Ayesha Antoine is an English actress. She is known for portraying Rachel Baptiste in Holby City, and Poppy Silver in Grange Hill.
Background Antoine was born in Essex, England. She is of English, Dominican, and Welsh descent.5 minutes with… Ayesha Antoine Tiscali.co.uk. In 1998 Antoine studied Psychology and English at the University of Manchester. After graduating, she returned to London to restart her career.
She said:
"It’s good to have another trick up your sleeve. I have always been interested in psychology, and I’d love to be able to do something with child psychology. Maybe do both acting and psychology, who knows?"
A hyperactive child (learning the violin and piano as well as attending acting and dance classes), at the age of eight she entered a National Talent Contest which was televised on the Saturday morning BBC children's show, Going Live!. Dancing, singing and rapping to Salt'n'Pepa's 'Express Yourself' was Antoine's first television appearance.
Career
Television Antoine began her television career in the 1990s playing Poppy Silver in Grange Hill. At this time she also made her first appearance in Holby City. Other television credits include the role of Kelly Grogan in sitcom pilot Placebo and a husband-beating shoplifter in The Bill.
In 2008, Antoine guest starred as Dee Dee Blasco in the Doctor Who episode "Midnight", an experience she described as: "so much fun…it’s a brilliant show and I loved every minute." She joined the regular cast of Holby City in 2008, playing staff nurse Rachel Baptiste.
In 2009, Antoine appeared in BAFTA winner Paul Whitehouse's new series Down The Line.
Radio In 2005, Antoine won the Norman Beaton Fellowship. She was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company for six months and lent her voice to over twenty five radio dramas including The Lysistrata Project, Hold My Breath, Westway, The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Fountain Overflows and Father & Son.
Other In 2011, she joined the cast of Big Finish Productions' Bernice Summerfield audio plays as Ruth.
In 2013, she was the featured presenter for Dr. Forever!, a five-part documentary series featured in the Classic Doctor Who DVD range.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1995–1998 Grange Hill Poppy Silver 33 episodes 1996 Gadgetman Frankie Scouler TV film 1996, 2005 The Bill Trixie Burroughs/Jasmine Bedford 2 episodes 2004, 2008–2009 Holby City Mel Allen/Rachel Babtiste 22 episodes 2008 Placebo Nurse Kelly Grogan Pilot 2008 Doctor Who Dee Dee Blasco Episode: "Midnight" 2008 Parents of the Band Camilla 2 episodes 2009 Mouth to Mouth Devine Bello 6 episodes 2010 Skins Police Officer 1 episode 2011 Mongrels Co-worker 1 episode 2015 Pompidou Nurse 1 episode 2015, 2020 Doctors Kayley Rose/Janet Poulson 2 episodes 2017 Chewing Gum Judith 1 episode 2020 Cursed Polly the Healer 2 episodesDaleks!Mechanoid 2150VoicesChief Archivist 2021–present Fireman Sam Helen Flood, Mandy Flood, Jodie Phillips Series regular 2022 The House Police Officer #2 2024 Father Brown Rachel Waterson 1 episode
Theatre The Firework Maker’s Daughter, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, February 2005 (playing Lila) Big White Fog, Almeida Theatre, May 2007 to June 2007 (playing Caroline Mason)Ayesha Antoine | London Theatre Database Familyman, Theatre Royal Stratford East, May 2008 (playing Keisha) MADBLUD, Theatre Royal Stratford East, February 2009 My Wonderful Day, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, October 2009 (playing Winnie) Cinderella, Theatre Royal Stratford East, December 2011 to January 2012 Red Velvet, Garrick theatre London, 23 January 2016 to 27 February 2016 Dirty Great Love Story, Arts theatre London, 18 January 2017 to 18 March 2017 White Teeth, Kiln theatre London, 7 August 2018
References
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