES: PROPHESY (Yorkshire); ENGLISH BY TV; HEIDI and WATCH: FAMOUS PEOPLE (BBC). Films include THE SAINT with Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue. Theatre includes: HEDDA GABLER (Royal Exchange, Manchester); A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Bristol Old Vic); DREAMING (Queens Theatre, London and Royal Exchange, Manchester); PRESENT LAUGHTER (Royal Exchange, Manchester); SWEET PANIC (Hampstead Theatre); AN IDEAL HUSBAND (Bill Kenwright Ltd); MARRIAGE (Boulevard Theatre); A GOING CONCERN (Nuffield, Southampton); REALITY & DREAMS (Off Stage Theatre Co); CHARLIE’S AUNT (PW Productions tour); WIDOWER’S HOUSE (Chelsea Centre Theatre) and JEALOUSY (Chelsea Centre Theatre). 4 Biography BEN MILES - Patrick Ben Miles trained at the Guildhall: “None of my immediate family were in the theatre, although my aunt was a dancer at the Palladium until she met her diplomat husband. On my mother’s side there was some connection with the Welsh circus way back.” Since appearing in the second series of COUPLING, Ben played the part of Fay Ripley’s boyfriend in the third series of COLD FEET and had a major role in the THE FORSYTE SAGA. Other television credits include: ED STONE IS (BBC); HOLBY CITY (BBC); THE INNOCENT (YTV); ROUGH TREATMENT (World Prods); REACH FOR THE MOON (LWT); PEAK PRACTICE (Carlton); WONDERFUL YOU (Hartswood); THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF WILLIAM PALMER (Yorkshire); Catherine Cookson’s THE ROUND TOWER (Festival); MELISSA (Channel 4); IS IT LEGAL? (Hartswood); MEASURE FOR MEASURE (BBC); THE INNOCENT (YTV) and ROUGH TREATMENT (Carlton). Films include: THREE BLIND MICE; THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE; KEEP THE ASPIDISTRA FLYING; WINGS OF THE DOVE; PARIS, BRIXTON and GETTING IT RIGHT. Theatre includes: HAND IN HAND TO THE PROMISED LAND (Hampstead Theatre); THE CHERRY ORCHARD (National Theatre); THE LONDON CUCKOLDS (National Theatre); MARY STUART (National Theatre); THE TOWER (Almeida); THE MISER (Chichester); TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (RSC); MACBETH (National Theatre); TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS (National Theatre); FUENTE OVEJUNA (National Theatre); WINTERS TALE (Young Vic); HAMLET (RSC); ROMEO AND JULIET (RSC); HAVE (RSC); ISPANKA (RSC); THE TEMPEST (Phoebus Cart); A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE (Cambridge Theatre Co); SCARS (Lyric Hammersmith, Studio) and CHIEFLY YOURSELVES (National Youth Theatre). 5 Biography RICHARD COYLE - Jeff Richard left the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School just five years ago: “When I appeared in the BBC’s WIVES & DAUGHTERS I realised I could do comedy, then there was the Channel Four sitcom festival and UP, RISING.” However it was as the handsome, swashbuckling hero in the BBC’s LORNA DOONE that he became most familiar to television audiences. Other television credits include: MACBETH (Granada); HETTY WAINTHROP INVESTIGATES (BBC); THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF WILLIAM PALMER (Yorkshire); GREENSTONES (Communicado Ltd); DALZIEL & PASCOE (BBC); HEARTS AND BONES (United); SWORD OF HONOUR (C4); OTHELLO (BBC) and STRANGE (BBC), a series of which goes into production this autumn following a successful pilot on BBC1. Films include: Franco Zeffirelli’s JANE EYRE; WHAT RATS WON’T DO; HUMAN TRAFFIC; TOPSY-TURVY; YOUNG BLADES and HAPPY NOW. Theatre includes: MARAT/SADE (Theatre Royal, Bristol); THE DUMB WAITER (The Lost Theatre); A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (Leicester Haymarket) and THE SITCOM FESTIVAL (Riverside Studios); THE YORK REALIST (Royal Court Theatre and Strand Theatre) and PROOF at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by John Madden in which Richard starred opposite Gwyneth Paltrow. Richard appeared in BBC Radio’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. 6 COUPLING Biography STEVEN MOFFAT - Writer Steven Moffat’s writing credits include: JOKING APART (2 series for BBC2 - winner of the Bronze Rose of Montreux for Comedy 1995); PRESS GANG - Steven wrote all forty-three episodes of this popular series about a group of wayward high school students who are given a local newspaper to run. The series won the BAFTA Award for Best Children’s Programme Entertainment/ Drama 1990 and the Royal Television Society Award for Best Children’s Programme 1990. Steven’s other writing credits include three episodes of MURDER MOST HORRID for Dawn French and EXAM CONDITIONS, a half hour silent film for Central Television which won the Prix Jeunesse in 1994.