KATHY BURKE

Kathy Burke has worked extensively in theatre film and TV for the past forty years.

She joined the Anna Scher Theatre aged 16 and her professional acting debut was in 1982 in the film ‘Scrubbers’ directed by Mia Zetterling.

She continued to work as a jobbing actor throughout her early twenties, but frustrated at the lack of imagination in roles offered, she decided to write and direct a play, ‘Mr Thomas’, which received a Time Out award and was televised on Channel 4.

Comedy work started by doing various bits and bobs for the wonderful French and Saunders, her showbiz big sisters. She also performed with the brilliantly outrageous ‘Raw Sex’, creating the character of Tina Bishop.

She performed various characters in the Harry Enfield Show including ‘The Slobs’ and the much loved ‘Perry’ in the Kevin and Perry sketches and did three series of the divisive ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’, which she loved.

In 1997 she won best actress at Cannes for her portrayal of Val in Gary Oldman's masterpiece, ‘Nil By Mouth’. Bored of acting she took a “break” to focus on directing, which has been her main job for the past twenty years. Plays directed include, ‘Out in the Open’ by Jonathan Harvey. ‘The Quare Fellow’ by Brendan Behan, ‘Born Bad’ by Debbie Tucker, ‘Green Blue/Orange’ by Joe Penhall, and ‘Lady Windermere's Fan’ by Oscar Wilde.

Kathy wrote a short film, ‘Better Than Christmas’ for Sky Art’s ‘Little Crackers’ series, which led to her writing a four part semi-autobiographical mini series, ‘Walking and Talking’, both produced by Pippa Brown. She then returned to act in the critically acclaimed ‘Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy’ directed by Thomas Alfredson.

 She directed a four part tv drama, ‘Holding’, based on the novel by Graham Norton for Happy Prince Productions. She has presented three documentaries for Flicker TV, ‘All Woman’, ‘Money Talks’ and ‘Growing Up’, all transmitted on Channel 4. Since, Kathy presented over 100 episodes of the podcast, ‘Where There's a Will there's a Wake’ for Somthin’ Else Productions and Sony, where guests talk about their fantasy funerals.

Kathy plays Beryl in Steve McQueen’s recently released film ‘Blitz’.

Kathy has over half a million X followers @KathyBurke and is proud to be woke!