Annette Badland
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Annette Badland (born 26 August 1950) is an English actress known for a wide range of roles on television, radio, stage, and film. She is best known for her roles as Margaret Blaine in the BBC
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
series ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...
'', Mrs. Glenna Fitzgibbons in the first season of '' Outlander,'' and Babe Smith in the BBC
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
''. She was nominated for the
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The Oliviers were established as the Society of West End T ...
in 1993 for her performance in
Jim Cartwright Jim Cartwright (born 27 June 1958) is an English dramatist, born in Farnworth, Lancashire. Cartwright's first play, ''Road'', won a number of awards before being adapted for TV and broadcast by the BBC. His work has been translated into more ...
's play ''
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice ''The Rise and Fall of Little Voice'' is a 1992 play written by English dramatist Jim Cartwright. Production history Sam Mendes directed the first production at the Royal National Theatre that transferred to the Aldwych Theatre in London's ...
.''


Early life

Badland was born on 26 August 1950 in
Edgbaston Edgbaston () is an affluent suburban area of central Birmingham, England, historically in Warwickshire, and curved around the southwest of the city centre. In the 19th century, the area was under the control of the Gough-Calthorpe family ...
,
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
. Her mother, originally from
Loanhead Loanhead is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, in a commuter belt to the south of Edinburgh, and close to Roslin, Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith. The town was built on coal and oil shale mining, and the paper industries. History Loanhead was a tiny ...
,
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, relocated to Birmingham during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
to work as a munitions and aircraft worker in the factories, where she met Badland's father. Her family often returned to Scotland for holidays and to visit family, or sometimes they holidayed in Wales. Badland trained in acting at
East 15 Acting School East 15 Acting School (East 15) is a British drama school in Loughton, Essex.Its degrees are awarded by the University of Essex, with which it merged on 1 September 2000. As of 2020, Essex University, where East 15 is located, has been ranked N ...
in
Loughton Loughton () is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex. Part of the metropolitan and urban area of London, the town borders Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill, and is northeast of Chari ...
,
Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
, working in " rep" at Southwold Summer Theatre during her time there. Her performance as the maid in ''
Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetu ...
'' for the Summer 1970 season earned her an Equity Card and the right to work in the professional theatre.


