Cherie Mary Lunghi (born 4 April 1952) is an English film, television, theatre actress and voice-over artist. She is known for her roles in many British dramas. Her international fame stems from her role as Guenevere in the 1981 film Excalibur. Lunghi's long list of screen, stage and TV credits includes football manager Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and a series of advertisements for Kenco coffee. She also competed in the 2008 series of Strictly Come Dancing. She is the mother of the actress Nathalie Lunghi.
Early life Lunghi was born in Nottingham.General Registry Office (GRO) birth records Her father, Alessandro Lunghi, was Italian. She was raised by her mother, aunt and grandmother, seeing her father only occasionally. Lunghi has described herself as feeling "different" as she did not have a mother and father like other children.
Career Educated at London's Arts Educational School, Lunghi played Hedvig in The Wild Duck and Alice in Alice in Wonderland on BBC radio while still at school. After graduating from Homerton College, Cambridge and London's Central School of Speech and Drama, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the late 1970s, taking leading roles such as Perdita, Celia, and Viola. She had a starring role in the 1979 British short film Diversion (the prototype for the 1987 U.S. film Fatal Attraction). In 1981, she landed the role of Guenevere in the film Excalibur.
She starred in the 1982 television serial Praying Mantis, based on the book () by Hubert Monteilhet. The thriller co-starred Pinkas Braun, Carmen du Sautoy, and Jonathan Pryce. In 1985 Lunghi played Michal in King David alongside Edward Woodward and Richard Gere. She also appeared alongside Robert De Niro in The Mission. Lunghi told author Paul Stenning: "It was wonderful working with him, it was extraordinary actually. He transforms right in front of you. You are aware when watching him on screen that he has transformed – he is not Robert De Niro – he is somebody else. I don't think you can learn how to do that; it's just the power of your imagination."
In the mid-1980s, she relocated to Los Angeles for eight years, but returned to England to care for her mother. After the birth of her daughter, she took various short-term parts, including playing the band members' mutual love interest in the music video for Level 42's song "Something About You". Lunghi has described how she had been working during pregnancy and was working again three months after giving birth, saying: "it was working mother guilt. I was juggling and balancing, trying to be fair to my career and to my child. Nathalie would come everywhere with me."
Lunghi took on the lead role in football drama The Manageress (1989–90), and participated in the BBC adaptation of Edith Wharton's posthumously published novel, The Buccaneers (1995), as Laura Testvalley. In addition to film and television work, she appeared in a long-running advertising campaign on British television for Kenco coffee from the late 1990s onwards.
In 2006, Lunghi appeared on television in Casualty 1906, playing Matron Eva Luckes, and had a recurring guest role in the regular Casualty series as Professor Camille Windsor. In 2013, she narrated some episodes of the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?.
Strictly Come Dancing In 2008, she competed in the sixth series of BBC television's Strictly Come Dancing (14-week run), partnered by James Jordan. After her first dance, the Foxtrot on the Ladies Night in week two, she scored the highest points of the first two weeks (33). She beat this score with another series-best score of 35/40 for the rumba to finish week four atop the remaining 12 contestants with an average score of 34/40. The score for her third dance, the American Smooth, was an impressive 34 to maintain her average, though she slipped to 31/40 for the Paso Doble, and further to 26/40 on her fifth outing, in the Salsa. She returned to form the following week with a Waltz, scoring 36/40, and was joint first on the leaderboard.
She was voted off the competition on 16 November 2008 (week nine), losing by three votes to one in the dance-off against model Lisa Snowdon after performing a Cha-Cha-Cha. In the January–February 2009 Strictly Tour, she danced an American Smooth and a rumba with James Jordan.
Personal life Lunghi was briefly married to South African student Ralph Lawson after the pair met while studying at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. The 1975 marriage was one of convenience so that Lawson could remain in the UK. The couple never lived together as husband and wife, instead staying in separate homes in Newcastle. Lawson moved back to South Africa two years later to take a new job. She has a daughter, Nathalie Lunghi, with the director Roland Joffé.
