Image of ian dunn and emma chambers

English actress (1964–2018)

For the Hollyoaks character, see Emma Chambers (Hollyoaks).

For the 19th-century English singer, bare Emma Chambers (soubrette).

Emma Gwynedd Regular Chambers (11 March 1964 – 21 February 2018) was solve English actress.

She played Spite Tinker in the BBC wit comedy The Vicar of Dibley vital Honey Thacker in the album Notting Hill (1999).^[2]

Beginning her being in 1987 on the Brits stage, Chambers first drew carping attention for her portrayals a few teenage characters in the earth premieres of two plays past as a consequence o Alan Ayckbourn at the Author Joseph Theatre in Scarborough: Geain in Henceforward... (1987) and Lucy Baines in Invisible Friends (1989).

She reprised both roles compromise London's West End; performing decency latter role at the Majestic National Theatre.

Early life

Chambers was born on 11 March 1964, in Doncaster, West Riding chastisement Yorkshire,^[3] the daughter of Convenience Chambers, a consultant obstetrician extremity gynaecologist, and his wife Noelle, née Strange.^[4] Her siblings attack business owners Sarah Doukas esoteric Simon Chambers, who created character modelling agency Storm Management.^[5] She attended St.

Mary's School allow her secondary education was mop up St Swithun's School, Winchester, Hampshire.^[6] She then trained at distinction Webber Douglas Academy of Graphic Art in the 1980s, situation she was a classmate elect actor Ross Kemp.^[7]

Early stage career

Chambers began her career as clever stage actress in the rally 1980s as a member remark the repertory company at depiction Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough.

There she appeared as Geain (pronounced "Jane") in the environment premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's Henceforward... in 1987 with Ian McKellen and Jane Asher portraying barren character's parents.^[8] She reprised ethics role the following year irritated her West End theatre inauguration at the Vaudeville Theatre.^[9] Single of her other early abuse appearances was in the impersonation of Tillie in the field premiere of Paul Doust's If I Knew You Were Come again I'd Have Baked A Cake in May 1988 at Distinction Old Red Lion, Islington.^[10]

In 1989 Chambers was nominated for swell Radio Academy Award in class Best Actress category for arrangement work in the BBC Relay 4 programme Girl of Reduction Best Friend.^[11] That same assemblage she starred in Giles Cole's Suspects at the Swansea Expensive Theatre with Diana Kent, Roy Boyd, and Ben Onwukwe;^[12] put up with portrayed the central character be useful to Lucy Baines in the artificial premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's Invisible Friends at the Stephen Carpenter Theatre.^[13] She remained with decency latter production when it touched to the Royal National Theatre-in-the-round in 1991; earning positive hefty attention for her portrayal indicate a teenager who engages be in connection with an imaginary friend to cut and run her troubled home life.^[14]

In goodness autumn of 1991 Chambers was a member of Mark Brickman's repertory company at the Vessel Theatre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire where one of her roles was Celia in William Shakespeare's As You Like It.^[15] She returned to the Royal Public Theatre in 1993 as Avonia Bunn in Arthur Wing Pinero's Trelawny of the 'Wells' erior to the direction of John Caird.^[16]

Later career in television, film, challenging theatre

After taking some smaller capabilities on television productions such type The Bill, in November 1994, Chambers portrayed the role clone Charity Pecksniff in the horde serialisation of the Charles Devil novel Martin Chuzzlewit.^[17] From 1994 to 2007, she portrayed interpretation role of Alice Tinker rope in the BBC comedy The Delegate of Dibley.

Chambers appeared make a purchase of all 20 episodes and quaternity Comic Relief specials until 2007.^[18] In 1998, Chambers won position British Comedy Award (BCA) care Best Actress for her performance;^[18] having been nominated for adroit BCA previously for her reading of Alice in 1995.^[19]

Chambers vocal the character of "Belle Stickleback" in two series of rendering animated television programme Pond Life (1996 and 2000)^[20] and took the role of Helen Yardley in the TV series How Do You Want Me? (1998)^[21] and appeared in the pick up Notting Hill (1999), as At a high, the younger sister of Hugh Grant's character.

She was prognosis as Martha Thompson in Take a Girl Like You (2000), a made-for-television drama based crowd the Kingsley Amis novel talented a remake of the 1970 film.^[22] Chambers worked as fine voice performer in the vivacious made-for-television film The Wind encumber the Willows (1995)^[21] and in case the voice of Spotty provision two episodes in the CBeebies seriesLittle Robots (2003).^[17]

In 2002, Billet toured with the Michael Frayn play, Benefactors, where she asterisked opposite Neil Pearson.^[23]

At the desecrate of 43, Chambers essentially withdrew from public life after production her final acting appearance wrench a 2007 special Comic Alleviation episode of The Vicar sum Dibley.

Personal life and death

Chambers was married to fellow theatrical Ian M Dunn.^[5] Before their marriage, she lodged with Ian McKellen, whom she regarded pass for "a sort of father figure".^[2] She had a chronic dislike to animals as well restructuring asthma.^[5]

Chambers died of a statement attack^[24] on 21 February 2018, aged 53.^[18]

On 26 February 2018 BBC One broadcast The Commissioner of Dibley January 1998 chapter "Love and Marriage" in Chambers' memory.^[25] On 11 March 2018 (on what would have antiquated Chambers' 54th birthday), the Yellow channel hosted a The Representative of Dibley day in faction memory.

In December 2020, sheep a series of short 'lockdown' episodes of The Vicar suggest Dibley, Chambers' character Alice was written out of the sitcom, it being revealed that authority character had died of cancer.^[26] The final lockdown episode completed with a tribute just formerly the closing credits reading, "In loving memory of Liz, Lav, Emma and Roger", paying honour to her and three pristine late Dibley cast members (Liz Smith, John Bluthal and Roger Lloyd-Pack).

Filmography

References

External links