Career


Theatre

After drama school, Badland joined
Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...
's Actors' Company at the
Cambridge Arts Theatre Cambridge Arts Theatre is a 666-seat theatre on Peas Hill and St Edward's Passage in central Cambridge, England. The theatre presents a varied mix of drama, dance, opera and pantomime. It attracts some of the highest-quality touring productions ...
; her first professional productions were in director
Noel Willman Noel Willman (4 August 1918 – 24 December 1988) was an Irish actor and theatre director. Born in Derry, Ireland, Willman died aged 70 in New York City, United States. Willman's films included '' The Man Who Knew Too Much'' (1956), '' Across ...
's ''Three Arrows'' (by
Iris Murdoch Dame Jean Iris Murdoch ( ; 15 July 1919 – 8 February 1999) was an Irish and British novelist and philosopher. Murdoch is best known for her novels about good and evil, sexual relationships, morality, and the power of the unconscious. Her ...
) and
Richard Cottrell Richard Cottrell (born 15 August 1936) is an English theatre director. He has been the Director of the Cambridge Theatre Company and the Bristol Old Vic in England, and of the Nimrod Theatre in Sydney, Australia. He has also directed for the Roy ...
's ''Ruling the Roost'' (
Georges Feydeau Georges-Léon-Jules-Marie Feydeau (; 8 December 1862 – 5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as the Belle Époque. He is remembered for his farces, written between 1886 and 1914. Feydeau was born in Paris to middle-class parent ...
) in October 1972. After pantomime (''
Toad of Toad Hall ''Toad of Toad Hall'' is a play written by A. A. Milne – the first of several dramatisations of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 novel '' The Wind in the Willows'' – with incidental music by Harold Fraser-Simson. It was originally produced by Willi ...
'' at the Dukes Theatre, Lancaster), at the end of that year she moved on to the 1973 season with the
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
at Stratford. Her Audrey in ''
As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 h ...
'' was considered an auspicious debut in a leading company. Badland joined the cast of
Jim Cartwright Jim Cartwright (born 27 June 1958) is an English dramatist, born in Farnworth, Lancashire. Cartwright's first play, ''Road'', won a number of awards before being adapted for TV and broadcast by the BBC. His work has been translated into more ...
's play ''
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice ''The Rise and Fall of Little Voice'' is a 1992 play written by English dramatist Jim Cartwright. Production history Sam Mendes directed the first production at the Royal National Theatre that transferred to the Aldwych Theatre in London's ...
'', which centres on a shy young woman from Lancashire who expresses herself through song, at the
Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th ...
from October 1992 through February 1993. In 1994, she starred in
Tony Kushner Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Lauded for his work on stage he's most known for his seminal work ''Angels in America'' which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. At the turn ...
's post-communist tragic comedy ''
Slavs! ''Slavs!: Thinking About the Longstanding Problems of Virtue and Happiness'' is a 1994 play by Tony Kushner, set in the USSR as it crumbles and during its later rebirth as a collection of independent states. The play has four acts, beginning in 19 ...
'', which explored the repercussions of the post Soviet era. '' The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,'' a play adapted from
Muriel Spark Dame Muriel Sarah Spark (née Camberg; 1 February 1918 – 13 April 2006). was a Scottish novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist. Life Muriel Camberg was born in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh, the daughter of Bernard Camberg, an ...
s' novel about an otherwise inspirational teacher who transpires to have an unhealthy admiration for fascist leaders, saw Badland as headmistress Miss Mackay on London's West End in 1998. She went on to perform opposite
Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Cés ...
in both David Lan's 1999 production of ''
'Tis Pity She's a Whore ''Tis Pity She's a Whore'' (original spelling: ''Tis Pitty Shee's a Who'' 'ore'') is a tragedy written by John Ford. It was first performed or between 1629 and 1633, by Queen Henrietta's Men at the Cockpit Theatre. The play was first publ ...
'' and his 2002 production of '' Doctor Faustus'' at the
Young Vic Theatre The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has been Artistic Director since February 2018 ...
in London. In 2006, Badland worked with The Peter Hall Company on two productions at the Theatre Royal in
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Pl ...
, England. The first was
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Measure for Measure ''Measure for Measure'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and first performed in 1604, according to available records. It was published in the '' First Folio'' of 1623. The play's plot features its ...
,'' a drama centring on protagonist Isabella's moral dilemma of whether or not to sacrifice her virginity to save her brother. Second was writer
Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...
's ensemble piece ''
Habeas Corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, ...
'', a farce penned in 1971 and set to modern music of that time. She went on to work with Hall again in 2007 in a production of
Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...
's ''
The Vortex ''The Vortex'' is a play in three acts by the English writer and actor Noël Coward. The play depicts the sexual vanity of a rich, ageing beauty, her troubled relationship with her adult son, and drug abuse in British society circles after the ...
'' at London's
Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.
. During the Tiata Delights Festival in 2009, Badland performed in Zimbabwean playwright Michael Bhim's ''The Golden Hour'', a thriller set in a London hospital where the main character encounters a baby he thinks has been brought to the country illegally. That same year she participated in
Hampstead Theatre Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in South Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. Roxana Silbert has been the artistic director since ...
's (London) fiftieth anniversary season by starring in
Michael Frayn Michael Frayn, FRSL (; born 8 September 1933) is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce '' Noises Off'' and the dramas ''Copenhagen'' and ''Democracy''. His novels, such as '' Towards the End of the M ...
's play ''Alphabetical Order'', which is set in a provincial newspaper library. Finishing out 2009, Badland featured as psychic medium Madame Arcat in Noël Coward's comedy ''
Blithe Spirit Blithe Spirit may refer to: * ''Blithe Spirit'' (play), a 1941 comic play written by Noël Coward * ''Blithe Spirit'' (1945 film), a British comedy film based on the play * ''Blithe Spirit'' (2020 film), a British-American comedy film based on th ...
'' at the
Royal Exchange Theatre The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...
in Manchester, England. With a cast consisting mostly of child actors, Badland starred as the headmistress in 2010's
Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...
production of ''Kin'', a disturbing play detailing the lives of young girls at boarding school. From there she went on to star in '' Far Away'',
Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.
's dystopian drama where the future is war, at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre. In 2018, Badland signed on to work with
The Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and gr ...
in London in their production of Blanche McIntyre's ''The Winter's Tale,'' which was broadcast live to theatres in October of that year'','' and Matt Hartley's ''
Eyam Eyam () is an English village and civil parish in the Derbyshire Dales that lies within the Peak District National Park. There is evidence of early occupation by Ancient Britons on the surrounding moors and lead was mined in the area by the R ...
'', based upon the true story of a
Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...
village that voluntarily quarantined themselves during an outbreak of the Black Plague. During the first quarter of 2019, Badland starred in two separate productions, featuring the same cast, at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London. The first was ''
Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to ...
'', where she portrayed Mortimer, and the second was ''After Edward'', a response to
Marlowe Marlowe may refer to: Name * Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593), English dramatist, poet and translator * Philip Marlowe, fictional hardboiled detective created by author Raymond Chandler * Marlowe (name), including list of people and characters w ...
's ''Edward II'', where she portrayed
Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny West neighborhood and raised in Oakland, California, Stein moved to Paris ...
. In September 2019, Badland was made a patron of The Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham. The theatre dedicated a seat in her honour that reads ''"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it"''. In March 2020 she appeared in ''Our Lady of Blundellsands'', a new play written by Jonathan Harvey as one of the two sisters in the dysfunctional Domingo family. In September 2021, she was the sole performer in a special event held on the
Golden Hind ''Golden Hind'' was a galleon captained by Francis Drake in his circumnavigation of the world between 1577 and 1580. She was originally known as ''Pelican,'' but Drake renamed her mid-voyage in 1578, in honour of his patron, Sir Christopher Hat ...
in Brixham Harbour to mark the 131st anniversary of the birth of the crime writer
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fiction ...
: fittingly, specific details of the event were not publicised in advance and the audience of 30 was sworn to secrecy.


