Jill Halfpenny
Born: 15 July 1975 Parents: Derek Maureen Halfpenny Born in
Newcastle, a native of Leam Lane, Gateshead. Jill trained at the
Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. She began her acting career in
the BBC television children's drama series Byker Grove, as Nicola
Dobson when she was 13.
Jill has made a name for herself on the popular soap drama series such
as EastEnders. She took the major role of Kate Mitchell between 2002
and 2004.Coronation Street. Jill played Rebecca Hopkins 1999 and
2000 as a nurse who worked in casualty with Martin Platt and who was
having marital problems. Martin ended up sleeping with her on New
Year's Eve.
In Autumn 2004 she participated in the BBC One pro-celebrity ballroom
dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing, dancing with professional
Darren Bennett. The couple won the competition. Her hobbies include
roller-skating, ice-skating, fencing, dancing and
enjoys travelling. Jill loves dancing anything from ballet to
ballroom, she is also a skilled fencer. Jill got engaged to her
boyfriend, Craig Conway on Christmas Eve 2005.
Stephen Tompkinson
was born in Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland on 15th
October 1965. He was brought up in St Anne's-on-Sea, Lancashire and attended
St Bede's school. A practicing Catholic, Stephen was an altar
boy at Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Alban's until his late teens
and even considered becoming a priest. His Granddad inspired him to
take up acting and he attended the Central School of Speech and Drama
in London, which he left at the age of 23. He then went on to work
with the BBC Radio Drama Company before appearing in Chancer, Minder
and Casualty. He originally auditioned for the role of the porter in
Casualty but was beaten to it by his friend Robson Green eventually
Stephen played the part of a patient who died.
Ridley Scott
film director, was born on 30th November 1937, in South Shields. He
graduated from set designing to directing episodes of television series,
such as Z Cars, and also commercials, before making his first feature film
The Duellists in1977. Later films include Alien in1979 and Blade Runner
in1982, and he received an Oscar nomination for Thelma and Louise in 1991.
He acted as both
producer and director for G.I. Jane in1997. In 2000, Scott helmed the
blockbuster Roman epic Gladiator, which garnered 12 Oscar nominations,
including Best Director. It picked up five awards, including Best Picture
and Best Actor. Scott returned to the top of the box office in early 2001
with Hannibal, the hit sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, co-starring
Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore.
