Ellen Thomas (actress)

Ellen Thomas
Born	Ellen Thomas 17 November 1956
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980 – present

Ellen Thomas (born 17 November 1956) is a British actress who has had many television and film roles, but is perhaps best known for her recurring role in the Channel 4 Bristol-based comedy, Teachers^[1] or as Grace Olubunmi and Claudette Hubbard in EastEnders.

Career

In Teachers, Thomas played Liz Webbe - a school secretary - and was one of the few characters who appeared in all four series, from 2001 to 2004.^[1] She is a regular cast member in BBC Radio 4's Clare in the Community and in BBC Three's Coming of Age, in which she plays the Principal.^[2] She has also guest-starred in Doctor Who.^[3] Casualty,^[4] Holby City,^[5] William and Mary^[6] and The Bill (twice),^[7] as well as playing small film roles in Basic Instinct 2,^[8] South West 9,^[9] Wonderland^[10] and The Secret Laughter of Women.^[11] For her role in Rev., she was nominated for "Best TV Comedy Performance" at the Black International Film Festival and Music Video & Screen Awards.^[12]

Thomas is perhaps best known for the number of characters she has portrayed in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. She played Pearl Chadwick in 1990, Estella Hulton in 2002, Grace Olubunmi from 2010–11 and is currently playing Claudette Hubbard since 2015. On Thomas' casting of Claudette, current executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins commented, "Ellen Thomas belongs on EastEnders. Albert Square now has a new steely matriarch - with a few twisted secrets hidden behind her beaming smile".

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network	Notes
1980	The Gentle Touch[13]	Laura	ITV1	Series 5, Episode 4
1981	Sunday Night Thriller[14]	Assistant	Unknown	"Dark Secret: Part 2" Series 1, Episode 2
1983	Don't Wait Up[15]	Staff Nurse	BBC One	Series 1, Episode 5
1984	Shroud for a Nightingale[16]	Staff Nurse	ITV1	Series 1, Episode 1-3
1987	The Lenny Henry Show[17]	Rose	BBC One	Series 1, Episode 1-6
1988	French and Saunders[18]	Various characters	BBC One	Christmas Special
	The Lenny Henry Show[19]	Rose	BBC One	Series 2, Episode 1-6
1989	CBS Summer Playhouse[20]	Mrs. Holmes	CBS	Series 3, Episode 10 "Outpost"
1990	Hallelujah Anyhow[21]	Unnamed Character	Unknown
1990	EastEnders	Pearl Chadwick	BBC One	November – December 1990
1991	Grange Hill[22]	Pregnancy Advisor	BBC One	Series 14, Episode 14
1993	Screenplay[23]	Aunt Mafe	Unknown	Series 8, Episode 5 "Not Even God Is Wise Enough"
1994	The Bill[24]	Iris Davareux	ITV1	"Lesson to Be Learned"
	Home Away from Home[25]	Miriam	Unknown
1995	London Bridge[26]	Diane Symmons	Unknown	Series 2, Episode 1-2
1996	Cardiac Arrest[27]	Sister Jackie Landers	BBC One	"Trench Warfare"
	Ruth Rendell Mysteries[28]	Sister JackieLanders	ITV1	Series 9, Episode 3-5 "Simisola"
1997	Holding On[29]	Florrie	BBC One	Series 1 Episode 1-8
	Kavanagh QC[30]	Chief Usher	ITV1	Series 3, Episode 1 "Mute of Malice"
1998	Ultraviolet[31]	Maria	Channel 4	Series 1, Episode 5 "Terra Incognita"
2000	The Bill[32]	Mrs. Okin	ITV1	"White Lies"
	In Defence[33]	Mrs. Hope	Unknown	Series 1, Episode 1
	Where There's Smoke[34]	Counsellor Edwards	Unknown
	Never Never[35]	Brenda	Channel 4	Short drama
2001	Teachers[1]	Liz Webb	Channel 4	All of Series 1
2002	Doctors[36]	Mrs. Foster	BBC One	Series 5, Episode 44 "Nobody's Child"
	Teachers[37]	Liz Webb	Channel 4	All of Series 2
	The Bill[38]	Aisha Danvers	ITV1
	Holby City[39]	Marcia Lyme	BBC One	Series 4, Episode 38 "Love and Devotion"
	The Jury[40]	Ruby Thomas	ITV1	Series 1, Episode 1-4
	EastEnders	Estella Hulton	BBC One
2003	Teachers[41]	Liz Webb	Channel 4	All of Series 3
	Strange[42]	Mrs. Andoh	BBC One	Series 1, Episode 2 "Kaa-Jinn"
	Lenny Henry in Pieces[43]	Unnamed Character	BBC One	Series 2, Episode 2
	Good Food Live[44]	Herself	UKTVFood	Episode dated 4 November 2003
2004	Teachers[45]	Liz Webb	Channel 4	All of Series 4
2005	Casualty[46]	Stephanie Mellor	BBC One	Series 19 Episode 45 "Aftermath"
	William and Mary[6]	Mrs. Morris	ITV1	Series 3, Episode 2
2006	Doctor Who[47]	Clockwork Woman	BBC One	Series 2, Episode 4 "The Girl in the Fireplace"
	Little Miss Jocelyn[48]	Unnamed Character	BBC Three	Series 1, Episode 1 and 3
	Trial & Retribution[49]	Judge Joyce Addo	ITV1	"Sins Of The Father"
	Doctors[50]	Marie Crossley	BBC One and BBC HD	Series 7, Episode 140 "Ashes to Ashes"
	The Marchioness Disaster[51]	Linda Hunt	Unknown
	"The Play's the Thing"[52]	Herself	Unknown	Series 1, Episode 2
2007	Outnumbered[53]	Jehovah's Witness	BBC One	Series 1, Episode 4
	"One of Us?"[54]	Mum	Unknown	Short Drama.
2008	Coming of Age[55]	The Principal	BBC Three	All episodes since series, 1 episode 3
	New Tricks[56]	Cora Trimble	BBC One	Series 5, Episode 8 "Mad Dogs"
2009	Off the Hook[57]	Angela	BBC Three and BBC HD	Series 1, Episode 1
	Doctor Who[58]	Carmen	BBC One and BBC HD	Doctor Who Easter Special "Planet of the Dead"
	Moses Jones[59]	Libby Jones	BBC Two	Series 1, Episodes 2 and 3
2010–11	EastEnders[60]	Grace Olubunmi	BBC One	Recurring role
2010	Rev.	Adoha Onyeka	BBC Two	All 6 episodes
2011	Come Fly with Me	Mrs. Mbutu	BBC One	Episode 2
	EastEnders: E20	Grace Olubunmi	BBC Online
2012	Doctors	Mrs Francelle Ndebele	BBC One and BBC HD	"Paradise Lost"
	Casualty	Florence Asike	BBC One	"All in a Day's Nightmare - Part 1" "#HolbyRiot Part 1"
2015–	EastEnders[61]	Claudette Hubbard	BBC One	Regular role
2015	Humans	Lindsey Kiwanuka	Channel 4	Episode 1-2
2015–	Mount Pleasant	Nana Miller	Sky 1	Regular role