Television

Badland's first professional television role was for
Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...
in 1975's feature length biopic '' The Naked Civil Servant'', where she portrayed the tap-dancing pupil. Between 1978 and 1980, she was featured in a series one episode of
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...
's '' The Devil's Crown'', an episode of
Southern Television Southern Television was the ITV broadcasting licence holder for the South and South-East of England from 30 August 1958 to 31 December 1981. The company was launched as 'Southern Television Limited' and the title 'Southern Television' was co ...
’s '' Spearhead'', ATV's long running serial ''
Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
'', made-for-TV film ''Flat Bust'',
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
's ''Shoestring,'' and
Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...
's ''The Dick Emery Hour''. From there she secured a recurring role as Charlotte in BBC's crime drama '' Bergerac'' (1981–84), a four-episode stint in Thames Television's ''
Bognor Bognor Regis (), sometimes simply known as Bognor (), is a town and seaside resort in West Sussex on the south coast of England, south-west of London, west of Brighton, south-east of Chichester and east of Portsmouth. Other nearby town ...
'', BBC's mini-series ''
Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (Great Expectations), Pip (the book is a ''bildungsroman''; a coming-of-age story). It ...
'', and several episodes of BBC Two's comedy ''The Last Song''. 1982 saw Badland appear in several guest-starring roles in episodic television. ITV's crime drama ''
The Gentle Touch ''The Gentle Touch'' is a British police drama television series made by London Weekend Television for ITV which began on 11 April 1980 and ran until 1984. The series is notable for being the first British series to feature a female police o ...
'', a police drama set in 1980's Britain, featured her in the series three episode "Solution". She also guest-starred as a nurse in both BBC's period drama ''
Nanny A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern ...
'' and Thames Television's crime series ''
Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...
''. In February 1983 she starred as Vera in PBS's comedic mini-series ''Pictures'', set during the era of silent films, which was broadcast on
Masterpiece Theatre ''Masterpiece'' (formerly known as ''Masterpiece Theatre'') is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on January 10, 1971. The series has presented numerous acclaimed Briti ...
. Later that year, Badland guest-starred on an episode of BBC Two's satirical mini-series ''The Old Men At The Zoo'', which was based upon
Angus Wilson Sir Angus Frank Johnstone-Wilson, CBE (11 August 191331 May 1991) was an English novelist and short story writer. He was one of England's first openly gay authors. He was awarded the 1958 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for '' The Middle Age o ...
's dystopian novel of the same name. ABC's drama ''
Lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...
'', originally aired in 1984, featured Badland alongside
Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...
and
Phoebe Cates Phoebe Belle Cates Kline (born July 16, 1963) is an American former actress, known primarily for her roles in films such as '' Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982), '' Gremlins'' (1984) and ''Drop Dead Fred'' (1991). Early life Cates was bo ...
. She would reprise her role as Piggy Fassbinder in the 1985 made for TV sequel ''
Lace II ''Lace'' is an American television two-part miniseries, based on the 1982 bonkbuster novel of the same name by author Shirley Conran. The series aired on ABC on February 26–27, 1984. The plot concerns the search by sex symbol Lili (Phoebe Cat ...
''. Between those appearances, Badland would feature in Channel 4's made for film TV film ''Last Day of Summer'', BBC's Two-part mini-series ''Agatha Christie's Miss Marple:'' "A Pocket Full of Rye" as Gladys Martin, BBC's made-for-TV film ''Newstime'' as Doreen, Channel 4's TV film ''Sacred Hearts'' as Sister Mercy and an episode of ITV's children's anthology series ''
Dramarama Dramarama is an American, New Jersey–based alternative rock/power pop band, who later moved to Los Angeles. The band was formed in New Jersey in 1982 and disbanded in 1994. The band formally reunited in 2003 following an appearance on VH1's ...
''. From 1985 to 1986, Badland starred as Christine in ITV's sitcom ''Troubles and Strife'', which revolved around the effect a new young vicar had on the town's women. She went on, the next year, to co-star in the PBS mini-series ''
A Little Princess ''A Little Princess'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published as a book in 1905. It is an expanded version of the short story "Sara Crewe: or, What Happened at Miss Minchin's", which was serialized in ''St. Nicholas Ma ...
'', based upon
Frances Hodgson Burnett Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 – 29 October 1924) was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (published in 1885–1886), '' A Little  ...
's classic
children's novel Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...
(1905) and a series one episode of the BBC's sitcom '' You Must Be the Husband''. Badland was a regular guest in series one of ITV/Channel 4's comedy sketch series ''
Hale & Pace Hale and Pace were an English comedy double-act that performed in clubs and on radio and television in the United Kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s. The duo was made up of Gareth Hale and Norman Pace, with the ''Hale and Pace'' television show ...
'' in 1988 before a turn in a series four episode ("Chinese Whispers", 1989) of BBC's anthology series ''
Screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, f ...
''. Following that, she appeared in "The Rough and The Smooth", an episode of '' All Creatures Great and Small'', an episode of BBC's medical drama '' Casualty'', and
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
's made-for-TV film ''The Pied Piper'', alongside
Peter O'Toole Peter Seamus O'Toole (; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old V ...
. From 1990 to 1991, Badland featured as multiple characters in BBC One's children's series ''
Happy Families Happy Families is a traditional British card game usually with a specially made set of picture cards, featuring illustrations of fictional families of four, most often based on occupation types. The object of the game is to collect complete fami ...
'', which was based upon a set of
books A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physic ...
