Samantha-Jane Beckinsale (born 23 July 1966),[citation needed] known professionally as Samantha Beckinsale and Sam Beckinsale, is a British actress. She played firefighter Kate Stevens in London's Burning.

Samantha Beckinsale
Born
Samantha-Jane Beckinsale

(1966-07-23) 23 July 1966 (age 58)
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present
Parents
RelativesKate Beckinsale (half-sister)
Judy Loe (stepmother)

Early life

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Beckinsale is the only daughter of actor Richard Beckinsale and his first wife, Margaret (née Bradley). They divorced when Beckinsale was a young child and she did not see her father for years. Samantha was unaware that her father was Richard Beckinsale until she was 11 – the same year he married actress Judy Loe.[1] Beckinsale and her father reconnected and spent time together, before his death in 1979.[2] She is half-sister of Kate Beckinsale, her father's daughter with Loe.[3] She studied drama at Clarendon College, Nottingham.

Television

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In 1990, Beckinsale was chosen by LWT to play firefighter Kate Stevens in ITV's drama series London's Burning, which ran from 1986 to 2002.[4] In 1989, Beckinsale guest-starred as WPC Martin in an episode of Thames Television's Never the Twain. Shortly after this, she was given the role of Lesley in the final three series of Thames Television's Shelley. In 1994, she was chosen by LWT to play the role of Gillian in the sitcom Time After Time which lasted two series.

In 1997, Beckinsale starred as Jilly Howell in the short-lived sitcom Get Well Soon and in 1998 she was chosen by LWT to play the role of Gillian Monroe in the short-lived sitcom Duck Patrol with Richard Wilson.

Personal life

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In 2022, Beckinsale came forward as a survivor of domestic abuse.[5] She is a patron of the Broxtowe Women's Project, which offers support for women suffering from domestic abuse.[6] She wrote and produced a docudrama titled Love? which deals with coercive control in relationships.[7][better source needed]

Television and film roles

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Year Title Role
1989 Agatha Christie's Poirot - "The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly" Barmaid
1989, 1992 Shelley - "Day of the Reptile" and "The Deep End" Secretary (one episode)

Lesley (one episode)

1989 Screen Two - "Ice Dance" Cindy
1989 Never the Twain - "Neighbours" WPC Martin
1990 to 1992 London's Burning Firefighter Kate Stevens
1992 The Upper Hand - "Sex, Lies, and Exercise Tape" Vicky
1993, 2005 Heartbeat - "Manhunt" and "Services Rendered" Susan Robinson (one episode)

Elsa Jenner (one episode)

1994 to 1995 Time After Time Gillian
1995 Wales Playhouse - "Archangel Night Out" Tracey
1995 Jake's Progress Blue Eyes
1995 The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show
1995 The World of Lee Evans Girl
1996 Bugs Pascal
1996 Coronation Street Lorraine Mason
1997 Get Well Soon Jilly Howell
1998 Duck Patrol Gillian Marilyn Monroe
1999 Nancherrow Nesta Carew
1999 Dangerfield DS Katie Webb
2000 The Blind Date Patty
2000 The Scarlet Pimpernel - "A Good Name" Nana
2001 Where the Heart Is - "Faith" Ros Callaghan
2001 McCready and Daughter - "The Dating Game" Lesley Graham
2001 Out of the Ashes Sarah
2002 Murder in Mind Christine
2003 Magic Grandad - "Famous People 2: Boudica" Boudica
2004 Lighthouse Hill Sally
2004 Doctors - "The Miracle" Susan Marshall
2000

2004 to 2005

Holby City

"Taking It on the Chin"

"Braver Soul Than I"

"A Sense of Guilt"

"Moment of Truth"

"A Good Day to Bury Bad News"

"Elf and Happiness"

"Overload"

"War and Peace"

Maggie Haney (one episode)

Maggie Thornton (seven episodes)

2005 Marian, Again Josie Bevan
2006 The Penalty King Maddie Vaughan
2014 Katherine of Alexandria Vita
2022 Love? Woman

References

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  1. ^ Brennan, Zoe (16 March 1995). "Samantha has a burning need to be secretive about her life". Daily Express.
  2. ^ Clayton, David (2008). The Richard Beckinsale Story. Stroud: History Press. pp. 146–147. ISBN 978-0-7509-5061-9.
  3. ^ "Kate Beckinsale: English pearl". BBC News. 1 June 2001. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Profile – Kate Stevens (Samantha Beckinsale)". Londons-burning.co.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  5. ^ Roberts, Yvonne (24 April 2022). "A TV star, a chief inspector: abuse survivors look the world in the eye in remarkable project". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Actor Sam Beckinsale Becomes Nottinghamshire Charity's Inaugural Patron". BroxtoweWomensProject.org.uk. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Love?". IMDb.
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