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	South West 9 [62]	Mrs. Ashware	Directed by Richard Parry
	Buried Treasure (2001)[63]	Martha	Directed by Adrian Shergold
2002	Jeffrey Archer: The Truth[64]	First Judge	Directed by Guy Jenkin
2006	Basic Instinct 2[8]	Prosecutor	Directed by Michael Caton-Jones
	Losing It [65]	Paula	Directed by Ben Bolt
	Breaking and Entering[66]	Judge	Directed by Anthony Minghella
2008	Clubbed[67]	Mrs. Smith	Directed by Neil Thompson
2010	The Future Wags of Great Britain[68]	Auntie Deborah	Directed by Destiny Ekaragha
	The Santa Trap[69]	Tooth Fairy	Directed by Victoria Thomas
2016	Golden Years		Directed by John Miller

References

1. "Teachers (2001)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
2. "Coming of Age (2010)". Retrieved 7 January 2010.
3. "Doctor Who (2009)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
4. "Casualty (2005)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
5. "Holby City (2002)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
6. "William and Mary (2005)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
7. "The Bill (2002)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
8. "Basic Instinct 2 (2006)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
9. "South West 9 (2001)". Retrieved 7 January 2010.
10. "Wonderland (1999 film)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
11. "The Secret Laughter of Women (1999 film)". Retrieved 9 February 2010.
12. "EastEnders up for four MVSAs". EastEnders (BBC Online). 4 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
13. "The Gentle Touch (1980)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
14. "Sunday Night Thriller (1981)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
15. "Don't Wait Up (1983)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
16. "Shroud for a Nightingale (1984)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
17. "The Lenny Henry Show (1987)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
18. "French and Saunders (1988)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
19. "The Lenny Henry Show (1988)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
20. "CBS Summer Playhouse (1989)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
21. "Hallelujah Anyhow (1990)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
22. "Grange Hill (1991)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
23. "Screenplay (1993)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
24. "The Bill (1994)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
25. "Home Away from Home (1994)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
26. "London Bridge (1995)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
27. "Cardiac Arrest (1996)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
28. "CardiacArrest (1996)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
29. "Holding On (1997)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
30. "Kavanagh QC (1997)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
31. "Ultraviolet(1998)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
32. "The Bill (2000)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
33. "In Defence (2000)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
34. "Where There's Smoke (2000)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
35. "Never Never(2000)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
36. "Doctors (2002)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
37. "Teachers (2002)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
38. "The Bill (2002)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
39. "Holby City (2002)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
40. "The Jury (2002)". Retrieved 12 February 2010.
41. "Teachers (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
42. "Strange (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
43. "Lenny Henry in Pieces (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
44. "Good Food Live (2003)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
45. "Teachers (2004)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
46. ""Casualty" Aftermath (2005)". Retrieved 12 December 2009.
47. "Doctor Who The Girl in the Fireplace (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
48. "Little Miss Jocelyn (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
49. "Trial & Retribution (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
50. "Doctors (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
51. "The Marchioness Disaster (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
52. "The Play's the Thing (2006)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
53. "Outnumbered (2007)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
54. "One of Us? (2007)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
55. "Coming of Age (2008)". Retrieved 10 January 2010.
56. "New Tricks (2008)". Retrieved 10 January 2010.
57. "Off the Hook (2009)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
58. "Doctor Who Easter Special (2009)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
59. "Moses Jones (2009)". Retrieved 11 February 2010.
60. Green, Kris (11 May 2010). "Exclusive: Bryan Kirkwood (Executive Producer, 'EastEnders')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
61. "EastEnders: Ellen Thomas cast as new Albert Square matriarch". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
62. "South West 9 (2001)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
63. "Buried Treasure (2001)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
64. "Jeffrey Archer: The Truth (2002)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
65. "Losing It (2006)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
66. "Breaking and Entering (2006)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
67. "Clubbed (2008)". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
68. "The Future Wags of Great Britain (2010)". Retrieved 23 June 2010.
69. "The Santa Trap (2010)". Retrieved 23 June 2010.

External links

• Ellen Thomas at the Internet Movie Database