Kerri McLean is a British actress and director. She is best known for playing Kitty Despard in the drama series Poldark and Maeve in the comedy thriller Bodkin.
Early life McLean was born in Birmingham, England. She graduated from the Mason Science College in Birmingham with A-Levels in Performing Arts, Media Studies and Art, before moving onto study Modern Drama Studies at Brunel University of London. Eight years after earning her degree, McLean began studying Audio Production at the University of Westminster, from where she graduated with a Masters Degree in 2009.
Career McLean made her on-screen debut in 2004 on an episode of the soap opera Eastenders. Other early roles included minor appearances in shows such as Holby City, Casualty and Small Island. She played a police officer in the fantasy series A Discovery of Witches. Her first big role came playing former slave Catherine Despard in the historical drama series Poldark. McLean has had also had a very successful directing career. She directed Formula 1 title and promo films for 4 years for worldwide broadcast, featuring all of F1’s drivers and key principles including Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel. Her film ‘Reality Check’ won Faith Drama’s ‘Writer-Director Festival Award’ and ‘Writer/Director Audience Choice Award’ in 2016. Kerri played lead character barrister Tamika Dazinzi in the 2022 audio film Barred which won a silver award for ‘Best Director’ and a bronze award for ‘Best Digital Drama’ at The New York Festival’s Radio Awards 2022. She portrayed Maeve, one of the lead roles of the Irish thriller series Bodkin.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes2005CherishedYoung Lifer 32016We Love MosesJanetShort2017The RitualGayle2019BrunoDC Richardson2021Tom and JerryNews Reporter2022BlinkersDaisyShort2025Brighton StoreysEve The Midwife2026Molly vs the MachinesMichelle Walker
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2004EastendersJemmaEpisode; 26672004Holby CityRachel Dennis2 episodes2007CasualtyDanni WilsonEpisode; The Killing Floor2009Small IslandJosephineEpisode; #1.22010IdentityTeacherEpisode; Second Life2014HollyoaksDr. LewisEpisode; 39712015UnforgottenDuty Solicitor2 episodes2003-2016DoctorsDC Gemma Beckett, Tracey Maduro, Megan WallerUnforgotten9 episodes2017RellikParamedicEpisode; #1.42017Electric DreamsImplanted Jill#2Episode; Crazy Diamond2017Bounty HuntersStewardessEpisode; #1.32018BlissMidwifeEpisode; #1.32018A Discovery of WitchesFemale Police OfficerEpisode; #1.12018BodyguardSurveillance Officer2 episodes2019PoldarkKitty Despard7 episodes2021Line of DutyMidwifeEpisode; #6.32024BodkinMaeve5 episodes2025The RigSurveillance OfficerEpisode; #2.32026GraceCarla LambertEpisode; One Of Us is Dead
Video Games YearTitleRoleNotes2022Expeditions: RomeLunja, Cecilia, Nasamones Soldier Female 2023Baldur's Gate 3Cappa Delourese, Fist Oriona, Raider G'r'ath2024Unknown 9: AwakeningVoice
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