Early life

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home (residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family mem ...

St Clement's father rose to become the managing director of a toy manufacturers in London and was married five times. St Clement was sent to

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...

on the

South Downs The South Downs are a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, in the Eastbourne Downland Estate, East Sussex, in the east. ...

, where she was—by her own admission—"very naughty". She was active in the drama society at her school, but she originally had aspirations to become a vet. However, this career proved unobtainable because she didn't pass

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

at school. Instead she decided to become a teacher and enrolled at Rolle College in

Exmouth Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe and southeast of Exeter. In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of town ...

(now part of the

University of Plymouth The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...

). She worked in the teaching profession until her desire to act prompted her to attend drama school, the

Rose Bruford College Rose Bruford College (formerly Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance) is a drama school in the south London suburb of Sidcup. The college has degree programmes in acting, actor musicianship, directing, theatre arts and various discipli ...

, and she eventually took up acting professionally. Her stage name was inspired by a street name in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

– St Clement Street – where her parents resided at the time of their marriage. In July 2008, the University of Plymouth presented her with an honorary

doctorate in education The Doctor of Education (Ed.D. or D.Ed.; Latin ''Educationis Doctor'' or ''Doctor Educationis'') is (depending on region and university) a research or professional doctoral degree that focuses on the field of education. It prepares the holder for a ...

for her services to teaching. Commenting on her former job, she said she had not been a good teacher, so her career change was not a loss to the profession.

Career

Early career

St Clement has worked extensively on the stage, in films and on television. Her acting career began in the 1970s, when she joined a small theatre company and she went on to have minor roles in programmes such as ''

The Onedin Line ''The Onedin Line'' is a BBC television drama series that ran from 1971 to 1980. The series was created by Cyril Abraham. The series is set in Liverpool from 1860 to 1886 and covers the rise of a fictional shipping company, the Onedin Line, nam ...

'' (1972) and ''

Follyfoot ''Follyfoot'' is a children's television series co-produced by the majority-partner British television company Yorkshire Television (for transmission on ITV) and the independent West German company ''TV München'' (for transmission on the ...

'' (1972). Her first big break came in 1976, when she was cast in an episode of TV prison drama, ''

Within These Walls ''Within These Walls'' is a British television drama programme made by London Weekend Television for ITV and shown between 1974 and 1978. It portrayed life in HMP Stone Park, a fictional women's prison. Unlike later women-in-prison TV series, ...

''. Subsequent television credits have included: ''

Van der Valk ''Van der Valk'' is a British television crime drama series produced for the ITV network. The first series ran from 1972 to 1992; followed by a remake in 2020. Created by Nicolas Freeling and based on his novels about a detective in Amsterd ...

'' (1977); ''A Horseman Riding By'' as Meg Potter (1978); ''

Emmerdale Farm ''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British soap opera that is broadcast on ITV1. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, '' ...

'' (1980) as Mrs. Anne Eckersley; ''

Thomas & Sarah ''Thomas & Sarah'' is a British drama series that aired on ITV in 1979. A spin-off from the BAFTA Award-winning series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', it stars John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' roles. Back ...

'' (1980); '' Enemy at the Door'' (1978; 1980); ''

Play For Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...

'' (1980); ''

Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...

'' (1980); ''

Shoestring Shoelaces, also called shoestrings (US English) or bootlaces (UK English), are a system commonly used to secure shoes, boots, and other footwear. They typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, finished off at both ends ...

'' (1980); ''

Dangerous Davies Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies is the central character in a series of comic novels by Leslie Thomas and a TV series, '' The Last Detective'' made for ITV and starring Peter Davison. The first novel in the series had earlier been made ...

'' (1981); ''

Angels In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

'' (1981); as Frau Bodelschwingh in ''

Private Schulz ''Private Schulz'' is a 1981 BBC television comedy drama serial set mostly in Germany, during and immediately after World War II. It stars Michael Elphick in the title role and Ian Richardson playing various parts. Other notable actors included ...

'' (1981); ''

The Chinese Detective ''The Chinese Detective'' is a British television police procedural drama series, first transmitted by the BBC between 1981 and 1982. The series was created by Ian Kennedy Martin, who had previously devised '' The Sweeney'' and ''Juliet Brav ...

'' (1982); ''

The Tripods ''The Tripods'' is a series of young adult novels written by John Christopher, beginning in 1967. The first two were the basis of a science fiction TV series, produced in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. Synopsis The story of ''The Tripods'' ...

