Amanda Burton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amanda Burton
Amanda Burton in 2014
Born	(1956-10-10) 10 October 1956 (age 68) Derry, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1981–present
Spouse(s)	Jonathan Hartley ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1982)​ Sven Arnstein ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2004)​
Children	2
Awards	National Television Award TV Quick Award

Amanda Burton is a famous actress from Northern Ireland. She was born on October 10, 1956. She is well-known for her roles in many popular TV shows.

Some of her most famous roles include Heather Haversham in the TV show Brookside. She also played Beth Glover in Peak Practice. Later, she became very popular as Sam Ryan in the crime drama Silent Witness. She returned to Silent Witness in 2022.

Amanda also starred as Clare Blake in The Commander. She played Karen Fisher in the school drama Waterloo Road. More recently, she appeared as Katherine Maguire in the detective series Marcella.

Early Life and Education

Amanda Burton was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. She is the youngest of four sisters. Her father, Arthur Burton, was a headmaster at Ballougry Primary School. Amanda went to this school when she was a child.

She grew up in Ballougry, a small countryside area near Derry City. Her family lived right next to the primary school. After attending Londonderry High School, she moved to England when she was 18. There, she studied acting for three years at the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre.

Acting Career Highlights

Before becoming famous on TV, Amanda Burton mostly worked in theatre. Her first big TV role was Heather Haversham in Brookside. This show was set in Liverpool. She played Heather for almost four years.

After leaving Brookside, she made guest appearances in many popular TV dramas. These included shows like Minder, Inspector Morse, and Lovejoy.

Starring in Medical and Crime Dramas

In 1993, Amanda starred in Peak Practice with Kevin Whately. She played Dr. Beth Glover in this medical drama. The show was set in the beautiful Peak District in Derbyshire. She was in three series of the show until 1995.

In 1996, she took on the main role of Professor Sam Ryan in the BBC drama Silent Witness. This show became very popular. She played this role until 2004. Her character, Sam Ryan, was known for being thoughtful and sometimes quiet. Amanda helped make Silent Witness one of the BBC's most successful series. The show is still running today.

Later Television Roles

After Silent Witness, Amanda played Prosecutor Helen West in a TV series. She also appeared as Aunt Polly in a 2003 TV movie of Pollyanna. From 2003 to 2008, she played Commander Clare Blake in Lynda La Plante's drama, The Commander.

In 2010, Amanda joined the BBC drama Waterloo Road. She played the new headteacher, Karen Fisher, and left the show in 2011. She also competed in BBC1's Celebrity Masterchef and reached the semi-finals. In 2016, she played Cherie Le Saux in the ITV drama The Level. In 2020, she had a main role as Katherine Maguire in the third season of Marcella.

Personal Life

In 1976, Amanda Burton married Jonathan Hartley. He was a theatre technician whom she met at drama school. They divorced in 1982. Later, in 1989, she married Sven Arnstein, a professional photographer. They had two daughters together before divorcing in 2004. Amanda currently lives in Hastings, East Sussex.

Charity Work

Amanda Burton is an ambassador for The Children's Trust. This is a UK charity that helps children with brain injuries and other conditions affecting their brains and nerves.

Film and Television Appearances

Film Roles

Television Roles

Presenter Roles

Awards and Recognition

Amanda Burton has won several awards for her acting.