by Janet and Alan Ahlberg. Badland guest-starred in a four-episode stint on BBC's Manchester based comedy ''
Making Out Making out is a term of American origin dating back to at least 1949, and is used to refer to kissing, including extended French kissing or heavy kissing of the neck (called ''necking''), or to acts of non-penetrative sex such as heavy pett ...
'' early in 1991 and three episodes of the BBC One children's programme ''Archer's Goon'' in 1992. She also featured in two separate episodes, one in 1991 and one in 1993, of the family sitcom ''
2point4 Children ''2point4 Children'' is a BBC Television sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porters, a seemingly average, working-class London family whose world is frequently turned upside-down by bad luck and ...
''. Returning to BBC's medical drama ''Casualty'' for a second time, Badland featured in 1993's series 8 episode "Born Loser". She also appeared in director Andy Wilson's mini-series ''The Mushroom Picker'' and director Carol Wiseman's mini-series ''Goggle Eyes''. Between 1993 and 1995, Badland starred as the nurse in BBC's comedy, ''Inside Victor Lewis-Smith'', which was presented as a look into comic and journalist Lewis-Smith's mind while he was in a coma. During that time, she had guest-starring roles on several television programs, including the BBC drama ''Smokescreen'', comedy ''
Love Hurts "Love Hurts" is a song written and composed by the American songwriter Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by the Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is most well known from the 1974 international hit version by Scottish hard rock band Nazare ...
'' with Zoë Wanamaker, ''
Frank Stubbs Promotes ''Frank Stubbs Promotes'' (alternative title: Frank Stubbs) is a British comedy drama series by Simon Nye, that starred Timothy Spall, Lesley Sharp, Danniella Westbrook, Choy-Ling Man, Anne Jameson, Nick Reding, Trevor Cooper and Roy Marsden. Tw ...
'' with
Timothy Spall Timothy Leonard Spall (born 27 February 1957) is an English actor and presenter. He became a household name in the UK after appearing as Barry Spencer Taylor in the 1983 ITV comedy-drama series '' Auf Wiedersehen, Pet''. Spall performed in '' ...
, Channel 4's comedy '' Blue Heaven'', and children's program '' Mike & Angelo''. In 1995, Badland was featured in three episodes of BBC's BAFTA nominated children's program ''
Jackanory ''Jackanory'' is a BBC children's television series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The show was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the first story was the fair ...
'', which featured celebrities reading bedtime stories for younger audiences. From there, she guest-starred on a series one episode of
Stewart Lee Stewart Graham Lee (born 5 April 1968) is an English comedian, screenwriter, and television director. His stand-up routine is characterised by repetition, internal reference, deadpan delivery, and consistent breaking of the fourth wall. Lee b ...
and
Richard Herring Richard Keith Herring (born 12 July 1967) is an English stand-up comedian and writer, whose early work includes the comedy double act Lee and Herring (alongside Stewart Lee). He is described by ''The British Theatre Guide'' as "one of the lea ...
's comedy sketch showcase '' Fist of Fun'' and a series three episode of the
British Comedy Award The National Comedy Awards (known as the British Comedy Awards from 1990 to 2014) is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom, celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year. The British Comedy Awards ( ...
winning show ''Outside Edge''. Between 1995 and 1996, Badland starred as Dolly Buckle in the BBC's drama ''Black Hearts in Battersea'', an adaptation of Joel Aiken's novel of the same name. During that time she also featured in
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's two part mini-series ''
Gulliver's Travels ''Gulliver's Travels'', or ''Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships'' is a 1726 prose satire by the Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan ...
'', BBC's children's series ''
The Demon Headmaster ''The Demon Headmaster'' is a series of books by Gillian Cross which were later adapted as a television series starring Terrence Hardiman in the title role and Frances Amey as Dinah. The title character is a strange being with the powers of ...
'', and director Martyn Friend's made-for-TV movie ''Cuts''. BBC's gritty crime mini-series '' Holding On'' (1997), set in London and following a series of unconnected characters, featured Badland as Brenda in four of the eight episodes. Between 1997 and 1998 she guest-starred in the BBC One children's comedy ''Mr Wymi,'' which focused on a young boy who builds a robot butler for his family, and ITV's children's program ''
The Worst Witch ''The Worst Witch'' is a series of children's books written and illustrated by Jill Murphy. The series are primarily about a girl who attends a witch school and fantasy stories, with eight books published. The first, ''The Worst Witch'', was ...
''. In 1999, Badland guest-starred for the fourth time on ITV's long-running police procedural ''
The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...
''. She appeared in a series seven episode entitled "Vital Statistics" (1991), a series eleven episode entitled "Off Limits" (1995), a series fourteen episode entitled "The Fat Lady Sings" (1998), and a series fifteen episode entitled "Look Again" (1999). That same year, Badland guest-starred on the series two premiere of BBC's medical drama ''
Holby City ''Holby City'' (stylised on-screen as HOLBY CIY) is a British medical drama television series that aired weekly on BBC One. It was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama '' Casualty'', and ...
'',
TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
's made-for-TV movie ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas ...
'' opposite
Patrick Stewart Sir Patrick Stewart (born 13 July 1940) is an English actor who has a career spanning seven decades in various stage productions, television, film and video games. He has been nominated for Olivier, Tony, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actors ...
, and ITV's
Alan Bleasdale Alan George Bleasdale (born 23 March 1946) is an English screenwriter, best known for social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people. A former teacher, he has written for radio, stage and screen, and has also written novels ...
penned mini-series ''
Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...
''. In three episodes broadcast between 1999 and 2000, Badland portrayed Aunt Glenda in BBC's dramatic comedy series ''
