Martine McCutcheon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martine McCutcheon
McCutcheon in 2010
Born	Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting (1976-05-14) 14 May 1976 (age 49) Hackney, London, England
Education	Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1988–present
Known for	EastEnders Love Actually My Fair Lady
Spouse(s)	Jack McManus ​ ​ (m. 2012; separated 2024)​
Children	1
Awards	Laurence Olivier Award
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Innocent, Virgin, Liberty, BMG

Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (born May 14, 1976) is a talented English actress and singer. She started her career very young, appearing in television commercials. Her first TV role was in the children's drama Bluebirds in 1989.

In the early 1990s, she was part of a pop group called Milan. However, she became truly famous for playing Tiffany Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She also gained international fame for her role in the 2003 romantic comedy movie Love Actually. For her acting in EastEnders, she won a National Television Award. Her role in Love Actually earned her an Empire Award and an MTV Movie Award.

After leaving EastEnders in 1998, Martine started a successful solo pop music career. Her first album, You Me & Us (1999), reached number two in the UK. It included the UK number one hit song "Perfect Moment". She also had two more top 10 songs: "I've Got You" and "Talking in Your Sleep"/"Love Me".

Her second album, Wishing (2000), also had two top 10 songs: "I'm Over You" and "On the Radio". Her music career slowed down after her third album, Musicality (2002). She returned to music in 2017 with the album Lost and Found.

Besides music, Martine continued acting in TV shows, movies, and stage plays. She won a Laurence Olivier Award in 2002 for her amazing performance as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. She also wrote her autobiography, Who Does She Think She Is?, in 2000.

Early Life and Education

Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting was born on May 14, 1976, in Hackney, London. Her mother was Jenny Ponting. When Martine was young, her mother married John McCutcheon, and Martine's last name was changed to McCutcheon. Later, her mother had a half-brother for Martine named Laurence.

Martine went to nursery school in Colchester, Essex. She then attended Shacklewell Infants' School in Hackney. There, she performed in her first play, Away in a Manger. At six, she moved to Shacklewell Juniors' School and acted in more plays, like Noah's Ark.

When she was five, Martine started taking extra dance classes. She later joined a dance school in Stoke Newington. Just before her tenth birthday, she successfully auditioned for the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. This is a famous performing arts school.

At first, she couldn't get a grant to attend full-time. So, she went to Italia Conti's Saturday lessons. Later, a charity called the Reeves Foundation offered her a grant. This allowed her to enroll full-time at the Italia Conti Academy. She finished school with nine GCSEs.

Career Highlights

Starting Out in Entertainment

At 12, Martine got her first acting job. She was paid £350 to appear in an American TV commercial for the drink Kool-Aid. After that, she did some modeling and had small parts in TV shows.

She played Mandy in the TV series Bluebirds in 1989. She also acted on stage in Stop the World – I Want to Get Off in London. She had two guest roles on the ITV police drama The Bill in 1991 and 1992. Martine also appeared in the music video for "Caribbean Blue" by the singer Enya.

By the time she was 15, Martine was in an all-girl group called Milan. They got a record deal and toured as the opening act for the boyband East 17. Milan had some success. Three of their songs, "Is It Love You're After", "Affectionately Mine", and "Lead Me On", were popular on the dance charts. "Lead Me On" also reached the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart. However, the group eventually broke up.

Becoming a Star in EastEnders

In 1994, Martine was offered a small role as Tiffany Raymond in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. Her character became very popular, and her role grew.

In 1998, 22 million viewers watched her final scenes in EastEnders. Her character was killed off in a special episode on New Year's Eve. Martine had decided to leave the show to start her pop music career. She had hoped to return to the show later, so her character's death was a surprise to her.

For her role as Tiffany, Martine won the 1997 National Television Award for Most Popular Actress. She also won the 1998 TV Quick Award for Best Actress.

Pop Music Success

Martine's first appearance on the music charts was in 1995. She was featured on a dance song called "Are You Man Enough" with Uno Clio.

In 1999, she launched her solo pop career. Her song "Perfect Moment" became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart. Her first album, You Me & Us, was released in September 1999. It reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and sold very well. The album also had two more top 10 songs: "I've Got You" and "Talking in Your Sleep" (which was released with "Love Me" to raise money for Children in Need). She was nominated for a Brit Award for Best Pop Act in 2000.

In 2000, Martine released her second album, Wishing. It reached number 25 in the UK. This album included the number two hit "I'm Over You" and "On the Radio", which reached number seven. Even though it charted lower, the album still sold about 250,000 copies.

Her third album, Musicality, came out in 2002. It featured songs from Broadway shows. This album reached number 55 in the UK. Because of lower sales, her record contract ended, and her pop career paused. A "best-of" album called The Collection was released in 2012.

Martine returned to music in 2017 with her fourth album, Lost and Found. It was released in August and reached number 17 in the UK. This was her highest-charting album since her first one.

Film, Stage, and Television Roles

Martine often performs in pantomimes, which are popular British stage shows. She appeared in the ITV drama The Knock and the British film Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) in 2000.

She then played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the National Theatre in London. Even though she missed some performances due to health issues, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2002 for this role.

In 2003, Martine had her most famous film role. She played Natalie, a tea-lady, in the romantic comedy Love Actually. In the movie, the British Prime Minister, played by Hugh Grant, falls in love with her character. The film was very popular and successful. For her performance, Martine won the MTV Movie Award for Best Trans-Atlantic Breakthrough Performer and the Empire Award for Best Newcomer.

In September 2005, she appeared in two episodes of the BBC drama series Spooks. In December 2005, she was in The English Harem, playing a woman who marries a Muslim man who already has two wives.

In 2007, Martine appeared in two independent films, Withdrawal and Jump!. She also guest-starred in an episode of the TV series Agatha Christie's Marple called "At Bertram's Hotel". She was also a judge on the TV show Soapstar Superstar.

In January 2008, she was in the ITV soap opera Echo Beach as Susan Penwarden. In September 2016, Martine became a regular panelist on the ITV daytime show Loose Women. In 2021, she competed on the second series of The Masked Singer UK as Swan. She was the third contestant to be unmasked.

Other Projects

Martine released her autobiography, Who Does She Think She Is?, in 2000. In 2003, another book, Martine McCutcheon: Behind the Scenes – A Personal Diary, was published.

She was one of many celebrities who appeared in a promotional film in 2004 for London's successful bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. A fitness DVD called Martine McCutcheon: Dance Body was released in December 2005.

In 2006, the supermarket chain Tesco featured Martine in a series of advertisements. These ads promoted a new green program for recycling plastic bags. In 2009, her first novel, The Mistress, was published. From 2010 to 2011, she was the face of Danone's UK advertising campaign for its Activia yogurt.

Awards and Recognition

In July 2014, Martine McCutcheon received an honorary degree from the University of Bolton. This award recognized her contributions to entertainment.

Personal Life

Martine McCutcheon was engaged to DJ Gareth Cooke, but they ended their relationship in 1996. She later had a relationship with Jonathan Barnham.

Martine married singer Jack McManus in September 2012 at Lake Como. They had been dating since 2009. On February 4, 2015, Martine gave birth to their son, Rafferty Jack McManus. In August 2024, Martine announced that she and her husband had separated.

In 2011, Martine was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Six years later, she was also diagnosed with Lyme disease. She has openly shared her experiences with flare-ups of fibromyalgia and how it affects her. She also has ADHD.

Filmography

Discography

Studio Albums

Extended Plays

Compilation Albums

Singles

As Lead Artist

As Featured Artist

Other Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Martine McCutcheon para niños