Natalie Gumede

Natalie Gumede
Born (1984-03-20) 20 March 1984
Burnley, Lancashire, England
Occupation Actress
Television Ideal (2005–07, 2010)
Coronation Street (2011–13)
Strictly Come Dancing (2013)
Jekyll & Hyde (2015)

Natalie Gumede (born 20 March 1984)[1][2] is an English actress. She is best known for playing Kirsty Soames in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street from 2011 to 2013. She previously played China in BBC Three comedy show Ideal.[3] She has also appeared in The Persuasionists, Emmerdale and Doctor Who among other television shows. Gumede was a runner-up in the 2013 series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One.

Early life

Gumede was born in Burnley, Lancashire and lived in Colne during her early life, attending first Christ Church C of E Primary School and then Park High School.[4] Her father is Zimbabwean and her mother is of English descent. Her grandfather Josiah Gumede was the only President of the short-lived Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.[5] At the age of 11 while attending Pendle Hippodrome Youth Theatre, she was picked by BBC producers to help present the north-west regional insert for Children in Need in 1995.[6] She attended the London Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts graduating with a BA Hons in 2003 from a three-year course in Acting.[7]

Career

From 2004 until 2007, Gumede played China in the dark-comedy sitcom series, Ideal, who along with her friend Asia (Rebecca Atkinson), was one of Moz's regular clients. Her character featured in the pilot episode, and was a regular in the first three series. In 2008, she featured in her first full-length film, Clubbed, a British drama about a 1980s factory worker who takes up a job as a club doorman. In 2005, Gumede made a guest appearance in the ITV soap opera, Emmerdale, portraying Tania Coles. In 2010, Gumede featured in the sitcom The Persuasionists, broadcast on BBC Two, set in the world of advertising, starring Iain Lee, Simon Farnaby, Adam Buxton, Jarred Christmas and Daisy Haggard.

In September 2011, Gumede made her first appearance in the ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portraying Kirsty Soames, who became the domestic abusive love interest to mechanic Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall). She had previously tried out for the part of Kelly Crabtree, but lost out to Tupele Dorgu.[8] For her portrayal of the character, Gumede had received the Best Newcomer accolade at the 2012 British Soap Awards.[9] She was later nominated for Best Soap Newcomer at the TV Choice Awards and voted Most Popular Newcomer during the 18th National Television Awards.[10][11] In Digital Spy's end of year reader poll, Kirsty's domestic abuse storyline with on-screen boyfriend Tyrone won Best Storyline with 28.3% of the vote.[12] On 21 February 2013, it was announced that she would leave the soap after a year-and-a-half, and departed when her character, Kirsty, went to prison on 3 April 2013.

In 2015, she played the role of Bella in the ITV series Jekyll & Hyde.

Strictly Come Dancing

Main article: Strictly Come Dancing

In 2013, Gumede was a runner-up on the eleventh series of Strictly Come Dancing. Her professional partner was the eighth series champion, Artem Chigvintsev. They quickly became the early favourites for the title after a strong start.[13] In the Final, she lost out to Abbey Clancy & Aljaz Skorjanec and came Joint second along with Susanna Reid & Kevin Clifton.

Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Result
Craig Revel Horwood Darcey Bussell Len Goodman Bruno Tonioli Total
1 Cha Cha Cha – "Rasputin" 8 8 8 7 31 None
2 Waltz - "If I Ain't Got You" 8 9 8 9 34 Safe
3 Rumba - "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" 9 9 9 9 36 Safe
4 Quickstep - "Yeah!" 9 9 8 9 35 Safe
5 Samba - "Bamboléo" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
6 Viennese Waltz - "Devil in Me" 9 10 9 10 38 Safe
*7 Jive - "Proud Mary" *N/A *N/A *N/A *N/A *N/A Given Bye
8 Charleston - "Bang Bang" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
9 Tango - "Where Have You Been" 9 9 9 10 37 Safe
10 American Smooth - "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" 9 9 8 10 36 Safe
11 Paso Doble - "El Gato Montes" 9 9 8 9 35 Safe
Swing-a-thon - "Do You Love Me" N/A N/A 6 N/A 6
12 Salsa - "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" 10 10 10 10 40 Bottom Two
Argentine Tango - "Montserrat" 9 9 10 10 38
13 Cha Cha Cha – "Rasputin" 9 10 10 10 39 Runner Up
Showdance - "Steppin' Out with My Baby" 10 10 10 10 40
American Smooth - "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" 10 10 10 10 40

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2005–2007, 2010 Ideal China Series Regular
2005 Emmerdale Tania Coles Guest: 2 Episodes
Wire in the Blood Hotel Receptionist Guest: 1 Episode
2006 Doctors Jenny Benjamin Guest: 2 Episodes
2009 Celine King Guest: 1 Episode
2010 The Persuasionists Susie Guest: 3 Episodes
2011–2013 Coronation Street Kirsty Soames Series Regular
2013 Moving On Jo Guest: 1 Episode
Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two
2014 Sally the Life Coach Sally Web Mini-Series
Doctor Who Ashley Carter Guest: 1 Episode
2015 Death in Paradise Lucy Thomson Guest: 1 Episode
2015 Jekyll and Hyde Isabella "Bella" Charming Series Regular

Guest TV appearances

Film/stage

Year Title Role Notes
2004 Von Trapped Madison Avenue TV Movie
2006 Billy Liar Liz Stage
2008 Clubbed Jo Film

Commercials

Year Title Role
2005 National Lottery Euromillions Rollover Woman
2006 Coke Zero Girlfriend
2006 Admiral Car Insurance Jane

References

External links

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