Microsoap ''Microsoap'' is a children's sitcom, co-written by Mark Haddon and co-produced by the BBC and the Disney Channel. A total of 26 episodes were made, lasting over four series, and airing from 1998 to 2001. It starred Suzanne Burden, Ivan Kaye, ...
''. She also featured in her first episode of BBC's medical drama '' Doctors'' in the series one episode "A Woman's Right to Choose". Children's series ''
The Queen's Nose ''The Queen's Nose'' is a children's novel by Dick King-Smith, first published by Gollancz in 1983 with illustrations by Jill Bennett. Set in England, where King-Smith lived, it features a girl who can use a fifty pence coin to make wishes. ...
'', originally broadcast on CBBC, saw Badland in the role of Mrs. Dooley in series four and five (2000/2001). She went on to star in the made-for-TV film '' The Gentleman Thief'' and feature in
Hallmark A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of metal, mostly to certify the content of noble metals—such as platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium. In a more general sense, the term '' hallmark'' can a ...
's two-part-mini series ''The Lost Empire'' (aka '' The Monkey King''). Her next television role, in 2002, was a guest spot on BBC's family drama ''
Born and Bred ''Born and Bred'' was a British light-hearted drama series aired on BBC One which ran from 21 April 2002 to 3 August 2005. It was created by Chris Chibnall and Nigel McCrery. Initially the cast was led by James Bolam and Michael French as a ...
.'' Badland followed this appearance with two made for television movies. First was ''
The Mayor of Casterbridge ''The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character'' is an 1886 novel by the English author Thomas Hardy. One of Hardy's Wessex novels, it is set in a fictional rural England with Casterbridge standing in for Dorchester in D ...
'', an adaptation of
Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Wor ...
's
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...
, and the second was ''Indian Dream'' for BBC Two. Between 2002 and 2005, Badland co-starred in BBC's ''
Cutting It ''Cutting It'' is a BBC television drama series set in Manchester, England, focusing on the lives and loves of the team running a hairdressing salon. It ran for four series between 2002 and 2005. The show featured a number of actors who have sin ...
'', a drama series set in a
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...
, England hair salon. Badland was once again showcased in an ''Agatha Christie's'' adaptation in 2003, this time portraying Mrs. Spriggs in the episode "Five Little Pigs" in the series nine premiere of ITV's ''
Poirot Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgians, Belgian detective created by British writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-running characters, appearing in 33 novels, two plays (''Black Coffee (play), Black Coffe ...
''. Following that role, she featured in her second episode of BBC's ''Doctors'' in the series six episode "An Inspector Called". 2005 saw Badland featured in a variety of television mediums. She began the year by portraying
Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born Theoretical physics, theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for d ...
's nurse in an episode of BBC Two's documentary series ''
Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the perspective of an observer on or near the surface of the relevant body. This line divides all viewing directions based on whether i ...
'' entitled "Einstein's Unfinished Symphony". From there she returned to serialised television in a four-episode stint on long-running soap opera ''
Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Orig ...
,'' a two-episode guest-starring role on BBC's court drama ''
Judge John Deed ''Judge John Deed'' is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Mr Justice Deed, a High Court judge who tries to seek real ...
,'' and an episode of BBC Three's dark comedy ''Twisted Tales''. In a crossover episode of medical dramas ''Holby City'' and ''Casualty,'' where fans decided the fate of certain characters, Badland guest-starred as Wendy Wincott. She also portrayed the recurring villain Blon Fel-Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen a.k.a. "Margaret Blaine" in the 2005 series of ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...
'' and provided commentary on the ''Doctor Who'' Complete Series One Box Set for the episodes "
World War Three World War III or the Third World War, often abbreviated as WWIII or WW3, are names given to a hypothetical worldwide large-scale military conflict subsequent to World War I and World War II. The term has been in use since at ...
" and "
Boom Town A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...
". Portraying Angela Robbins, a disturbed inmate who suffered from
Dissociative Identity Disorder Dissociative identity disorder (DID), better known as multiple personality disorder or multiple personality syndrome, is a mental disorder characterized by the presence of at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality states. The di ...
, Badland appeared at Larkhall Prison in 2006 in an episode of the eighth series of ITV One's drama '' Bad Girls''. The next year she starred in Hat Trick Productions' made for TV Film ''Miss Mary Lloyd'' and featured in her third role on BBC's ''Doctors'' in the series nine episode entitled "Background Noise". Badland then featured in the series two premier of ITV's comedy ''Kingdom'' (2008), opposite
Stephen Fry Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...
, Channel 4's '' Coming Up'', opposite
Imelda Staunton Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956) is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre prod ...
, and made-for-TV film ''Summerhill''. She also portrayed the sharply conservative Ethel Tonks in BBC's ''
All the Small Things "All the Small Things" is a song by American rock band Blink-182. It was the second single and eighth track released from the band's third album, ''Enema of the State'' (1999). The track was composed primarily by guitarist and vocalist Tom De ...
'' (April/May 2009) alongside Sarah Lancashire,
Neil Pearson Neil John Pearson (born 27 April 1959) is a British actor, known for his work on television. He was nominated for the 1994 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for '' Between the Lines'' (1992–1994). His other television roles include ''Drop the D ...
,
Sarah Alexander Sarah Alexander (''née'' Smith; 3 January 1971) is an English actress. She has appeared in British series including '' Armstrong and Miller'', ''Smack the Pony'', ''Coupling'', '' The Worst Week of My Life'', ''Green Wing'', '' Marley's Ghost ...
and