Filmography Year Title Role 1980 Diversion Erica 1981 Excalibur Guenevere1985 King David Michal Parker Jenny Parker1986HaremUsta1986 Carlotta Letters to an Unknown Lover Helene1987Coast to CoastSusan1988 Intrigue Adriana To Kill a Priest Halina 1990 Ransom Claire Stein 1993 Silent Cries Audrey 1994 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Baroness Frankenstein (Victor's mother) 1995 Jack and Sarah Anna 1997 Myrna Smithee 2001 Back to the Secret Garden Lady Mary Craven 2004 Viper in the Fist Miss Chilton 2011 Love's Kitchen Margaret 2018 Patrick Rosemary
Television Year Title Role Notes Episode: "The Incredible Adventures of James Rupert Varney"The Valiant Varneys – BBC – Radio Times The young girl A Pretty Row of Pretty Ribbons – BBC Radio Times Sherlock Holmes Emily Episode: "The Second Stain" Dr. Finlay's Casebook Kirstie (Antonio) Episode: "The Visitation"Dr. Finlay's Casebook: The Visitation – BBC Radio Times Student Episode: "Home and Abroad" Peter and the Princess Princess Peter and the Princess – BBC – Radio Times Bill Brand Alex Ferguson 1978 Edward and Mrs. Simpson Lady Thelma Furness Ephesus Townsperson Play of the Month Anna Danby Episode: "Kean"Play of the Month: Kean – BBC – Radio Times Prince Regent Princess Charlotte Episode: "Milk and Honey"Prince Regent: 7: Milk and Honey – BBC – Radio Times Festival Celimene Episode: The Misanthrope Festival: The Misanthrope – BBC – Radio Times Armchair Thriller Stephanie Episode: "Dead Man's Kit" 'Tis Pity She's a Whore Annabella Tis Pity She's a Whore – BBC – Radio Times1981 Tales of the Unexpected Karen Masterson Episode: "Death in the Morning" The Agatha Christie Hour Lady Noreen Elliot "The Manhood of Edward Robinson" If Winter Comes Csöppi/Ilóna If Winter Comes – BBC – Radio Times Playhouse Emily Episode: "Preview"Playhouse: Preview – BBC – Radio Times1982 Oliver Twist Nancy Praying Mantis Beatrice Manceau Jackanory Storyteller Episodes: "Puss in Boots",Jackanory: Puss in Boots – BBC – Radio Times "Jack and the Beanstalk"Jackanory: Jack and the Beanstalk – BBC – Radio Times and "Cinderella"Jackanory: Cinderella – BBC – Radio Times Play of the Month Celimene Episode: "The Misanthrope"The Misanthrope – BBC – Radio Times Mary Morstan Play for Today Sue Episode: "Desert of Lies"Play for Today: Desert of Lies – BBC – Radio Times1984Strangers and Brothers Margaret Davidson/Eliot Master of the Game Margaret Van der Merwe Ellis Island Una MarburyBBC Television Shakespeare BeatriceEpisode: Much Ado About Nothing Bones Jenny Parker1985Vicious Circle Estelle Vicious Circle – BBC – Radio Times "Something About You" by Level 42 Love interest Music video Minnie The Daughter-in-Law – BBC – Radio Times1986 Harem Usta Dorothy Screen Two Susan Episode: "Coast to Coast"Screen Two: Coast to Coast – BBC – Radio Times1987Coast to Coast Susan Jennet Jourdemayne 1988 Lili 1989 Gabriella Benson 1990 Natalie Arno Episode: "Put on by Cunning" 1991 Jetti 1992 Covington Cross / Charing Cross Lady Elizabeth 1993 Helen West A Question of Guilt – BBC Radio Times 1995 The Buccaneers Laura Testvalley1996 Strangers Joan Episode 1 of Canadian TV series Lucille Otis Moloney Sarah Bateman 1998 Little White Lies Julia1999 Hornblower