Fiona Allen (born 13 March 1965) is an English comedian and actress, most known for her work on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

's ''

Smack the Pony ''Smack the Pony'' is a British sketch comedy show that was originally broadcast between 1999 and 2003 on Channel 4. The main performers on the show were Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips. There were also regular appearances from ...

'' between 1999 and 2003.

Career

Allen has appeared in many sketch shows, including ''We Know Where You Live'' (Channel 5), ''

'' (Channel 4), '' Goodness Gracious Me'' and ''

The All Star Comedy Show ''Monkey Trousers'' is a television comedy series on ITV first broadcast in 2005, featuring Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Alistair McGowan, Steve Coogan, John Thomson, Ronni Ancona, Mackenzie Crook, Griff Rhys Jones, Alex Lowe, Neil Morrissey, ...

''. She has also appeared in many television dramas including ''

Dalziel and Pascoe Detective Superintendent Andrew "Andy" Dalziel and Detective Sergeant, later Detective Inspector, Peter Pascoe are two fictional Yorkshire detectives featuring in a series of novels by Reginald Hill. Characterisation and style Dalziel is ...

'' and '' Coronation Street'', as well as the sitcom ''

Happiness Happiness, in the context of mental or emotional states, is positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Other forms include life satisfaction, well-being, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia. ...

'' alongside

Paul Whitehouse Paul Julian Whitehouse (born 17 May 1958) is a Welsh actor, writer and comedian. He was one of the main stars of the BBC sketch comedy series '' The Fast Show'', and has also starred with Harry Enfield in the shows ''Harry & Paul'' and ''Harr ...

. Subsequently, she appeared as Sandra, in the

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

of the '' Viz'' comic strip '' The Fat Slags'', and as a panelist on one episode of ''

Mock the Week ''Mock the Week'' is a British topical satirical celebrity panel show, created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. It was produced by Angst Productions for BBC Two, and was broadcast from 5 June 2005 to 4 November 2022. The programme was present ...

''. Allen appeared in the first episode of the second series of the E4 teenage drama '' Skins'', playing Maxxie's mum Jackie Oliver. Jackie is married to Walter who is played by Bill Bailey. She also appears in BBC drama '' Waterloo Road'' as Georgia Stevenson, playing the former lover of Tom Clarkson. From 2019 to 2020, she portrayed Michaela Turnbull in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''.

Personal life

Allen's grandfather was Harry Allen, one of the last British hangmen; her mother was born in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Allen is married to the son of TV chat show host

Michael Parkinson Sir Michael Parkinson (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his television talk show '' Parkinson'' from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007, as well as other talk shows and programmes both in the U ...

, also named Michael. Together they have three daughters, with one being named Felix. In the late 1980s she worked as the box office manager at the Manchester nightclub

the Haçienda The Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, North West England, which became famous during the Manchester years of the 1980s and early 1990s. It was run by the record label Factory Records. The club opened in 1982, eventually ...

, ran the Area (Factory Records' shop) at Affleck's Palace and makes a brief appearance playing herself in the film ''

24 Hour Party People ''24 Hour Party People'' is a 2002 British biographical comedy-drama film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Wint ...

''. In 2022, Allen returned to performing live Stand-up comedy at The Stand-Up Club, Piccadilly in London.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Fiona 1965 births Living people People from Bury, Greater Manchester English people of Spanish descent English soap opera actresses English women comedians