Bryan Dick Bryan Dick (born 1 February 1978Birthdayday (from Twitter)) is an English TV, stage and film actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Ernie Wise in the BBC's BAFTA-winning biopic of Morecambe and Wise, ''Eric and Ernie''. Career Aged 11 ...
. BBC Three's mini-series ''
Personal Affairs ''Personal Affairs'' (also known as ''P.A's'') is a 2009 British television comedy-drama series, broadcast on BBC Three. It starred Annabel Scholey, Laura Aikman, Maimie McCoy and Ruth Negga as four City of London Personal Assistants looking fo ...
'', a candid look at office life among up and coming women, featured Badland as Mahiri Crawford, and the made-for-TV film '' Whatever It Takes'' saw her portray the role of Connie. Then, in a third appearance on BBC's medical drama ''Casualty'', she guest-starred in the series twenty-four episode entitled "Every Breath you Take" (2009). In 2010 Badland featured in her fourth stint on BBC's '' Doctors'' in the series twelve episode "Love Thy Neighbour" and the pilot episode of Sky One's ''
Little Crackers ''Little Crackers'' is a British Christmas comedy-drama that was broadcast on Sky1. It consists of a series of short films featuring stars of British and Irish comedy, including Stephen Fry, Catherine Tate, Chris O'Dowd, Kathy Burke, Victoria W ...
'', a series of autobiographical shorts written by and starring some of Britain's top comedians. The next year she featured in an episode of BBC's WWI drama '' Land Girls'', which focused on the lives of several women in Britain's Women's Land Army, a second episode of ''Little Crackers'' based upon
Sheridan Smith Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith OBE (born 25 June 1981) is an English actress, singer and television personality. Smith came to prominence after playing a variety of characters on sitcoms such as ''The Royle Family'' (1999–2000), ''Two Pints of ...
's life experiences, and an episode of BBC Two's documentary series ''The Faces of...'' focusing on the career of
Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...
. From 2011 to 2015 on '' The Sparticle Mystery'', Badland appeared in four episodes as DoomsDay Dora and eight episodes as HoloDora. 2012 saw her appear in several episodic series, including Channel 4's cult-hit '' Skins'', her fifth and final episode of BBC's ''Doctors'', and her fourth and final episode of BBC's ''Casualty''. Badland also appeared as Ursula, from 2012 to 2014, in the
CBBC CBBC (initialised as Children's BBC and also known as the CBBC Channel) is a British free-to-air public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the brand used for all BBC content for children aged 7–16 ...
science fiction series, '' Wizards vs Aliens''. Award-winning web series ''3some'' featured Badland as one of the main character's mother in 2013. She went on to star in an episode of Sky One's ''
Playhouse Presents ''Playhouse Presents'' is an anthology series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts. The series started airing on 12 April 2012, on Sky Arts 1. Each episode is written by a different writer and stars a different cast. ...
'' entitled "Snodgrass", which imagined what would have happened if
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
had left
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
prior to becoming famous. She rounded out 2013 by featuring in an episode of comedy series ''You, Me & Them'' and several episodes of Channel 4's sitcom '' Man Down.'' On 12 December 2013, it was announced that Badland would appear as a regular in the BBC soap opera, ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'', playing Babe Smith. She made her first on-screen appearance in the episode broadcast on 31 January 2014. In 2016 it was announced, by new executive producer Sean O'Connor, that Badland's character would be leaving the serial and making her final appearance on 9 February 2017. Beginning in 2014, Badland portrayed the featured recurring role of Mrs. Fitzgibbons in
Starz Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz cons ...
's television adaptation of
Diana Gabaldon Diana J. Gabaldon (; born January 11, 1952) is an American author, known for the ''Outlander'' series of novels. Her books merge multiple genres, featuring elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure and science fiction/fantas ...
's best selling Scottish time travel novel '' Outlander''. That same year she featured in an episode of BBC's mystery series ''
Father Brown Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective who is featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936 written by English author G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intui ...
"''The Daughters of Jerusalem" as Judith Bunyon'','' before a turn as her ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'' character Aunt Babe in the made for TV Film ''Neighbours 30th Anniversary Tribute: Ramsey Square''. In May 2018, Badland reached the final of BBC's charity series '' Pointless Celebrity'' with ''
Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of ...
Neil Dudgeon, eventually donating £500 to the Midland Langar Seva Society. 2018 also saw Badland in several episodic television roles such as BBC One's sitcom ''
Not Going Out ''Not Going Out'' is a British television sitcom that has aired on BBC One since 2006, and has 12 series making it the second longest running British sitcom (in series) behind the longest running sitcom worldwide, Last of the Summer Wine. It sta ...
'', ITV Two's
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
sitcom ''
Plebs In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words " commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins ...
'', CBBC's children's series ''
The Dumping Ground ''The Dumping Ground'' (also informally referred to as ''The DG'') is a British children's television drama series that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people who live in a children's home with their care workers in care. The s ...
'', BBC One's comedy '' Hold the Sunset,'' and Sky One's mystery series ''
Agatha Raisin Agatha Raisin is a fictional detective in a series of humorous mystery novels, originally written by Marion Chesney using the pseudonym M. C. Beaton. Chesney's friend Rod W. Green took over as writer with ''Hot to Trot''. The books are publish ...
.'' "The Fairies of Fryfam" as Betty Jackson. In 2019 she guest-starred on BBC's dramatic daytime comedy '' Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators'' "Nothing Will Come of Nothing" as Ms Rose King. Beginning in series twenty (2019) of ITV's long-running crime drama ''
Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of ...
'', she has portrayed Dr. Fleur Perkins, Midsomer's resident
pathologist Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in th ...
.