'' (1984); ''

Bottle Boys ''Bottle Boys'' is a British sitcom which ran for two series on ITV between 1 September 1984 and 24 August 1985. Starring Robin Askwith as football-mad milkman Dave Deacon, the series mined broad comedy from randy Dave's amorous adventures. Ho ...

'' (1984); and ''

Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense ''Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense'' is a short-lived (one season) anthology television series produced in Britain in 1984/85 by Hammer Film Productions. Though similar in format to the 1980 series '' Hammer House of Horror'', the ''Mystery ...

'' (1986). She has also appeared in films, which has included roles in ''

Doomwatch ''Doomwatch'' is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC1 between 1970 and 1972. The series was set in the then present day, and dealt with a scientific government agency led by Doctor Spencer Quist ( ...

'' (1972), '' Hedda'' (1975), '' The Bunker'' (1981), ''

Scrubbers ''Scrubbers'' is a 1982 British drama film directed by Mai Zetterling and produced by Don Boyd starring Amanda York, Kathy Burke, and Chrissie Cotterill. It was shot primarily in Virginia Water, Surrey, England. It was inspired by the success ...

'' (1983) and '' Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil'' (1985). (1981) Portrayed Irish character relief Housing Association Manager Mrs Noreen Mullen accompanied with her trusted Yorkshire terrier dog Beeno Mullen in Southern TV Live Studio production: ‘Together’.

''EastEnders''

In 1986, St Clement was cast in her most notable role to date—

Pat Wicks Pat Evans (also Beale, Harris, Wicks and Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. She was played by Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 January ...

, the troublesome former prostitute and ex-wife of

Pete Beale Pete Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Peter Dean. He makes his first appearance in the programme's first episode, on 19 February 1985. The character was introduced by Tony Holland, one of the cr ...

( Peter Dean), in BBC's ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'' (the show's producers wrote that the marriage had taken place more than 20 years before EastEnders was launched). St Clement's character was originally brought in on a trial basis for a period of three episodes. However the series' executive-producer, Julia Smith, decided to introduce her as a regular character. St Clement initially had reservations about committing to the role, commenting: "I couldn't envisage how this character, who creates absolute havoc everywhere she goes and is not at home with herself or with anybody else in the Square, could possibly fit in". However she was persuaded to continue by Smith, who said: "'We've only seen one layer of the onion skin—the defensiveness—now we'll start to peel away more and get to the vulnerability that lies behind it'." Pat went on to become one of the soap's longest running characters, appearing in 2,183 episodes. She featured in a multitude of high-profile storylines, which included a total four marriages (two of which had happened before the show's launch) — most notably to

Frank Butcher Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Mike Reid (actor), Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer reception, he is reintr ...

(played by Mike Reid) – numerous affairs, feuds and a spell in prison for drink-driving (which led to a pedestrian dying). In 2006, St Clement signed a £200,000 deal keeping her with ''EastEnders'' until at least 2008. As of April 2017, she was the third longest serving cast member at ''EastEnders'' surpassed only by

Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', which he played between 1985 and 2022. Early life and education Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in W ...

and

June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the ''In ...

. In 2012, St Clement won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards, previously having been won by her co-stars

Wendy Richard Wendy Richard (born Wendy Emerton; 20 July 1943 – 26 February 2009) was an English actress, known for her television roles as Miss Shirley Brahms on the BBC sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' from 1972 to 1985, and Pauline Fowler on the soap ...

and

Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''. and the character departed on 1 January 2012. She has since been associated with ''EastEnders'' and on 14 November 2014, St Clement reprised the role of Pat for a short stint for '' Children in Need'' after

Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the drama's longest-serving main character and, following the departure of Pauline Fowler ( Wendy Richard) in 2006, became the only one ...

(

) knocks his head and sees the deceased women in his life. In February 2015, St Clement, alongside

Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''.Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''.The Queen's Handbag'' at the ''Children's Party at the Palace'' – an all-star event to celebrate the

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

's 80th birthday. She has also made personal appearances on various television programmes including ''

Grumpy Old Women ''Grumpy Old Women'' is a British television series, continuing in the same vein as its predecessor, '' Grumpy Old Men''. Both programmes are shown on BBC Two. The first two series were narrated by Alison Steadman, and the third by Judith Holder ...

'' (2005–06) and the wildlife programme, ''

Countryfile ''Countryfile'' is a British television programme which airs weekly on BBC One and reports on rural, agricultural, and environmental issues in the United Kingdom. The programme is currently presented by John Craven, Adam Henson, Matt Baker, T ...

