Connie Fisher facts for kids

Connie Fisher (born 17 June 1983) is a British actress, singer, and TV presenter. She became well-known after winning the BBC One talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?.

After winning the show, she starred as Maria von Trapp in the musical The Sound of Music in London's West End. She performed this role for over a year. Later, she joined the UK tour of the same musical. Connie also had a role in the British medical TV series Casualty.

Connie's Early Life and Training

Connie Fisher was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. When she was four years old, her family moved to a village near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales. She learned to speak Welsh fluently.

Growing Up with Music

As a teenager, Connie was very involved in local theatre. She joined the Haverfordwest Operatic Society and performed in musicals like The Pirates of Penzance and South Pacific. She was also part of the Torch Youth Theatre.

From 1999 to 2002, Connie was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre. With them, she played the Lady of the Lake in a UK tour of Pendragon. She even played the main role, Morgan Le Fay, when the show toured Japan in 2001.

Singing Competitions and Awards

Connie was also a member of a choir called Côr Newyddion Da, which means "Good News Choir" in English. This group helped her get involved in the Eisteddfod competitions, which are Welsh festivals of music and literature. She competed every year in different Eisteddfod events.

In 2002, Connie won the Wilbert Lloyd Roberts Scholarship in the National Eisteddfod's "Songs from the Shows" competition. She also won a talent competition called the Milford and West Wales Mercury.

Studying Musical Theatre

Connie went to the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts to train professionally. She received a special award that paid for her training. In 2005, she graduated with a First Class degree in Musical Theatre. While at Mountview, she performed in several musicals, including Annie Get Your Gun and Carousel.

Connie's Career Journey

Connie's career began with early TV appearances and theatre roles before she became famous.

Starting Her Career

When she was sixteen, Connie appeared on TV shows like Jane McDonald's Star for a Night and Owen Money's Just Up Your Street. She also performed for BBC Children in Need. She recorded a Welsh song called Curiad Calon (Heartbeat) and a charity single called 'Eyes of a Child'.

Connie's first professional theatre role was in a pantomime of Aladdin at the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven in 2005. In 2006, she won the Welsh Musical Theatre Young Singer of the Year Competition. Before becoming Maria, she worked in sales while trying out for roles in London's West End.

Becoming Maria: 2006–2008

Connie became very well-known after winning the 2006 BBC One talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?. This show searched for the lead actress to play Maria in The Sound of Music.

In March 2007, Connie had to take a two-week break from the show because she strained her vocal cords. When she returned, it was announced that she would perform six shows a week. Another actress, Aoife Mulholland, who was also a finalist on the TV show, played Maria for the other two performances.

In July 2007, Connie performed at the Concert for Diana at London's Wembley Stadium. She sang alongside famous artists like Sarah Brightman and Josh Groban. She also performed at Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival. In October 2007, she won two theatre awards: the lastminute.com People's Choice Theatre Award for Favourite Theatre Actress and the whatsonstage.com Theatregoers Choice Award for London Newcomer of the Year.

In December 2007, Connie performed in a BBC special called When Joseph met Maria!. This show celebrated the success of the BBC talent shows that found stars for musicals. The TV show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? also won an Emmy Award in New York in 2007 for best non-scripted entertainment.

After Maria: 2008–2011

Connie finished her run as Maria in February 2008. She then co-starred with Alistair McGowan in the musical They're Playing Our Song. She also appeared in concerts and on a TV show called Bargain Hunt, Famous Finds with her mother. Connie also starred in her first TV drama, Caught in a Trap, where she played a young woman who loved Elvis Presley.

Connie's second solo album, Secret Love, was released in February 2009. Her "Secret Love" UK Tour was cancelled in April so she could have an operation on her vocal cords. From June 1 to June 5, 2009, Connie was a guest presenter on the Scottish lifestyle show The Hour. The UK tour of The Sound of Music, starring Connie, began in Cardiff in July 2009.

Voice Challenges and New Paths: 2011–Present

In 2011, Connie was diagnosed with a condition called sulcus vocalis, which meant she had small holes in her vocal cords. This made it very hard for her to sing and even speak. She had three operations in Boston, MA. After these, she was told she might not be able to sing professionally again.

However, in 2015, she met a voice coach named Gary Catona who helped her try to sing again. This journey was shown in a documentary called Connie Fisher: I'll Sing Once More, which aired on BBC1 in July 2015.

Since 2011, Connie has expanded her TV work. She has presented Songs of Praise and the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. She also started the Connie Fisher Academy, which helps young performers train in musical theatre. In 2013, Connie joined a TV production company called Avanti Media, where she now works as a development producer.

Connie has also continued her acting. She had a recurring role as a patient named Amanda in the BBC One medical drama Casualty in 2012. She also played Ruth in the UK Tour of Wonderful Town in 2012.

In 2018, Connie was one of three judges for Junior Eurovision: Chwilio am Seren. This was a singing competition on S4C to choose a young singer to represent Wales in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

Connie's Personal Life

Connie Fisher married a banker named Jeremy Reed in 2010. They live in Barry, Wales.

In August 2009, Connie was made a member of the Gorsedd at the 2009 National Eisteddfod in Bala, Gwynedd. This is a special honor in Welsh culture.

Connie's Music Albums

Connie Fisher has released several albums during her career.

Favourite Things

Connie's first album, Favourite Things, was released on 9 October 2006. It included songs like "Maybe This Time" and "Natural Woman". The album reached No. 14 on the UK Album chart.

The Sound of Music – London Palladium Cast Album

On 11 December 2006, the soundtrack for the new production of The Sound of Music was released. This album featured Connie Fisher, Lesley Garrett, and the rest of the cast from the London Palladium show.

Secret Love

Connie's second solo album, Secret Love, was released on 23 February 2009. This album included songs such as 'I Could Have Danced All Night' and 'Secret Love'. It also featured a duet with Lee Mead called 'Next Time You Fall in Love'.