Film

Badland's first film role was
Terry Gilliam Terrence Vance Gilliam (; born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, comedian, animator, actor and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam has directed 13 feature films, including '' Time Bandits'' (1981), '' ...
's 1977 film ''
Jabberwocky "Jabberwocky" is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll about the killing of a creature named "the Jabberwock". It was included in his 1871 novel ''Through the Looking-Glass'', the sequel to '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865). The ...
,'' based upon
Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequ ...
's epic poem, alongside
Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, television presenter, and public speaker. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. Since 1980, he has made a number of travel documentaries. Palin w ...
and Harry H. Corbett''.'' She would not return to film again until 1986's independent feature '' Knights & Emeralds'', which explored the consequences of a white drummer joining a mostly black marching band. From there she landed roles in director
Jonnie Turpie Edward Jonathon Turpie is a film producer, businessman and High Sheriff of the West Midlands from 2015 to 2016. He is founder and director of Maverick TV. Turpie is a board member of Creative England. He was made a Member of the Order of the ...
's film '' Out of Order'' (1987) and director
Chris Newby Christopher Newby (born 1957, Leeds, England) is a British film director and screenwriter. He studied at Leeds Polytechnic and The Royal College of Art in London. He has made several short films, including ''The Old Man and the Sea'', an evoc ...
's ''
Anchoress In Christianity, an anchorite or anchoret (female: anchoress) is someone who, for religious reasons, withdraws from secular society so as to be able to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, or Eucharist-focused life. While anchorites ar ...
''. Writer
John Brosnan John Raymond Brosnan (7 October 1947 – 11 April 2005) was an Australian writer of both fiction and non-fiction works in the fantasy and science fiction genres. He was born in Perth, Western Australia, and died in South Harrow, London, fro ...
's horror film ''Beyond Bedlam'' (1994) and director Angela Pope's drama ''
Captives ''Captives'' is a 1994 British romantic crime drama film directed by Angela Pope and written by the Dublin screenwriter Frank Deasy. It stars Julia Ormond, Tim Roth and Keith Allen. The picture was selected as the opening film in the Venetian N ...
,'' which focused on a prison dentist's illicit affair with an inmate'','' both featured Badland in 1994. Her next film was director Paul Unwin's Oscar nominated short ''Syrup''. She went on to Xingu Film's comedy'' The Grotesque'' (1995, aka ''Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets''), director Philip Haas' drama '' Angels & Insects'', director Angela Pope's drama ''
Hollow Reed ''Hollow Reed'' is a 1996 drama film directed by Angela Pope. The plot follows a divorced gay man who begins to suspect that his son is being physically abused by his ex-wife's new boyfriend. The story takes place in Bath, Somerset. Plot Olive ...
'', and director Shane Meadows sports drama ''
TwentyFourSeven ''Twentyfourseven'' is a documentary-style reality show on MTV that documented the lives of seven male friends seeking fame and fortune in Hollywood. The show was described as a "real" version of ''Entourage'', in the same manner that ''Laguna B ...
''. In 1998, Badland co-starred in the SAG nominated drama '' Little Voice'' (1998) as the friend of Little Voice's mother Mari (
Brenda Blethyn Brenda Blethyn (''née'' Bottle; 20 February 1946) is an English actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and two Academy Award nominations. Blethyn ...
). The next year she starred in director Rachel Mathews' short film ''Mrs. Buchan'', a black comedy exploring religious conviction, director Mark Greenstreet's romantic comedy ''Caught In the Act'', and Tall Stories' dramatic comedy '' Beautiful People,'' which centres on the conflict between two Bosnian refugees in London. 2000 saw Badland in two feature films, the first was director David A Stewart's drama '' Honest,'' a black comedy set in London of the late 1960s alongside
Peter Facinelli Peter Facinelli (born November 26, 1973) is an American actor and film and television producer. He starred as Donovan "Van" Ray on the Fox series '' Fastlane'' from 2002 to 2003. He played Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the film adaptations of the ''Tw ...
, and the second was
Focus Films Focus Films Ltd. is an independent feature film development and production company in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1982 by David Pupkewitz and Marsha Levin and is based in Finchley Road, London. Background Focus's early successes with t ...
' ''Secret Society,'' a comedy where several women working factory jobs by day are secretly sumo wrestling by night. Between 2001 and 2004, Badlland had roles in the comedy ''Redemption Road'', dramatic comedy ''
Club Le Monde Club le Monde is an independent film released in 2002 and directed by Simon Rumley. It is set in 1993 and tells the story of one Saturday night in a small London nightclub. It stars Allison McKenzie, Dawn Steele & Annette Badland Annette Ba ...
'', dramatic comedy '' Mrs. Caldicot's Cabbage War'', director Joe Perino's ''A Village Tale'', director Sonja Phillips' directing debut ''The Knickerman'', and Caspian Productions' short film ''The Tale of Tarquin Slant''. In 2005, Badland lent her voice to the
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's animated feature '' Valiant'', about a WWI carrier pigeon who joins the Royal Homing Pigeon Corps, alongside
Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...
and
Tim Curry Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London ...
. She went on to feature in
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), '' Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), '' The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993 ...
's fill-length film ''
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1964 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. The story was originall ...
'' (2005)'','' thriller ''The Kovak Box'' (2006)'','' and the drama '' Almost Adult'' (2006)''.'' ''The Baker'', a comedy from director Gareth Lewis about a hit man seeking refuge from his career, saw Badland feature as Martha Edwards early in 2007. From there she went on to star in director Nic Cornwall's short film ''Mr Thornton's Change of Heart,'' feature in the comedy ''
Three and Out ''Three and Out'' is a 2008 British black comedy film directed by Jonathan Gershfield and starring Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Gemma Arterton, Imelda Staunton, and Kerry Katona. It premiered in London on the 21 April 2008 and was released in t ...
'' opposite Colm Meaney, and appear in the thriller ''Legacy: Black Ops'' opposite
Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.
. In 2009, Badland signed on for a role in ''Jam'', the first short film from three eighteen year old filmmakers, which was financed through crowdfunding after attracting the attention of the public and celebrities. Continuing with short films, she starred in the Oscar nominated ''
Wish 143 ''Wish 143'' is a 2009 British live action short film. The film's run time is approximately 24 minutes. It was written by Tom Bidwell, directed by Ian Barnes, and produced by Samantha Waite. A terminally ill 15-year-old boy named David is grante ...
,'' the story of a young man trying to live life before succumbing to cancer, from director Ian Barnes. 2012 saw Badland featured in ''Mother's Milk'', a drama based upon Edward St. Aubyn's novel of the same name, before returning to short films for 2013's ''The Girl In A Bubble'' and 2014's ''A Quiet Courage''. In 2017, Badland featured in two separate
biopics A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
. The first was the biographical drama ''
A Quiet Passion ''A Quiet Passion'' is a 2016 British biographical film written and directed by Terence Davies about the life of American poet Emily Dickinson. The film stars Cynthia Nixon as the reclusive poet. It co-stars Emma Bell as young Dickinson, Jennife ...
'', directed by
Terence Davies Terence Davies (born 10 November 1945) is an English screenwriter, film director, and novelist, seen by many critics as one of the greatest British filmmakers of his times. He is best known as the writer and director of autobiographical films ...
and starring
Cynthia Nixon Cynthia Ellen Nixon (born April 9, 1966) is an American actress, activist, and theater director. For her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), she won the 2004 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supp ...
, which chronicled the life of poet
Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...
. Second was the biographical dramatic comedy '' The Man Who Invented Christmas'', directed by Baharat Nalluri and starring
Dan Stevens Daniel Jonathan Stevens (born 10 October 1982) is a British actor and writer. He first drew international attention for his role as Matthew Crawley in the ITV acclaimed period drama series '' Downton Abbey'' (2010–2012). He also starred as ...
, which explored author
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...
' journey to overcome writer's block and produce the
novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) fact ...
''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas ...
''. In 2018, Badland starred in writer/director Callum Crawford's debut film, ''Degenerates'', a film which centres on a writer who, unable to sell his screenplay ideas, sets out to create his own.