'' (2000). She was also the subject of an episode of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1995. On 6 March 2012, it was announced that St Clement had joined '' This Morning'' as the show's resident animal expert. She made her first appearance on 13 March and her last on 20 December 2012. In August 2016, it was announced that St Clement would guest appear in the feature-length special episode of ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'', "

Too Old for This Shift "Too Old for This Shift" is a special feature-length episode of the British medical drama television series ''Casualty''. It was broadcast as the premiere episode of its thirty-first series on 27 August 2016, on BBC One, to commemorate the 30th ...

", which would air on 27 August 2016. St Clement would appear as "grumpy patient" Sally Hodge that "makes life hell" for charge nurse

Charlie Fairhead Charlie Fairhead, played by Derek Thompson, is a fictional character from the BBC British medical drama ''Casualty''. He is the longest-serving character, having played the role of Charlie for over 36 years, and the only remaining original ch ...

( Derek Thompson) because she is "distrustful" of him. She reprised the role for one episode in February 2017 after her character was involved in an explosion, one in March 2017 when her character was involved in a traffic accident and one in December 2017 when it was revealed that Sally had been diagnosed with breast cancer. In November 2017, St Clement appeared on ''Gone to Pot: American Road Trip'' in which five celebrities (mainly older aged) go across

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

to find out how

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...

can be used medicinally and how it would affect the UK if it was

legalised Legalization is the process of removing a legal prohibition against something which is currently not legal. Legalization is a process often applied to what are regarded, by those working towards legalization, as victimless crimes, of which one ...

. In April 2018 she appeared in an advert for Safeglaze UK, playing two different characters, a posh saleswoman and a Pat Butcher-type character in a leopard print coat, who approves of the saleswoman's mantra, BOGOF (Buy one, Get one Free).

Charity work

St Clement is an animal lover and a keen conservationist. She supports several charities, which includes the Global Wildlife Fund. She is also the Vice-President of her local

RSPCA The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity operating in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest and largest an ...

and works with them to promote their "Home for Life" campaign. She has commented "It's a very important campaign to encourage people to mention their pets in their will so that if they die before the animal, the RSPCA have the legal authority to re-home the pet. Without it, pets can end up abandoned or in unsuitable homes. People assume their animals will die first, but you can never be certain. It doesn't cost anything to do and I think it is so important." She is a dog lover and has spent time with PDSA supporters at

Crufts Crufts is an international dog show held annually in the United Kingdom, first held in 1891. Organised and hosted by The Kennel Club, it is the largest show of its kind in the world. Crufts is centred on a championship conformation show for do ...

, attending PDSA fundraising events and supporting the annual London Animal Day. In 2007, she lent her support to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and the Pets as Therapy campaign. In February 2007, St Clement, who is a keen horse-rider, became the patron of Veteran Horse Welfare.

Awards and nominations

Personal life

St Clement is

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

and is a supporter of gay rights—campaigning with Stonewall against

Section 28 Section 28 or Clause 28While going through Parliament, the amendment was constantly relabelled with a variety of clause numbers as other amendments were added to or deleted from the Bill, but by the final version of the Bill, which received R ...

and for lowering the

age of consent The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is unable to legally claim ...

for

gay men Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual and homoromantic men may also dually identify as gay, and a number of young gay men also identify as queer. Historically, gay men have been referred to by a number of different terms, including ' ...

. St Clement is known to be an intensely private person who seldom speaks about her personal life. During the 1960s, St Clement was married to a man named Andrew Gordon, but they divorced in 1976. She has no children. In 1997, St Clement discovered that she had a half-brother, Reginald (born 1934), from her father's first marriage. St Clement has stated that she had been in touch with her father, who died in 1993, aged 84, but he had never mentioned having any other children. Her brother had barely known their father and had not seen him since he was a toddler. St Clement has been the focus of much media criticism regarding her weight over the years, which earned her character the nickname "Fat Pat". In 1998 she lost several stone from dieting, which led the media to speculate that she had become ill. She later commented: "I have since decided I wasn't made to be slim. When I was thinner the paparazzi got some pictures where I looked ill. I had to come out and speak about it." St Clement's autobiography, ''The End of an Earring'', was published in 2015.

References

External links

*
Pam St Clement
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:St Clement, Pam 1942 births Living people Actresses from London Alumni of Rose Bruford College Bisexual actresses Bisexual women English autobiographers English film actresses English soap opera actresses English television actresses LGBT actors from England LGBT rights activists from England People associated with the University of Plymouth People from Harrow on the Hill Women autobiographers