Katy Jane Carmichael (born 5 March 1970) is an English actress, director and producer. She is most known for her roles Twist Morgan in the Channel 4 sitcom '' Spaced'', Lucy Barlow in the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

soap ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'', and Melissa Ryan in '' Waterloo Road''. As a director-producer, her work includes the award-winning ''Mayday Mayday'' ( Bristol Old Vic and St Ann's Warehouse New York).

Early life

Born and brought up in Liverpool as the daughter of two architects, Carmichael attended Gateacre Community Comprehensive School. She did her A-levels at Liverpool College, Mossley Hill, Liverpool. After six seasons with the

National Youth Theatre The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYT) is a youth theatre and registered charity in London. Its aim is to develop and nurture young people through creative arts and theatrical productions. Founded in 1956 as the world's first youth th ...

, she studied for a drama, film and television degree, at

Bristol University , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

with peers Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes, Myfanwy Moore, and had a five-year relationship with the then-unknown drama student David Walliams.

Career

Her first professional acting role at the age of 18 was Connie in the Liverpool sitcom ''Bread'' which she filmed during her university studies. Early in her career, she teamed up with lifelong friend, future '' Spaced'' star and writer Jessica Hynes in a comedy double-act called ''The Liz Hurleys''. After leaving university, she began a TV career with the 1950s Liverpool drama ''And The Beat Goes On'' (1994), the Galton and Simpson series with Paul Merton, ''Wing and a Prayer'', ''Death Of A Salesman'', and Dennis Potter's ''Karaoke / Cold Lazarus''. She played DC Jo McMullen in '' Liverpool 1''. Carmichael reunited with Hynes and Pegg to play Twist Morgan in the BAFTA nominated Channel 4 sitcom '' Spaced''. The sitcom lasted for two series. The three also previously appeared together in the short-lived sketch show ''Six Pairs of Pants'' (1995). In 2001, Carmichael starred in her first film, '' Dead Babies'', based on the novel by

Martin Amis Martin Louis Amis (born 25 August 1949) is a British novelist, essayist, memoirist, and screenwriter. He is best known for his novels ''Money'' (1984) and ''London Fields'' (1989). He received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his memoir '' ...

. She also appeared in Kenneth Branagh's comedy film ''In the Bleak Midwinter'' as mad puppetwoman and played the female lead Jane Wells in the period fantasy drama '' The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells''. A variety of roles in comedy and drama followed; Hex, Scarlett, '' One Foot in the Grave'', Clocking Off, Cutting It. In 2002, she landed the role of florist Lucy Richards in ''

'' and was involved in the award-winning Peter Barlow bigamy storyline for two years. She went on to play Melissa Ryan (sister of headteacher Rachel Mason) school drama '' Waterloo Road'' (2007). Carmichael played the mother in Danny Stack's short supernatural thriller ''Origin'' (2010). In 2014, she played Helen the down-trodden housewife in Jimmy McGovern's series ''Moving On'' for the BBC and was Hayley Blake, Connie Beauchamp's nemesis in ''Casualty'' (2014–15). She plays Clarity Winlove in ''The Living and The Dead'' (2015). On stage, she played opposite

Steven Berkoff Steven Berkoff (born Leslie Steven Berks; 3 August 1937) is an English actor, author, playwright, theatre practitioner and theatre director. As a theatre maker he is recognised for staging work with a heightened performance style eponymously k ...

in his 3 hander Sturm and Drang and Brighton Beach Scumbags at the Riverside Studios (1995), Yseult -Whitehands with Kneehigh Theatres's international hit Tristan and Yseult (2005–06) (Sydney Festival, US). Work at other theatres includes seasons at the Royal Exchange Theatre, the

Liverpool Everyman The Everyman Theatre stands at the north end of Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It was founded in 1964, in Hope Hall (once a chapel, then a cinema), in an area of Liverpool noted for its bohemian environment and political edge, a ...

, The Gate, and The Bristol Old Vic, where she met her future husband actor Tristan Sturrock in a production of ''The Beaux Stratagem''. In 2010, they set up Bristol based Theatre Damfino together. She has directed the company's projects to date including ''Mayday Mayday'' (Bristol Old Vic 2012) winner of the International Fringe Review award (Edinburgh 2012) and selected to play at St Ann's Warehouse New York and Spoleto Festival USA (2013). Mayday Mayday is a drama documentary (afternoon play Radio 4 TX 1 May 2015). The Radio play won the International Third Coast award (US) was nominated for two BBC Drama awards 2016 - best sound design and finalist for best drama production. Carmichael collaborated with Bib Gourmand winning chef Matt Williamson and ''Guardian'' food writer Claire Thomson to create the food-theatre show ''The Table Of Delights'', which began as a gourmet tasting and performance experience for adults ( Bristol Old Vic, 2013-2014). The children's version of the show premiered at The Print Room at The Old Coronet winning the Off West End award for best production for families category (2016). Carmichael is creative director of The Table of Delights online a new food entertainment website sponsored by Yeo Valley and Pukka Tea. She directed singer and songwriter Kate Dimbleby's solo show Songbirds ( Tobacco Factory, Bath

Ustinov Ustinov (russian: Устинов) is a surname of Russian language, Russian origin. The feminine form is Ustinova (russian: Устинова). People with this name include: * Alexander Ustinov (born 1976), K-1 fighter and boxer * Dmitriy Ustinov ( ...

, UK Tour 2017) based on her acclaimed a cappella album.

Personal life

Carmichael has been married to actor Tristan Sturrock since 2005. They have three children together: a son born in 2004, a daughter born in 2006, and a second daughter born in 2010. One of their daughters, Bronte Carmichael is also an actress, who is known for her role as Madeline Robin in the 2018 Disney film '' Christopher Robin''.

Filmography

References

External links

*
Origin Official Site

Theatre Damfino website

Table of Delights online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carmichael, Katy English women comedians Living people 1970 births Actresses from Liverpool English television actresses English soap opera actresses People from Gateacre