Radio

Badland began her radio career in 1992 with a role in
David Halliwell David William Halliwell (31 July 1936, Brighouse, Yorkshire – c.16 March 2006, Charlbury, Oxfordshire)Alan Strachan & Janet Street Porte ''The Independent'', 5 April 2006 was a British dramatist. Early life Halliwell attended Huddersfield Col ...
's comedy ''Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs'' for
BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The sta ...
. In 1994, she was cast as the lead role of DI Gwen Danbury on
BBC Radio 4 Extra BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7) is a British digital radio station from the BBC, broadcasting archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary programmes nationally, 24 hours a day. It is the sister station of BBC Radio 4 and the ...
's crime drama ''An Odd Body,'' a role she would portray for three series. From 2000 to 2003, Badland was a regular on BBC Radio 4 Extra's comedy ''
Smelling of Roses ''Smelling of Roses'' was a BBC Radio 4 comedy series starring Prunella Scales and written by Simon Brett. There were four series, each of six episodes, broadcast from 2000 to 2003. The series was produced and directed by Maria Esposito (some ep ...
'' before being cast in the six-part BBC Radio 4 radio drama ''Rolling Home'', which centred on a group of people living in caravans (aka mobile homes/campers). In 2004, Badland starred in
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...
's play '' The Pool'', which focuses on a Londoner's adventures while stuck in
Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...
for the day, opposite Peter Wright, ''The Diary of a Nobody'' opposite
Stephen Tompkinson Stephen Phillip Tompkinson (born 15 October 1965) is an English actor, known for his television roles as Marcus in ''Chancer '' (1990), Damien Day in '' Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1998), Father Peter Clifford in '' Ballykissangel'' (1996– ...
, and ''Bumps and Bruises,'' which focuses on an unqualified woman attempting to run an antenatal (prenatal) class opposite
Penelope Wilton Dame Penelope Alice Wilton (born 3 June 1946), styled Penelope, Lady Holm between 1998 and 2001, is an English actress. She is known for starring opposite Richard Briers in the BBC sitcom ''Ever Decreasing Circles'' (1984–1989); playing H ...
. Richard Monk's ''Church'', broadcast in February 2005 and starring Badland alongside
Andrew Garfield Andrew Russell Garfield (born 20 August 1983) is an English and American actor. He has received various accolades, including a Tony Award, a BAFTA TV Award and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards. '' Tim ...
, tells the story of sex and religion through the eyes of two different men. She then took over the role of Hazel Woolley, the "bad seed" adopted daughter of Jack Woolley in the long-running radio soap opera ''
The Archers ''The Archers'' is a BBC radio drama on BBC Radio 4, the corporation's main spoken-word channel. Broadcast since 1951, it was famously billed as "an everyday story of country folk" and is now promoted as "a contemporary drama in a rural set ...
,'' featured in the radio adaptation of an adaptation of
George MacDonald George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll ...
's children's novel ''At the Back of the North Wind,'' and starred as Mrs. Yeobright in BBC Radio 4 Extra's adaptation of
Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Wor ...
's ''The Return of the Native.'' In 2006 Badland starred in BBC Radio 4's ''River's Up'' alongside Peter Corey. The next year she featured in
Jonathan Myerson Jonathan Myerson (born 12 January 1960 in Cardiff, Wales) is a British dramatist and novelist, writing principally for television and radio. His partner is novelist Julie Myerson. Myerson's first play ''Making a Difference'' was commissioned b ...
's six-part radio dramatization of
Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...
's epic story ''Dr. Zhivago''. From there, Badland featured as Tilly Carbury in BBC Radio 4's ''
15 Minute Drama ''15 Minute Drama'', previously known as ''Woman's Hour Drama'', was a BBC Radio 4 Arts and Drama production strand that was broadcast between 1998 and 2021. It consisted of 15-minute episodes, broadcast every weekday 10:45–11:00 am (i.e. ...
'' '' The Way We Live Right Now'' (2008), an adaptation of
Anthony Trollope Anthony Trollope (; 24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was an English novelist and civil servant of the Victorian era. Among his best-known works is a series of novels collectively known as the '' Chronicles of Barsetshire'', which revolves ar ...
's satirical novel, and served as a narrator for Heather Couper's ''Cosmic Quest'', an educational history of astronomy. ''
Yerma ''Yerma'' is a play by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. It was written in 1934 and first performed that same year. García Lorca describes the play as "a tragic poem." The play tells the story of a childless woman living in rura ...
'', a poetic play touching on the themes of love, infertility, and isolation by Spanish author Frederico Garcia Lorca, saw Badland star alongside
Emma Cunniffe Emma Cunniffe (born 3 July 1973) is an English film, stage and television actress. Early life Cunniffe was raised in Frodsham, Cheshire and attended Frodsham High School. She was in the local Frodsham panto group whilst growing up and was onc ...
and Concrad Nelson in 2010 on BBC Radio 3. That same year, she appeared in several episodes of BBC Radio 4's '' Poetry Please'', where poems of various themes are chosen by listeners, and Chris Wilson's play ''Lump-Boy Logan'', which focused on a boy with acne, for BBC Radio 3. BBC Radio 4 Extra's show ''Poetry Extra'' featured Badland in an episode showcasing the work of poet
Molly Holden Molly Winifred Holden (7 September 1927 in London – 1981) was a British poet. Biography Holden grew up in Surrey, and Wiltshire. She graduated from King's College London in 1951. Her maiden name was Gilbert. She was the granddaughter of th ...
later that year. She later guest-starred in an episode of Sebastian Baczkiewicz's dark fantasy-adventure radio program ''Pilgrim'' (2013), a series of tales that followed the adventures of main character and immortal being William Palmer. In the two-part radio serial ''The Aeneid'' (2013)'','' writer
Hattie Naylor Hattie Naylor is an English playwright. Her 2009 ''Ivan and the Dogs'' won the Tinniswood Award for original radio drama and was nominated in the 2010 Olivier Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre. It has since been developed into a film ...
's adaptation of the
epic poem An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...
by
Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...
, saw Badland in the role of Roman Goddess
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
on BBC Radio 4. ''Doing Time: The Last Ballad of Reading Gaol'', based upon the poem by
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
and showcasing odd historical facts from the prison's records, featured Badland in 2014. She went on to perform as a reader for series one, episode five of Jenny Eclaire's short story vignette series ''Little Lifetimes'' in an episode entitled "The Viewing". The next year, she scored the lead role of Mrs. Pickwick, a commissioner for local government, in director
Jeremy Mortimer Jeremy Mortimer is a British director and producer of radio dramas for BBC Radio.Jeremy Mor ...
's drama ''Mrs. Pickwick's Papers'' on BBC Radio 4. It was announced in 2018 that Badland would reprise her role as ''Doctor Who'''s Margaret Blaine in the spin-off radio series ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
''. The episode, entitled "Sync", was released in May 2019.


Selected performances


Theatre


Television

, - , 2020–present , ''
Ted Lasso ''Ted Lasso'' is an American sports comedy-drama television series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly. It is based on a character of the same name that Sudeikis first portrayed in a series of promos for NB ...
'' , Mae the Landlady ,
Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced ...
, Season 1 & 2 , - , rowspan="2" , 2021 , ''
Silent Witness ''Silent Witness'' is a British crime drama television series produced by the BBC, which focuses on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in 1996, the series was created by Nigel ...
'' , Linda Fletcher , BBC , Series 24 Episode 5 , - , '' Whitstable Pearl'' , Rosie ,
Acorn TV The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera ''Quercus'' and ''Lithocarpus'', in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains one seed (occasionally two seeds), enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne ...
, Series 1 Episode 5 , - , rowspan="2" , 2022 , '' Inside No. 9'' , Winnie ,
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...
, Season 7, Episode 2: "Mr King"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19358762/ , - , ''
Big Boys Big Boys were an American pioneering punk rock band who are credited with having helped to create and introduce skate punk as a new style of music, which became popular in the 1980s. They also were famous for bringing elements of funk into thei ...
'' , Nanny Bingo ,
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
, Recurring role , -


Film


Radio


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Badland, Annette 1950 births Living people Actresses from Birmingham, West Midlands Alumni of East 15 Acting School English people of Scottish descent English film actresses English radio actresses English soap opera actresses English stage actresses English television actresses People from Edgbaston