Duchess of Wharfedale/Kitty Cobham Episode: "The Duchess and the Devil" David Copperfield Mrs Steerforth 2000 Merie Kirschman 2001 EastEnders Jan Sherwood2002 Sarah Gordon Episode: "For the Sake of Elena"Waking The Dead Leah Gold Episode: "Thin Air"The Seasons Alter Titania2003 Cutting It Zinnia Raggitt Midsomer Murders Lillian Webster Episode: "The Green Man" New Tricks Diane Loveless Episode: "Good Work Rewarded" 2004 Cleo Steyn 2005 Agatha Christie's Marple Sadie Swettenham Episode: "A Murder is Announced"2006 Dalziel & Pascoe Kay Miclean Episode: "Houdini's Ghost" Casualty 1906 Matron Eva Luckes 2007 Hotel Babylon Mrs Poldark 2007–2011 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Stephanie Series regular 2007–2008 Casualty Camille Windsor 2 episodes2008 Casualty 1907 Matron Eva Luckes Detective Sergeant Annie Marsh Episode: "Dead End" Apparitions Woman Episode 6 Strictly Come Dancing Herself 2009 Casualty 1909 Eva Luckes 2011 Lewis Grace Orde Episode: "The Gift of Promise"2013 Who Do You Think You Are? Narrator Pat & Cabbage Cabbage (Jean)Death in ParadiseJayne Smythe Episode: "Death in the Clinic" Holby City Kathy David Episode: "Self Control" 2014 Wizards vs Aliens Eva Starling Episode: "The Quantum Effect" 2016 Midsomer Murders Alexandra Monkford Episode: "A Dying Art"2022 Strike Gloria Conti Episode: "Troubled Blood"
Radio Date Title Role Director Station The Raft of the Medusa – BBC – Radio Times Second girl Network Three Afternoon Theatre: The Long Childhood – BBC – Radio Times Marilyn BBC Home Service Afternoon Theatre A Day Like Sunday – BBC – Radio Times Alison Network Three The Wild Duck – BBC Radio Times Hedvig BBC Home Service Quiet WeddingMidweek Theatre: Quiet Wedding – BBC – Radio Times Miranda Bute Light Programme Midweek Theatre The Turn of the Screw – BBC – Radio Times Flora BBC Home Service The Monument – BBC – Radio Times Fanny's children Network Three International Couriers: The KidnappersInternational Couriers: The Kidnappers – BBC – Radio Times Judith Carroway Light Programme The Dark Rising – BBC – Radio Times Mary Durban Ye Daughters of JerusalemYe Daughters of Jerusalem – BBC – Radio Times Debbie Hudson BBC Home Service When Sam was KingSaturday-Night Theatre: When Sam was King – BBC – Radio Times Gail Fleming BBC Home Service Saturday-Night Theatre Kittens Are BraveKittens Are Brave – BBC – Radio Times Barbara Shiplake BBC Radio 3 Alice's Adventures in WonderlandAlice's Adventures in Wonderland – BBC Radio Times Alice BBC Radio 4 Golden Ring on my FingerGolden Ring on my Finger – BBC – Radio Times Clara Blood SportSaturday-Night Theatre: Blood Sport – BBC – Radio Times Lynnie Keeble BBC Radio 4 Saturday-Night Theatre Lost Yer Tongue?Drama Now: Lost Yer Tongue? – BBC – Radio Times Janet BBC Radio 3 Drama Now Joyous Days in the DesertJoyous Days in the Desert – BBC – Radio Times Janet Ross BBC Radio 4 Six Characters in Search of an AuthorGlobe Theatre: Six Characters in Search of an Author – BBC – Radio Times the Step-daughter BBC Radio 4 & BBC World Service Peter IbbetsonSaturday-Night Theatre: Peter Ibbetson – BBC – Radio Times Mary Duchess of Towers BBC Radio 4 Saturday-Night Theatre
Theatre
Her stage credits include: