Kathy Burke

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke (born 13 June 1964)<ref>"Burke, Kathy (1964-)". Screenonline. BFI. Retrieved 23 August 2021.</ref> is an English actress and comedian. She appeared in sketch shows such as French and Saunders (1988–1999), Harry Enfield's Television Programme (1990–1992), and Harry Enfield & Chums (1994–1998), and played a recurring role as Magda on the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012). From 1999 to 2001, she starred as Linda La Hughes on the BBC sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme, for which she received a British Comedy Award and two BAFTA nominations.

Burke made her film debut in the 1982 drama Scrubbers. For her portrayal of Valerie in the 1997 film Nil by Mouth, she won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Her other film appearances include Sid and Nancy (1986), Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), Elizabeth (1998), This Year's Love (1999), Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000), The Martins (2001), Anita and Me (2002) and Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002). Having spent most of the 2000s concentrating on her work as a theatre director, she returned to film roles in the 2010s with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), Pan (2015) and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016). Starting from 2019, Burke fronted a series of documentaries for Channel 4: Kathy Burke's All Woman (2019), Kathy Burke: Money Talks (2021) and Kathy Burke: Growing Up (2023).

Early life

Burke was born at the Royal Free Hospital, London, on 13 June 1964,<ref name="kathyburke.co.uk"/> and was brought up in Islington, North London, by her Irish Catholic parents Paddy and Bridget.<ref name="Camden">Template:Cite web</ref> She has two elder brothers.<ref>"Kathy Burke", movies.yahoo.com. Template:Webarchive</ref> Her mother, known as Bridie, died of cancer when Burke was two years old. She lived with her father, a builder who was an alcoholic, and attended the Maria Fidelis Convent School, a secondary school in Euston, until she was 16 years old.<ref name="Camden" /> She then studied at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington.<ref name="kathyburke.co.uk">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Burke's first role was in the 1982 film Scrubbers, directed by Swedish actress Mai Zetterling and featuring Pam St. Clement, Robbie Coltrane, Miriam Margolyes, Honey Bane, Debby Bishop and Eva Mottley.<ref name=":3">Template:Citation</ref> The film was set in a young offenders' institute for girls and was seen as a female version of the film Scum.

Burke appeared in a non-speaking role in a 1985 public information film about heroin addiction.<ref name=rhlstp>Template:Cite episode</ref> The following year she appeared in a non-speaking role as 'witness in doorway' in an award-winning advert for The GuardianTemplate:'s 'Points of View'.<ref name=rhlstp2>Template:Cite episode</ref>

Burke first became familiar to television audiences as a player of minor roles in sketches by better-known performers such as Harry Enfield, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. Early TV work included regular appearances on the chat show The Last Resort hosted by Jonathan Ross on UK Channel 4 in the mid-1980s, playing the characters 'Tina Bishop' and "Perry the Pre-pubescent Schoolboy". Bishop was a continually pregnant "expert" offering advice on household chores, always with disastrous results. Both Perry and Tina (renamed "Waynetta Slob") later re-appeared as recurring sketch characters in Harry Enfield programmes. Along with French and Saunders, she has contributed to two Comic Relief charity singles. She first appeared as a member of Bananarama parody band Lananeeneenoonoo in 1989, and then as a member of Spice Girls look-alike band the Sugar Lumps in 1997.

In real life Burke was a big fan of Morrissey and appeared in the video for his 1989 single "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" and later in the 2002 Channel 4 documentary The Importance of Being Morrissey.Template:Citation needed On the 7 November 2023 episode of her Where There's a Will There's a Wake podcast, with Dolly Alderton as her guest, Burke admitted "We don't like Morrissey anymore...because he's a racist wanker". Alderton shared Burke's disappointment with Morrissey's views with Burke adding "We idolise these people...but then people are three-dimensional and you get to know what they really think about life and it's just always a disappointment." <ref>Template:Citation</ref>

She became successful in her own right and although mainly associated with comedy, she has played several serious roles including that of Queen Mary Tudor in the film Elizabeth, which was released in 1998.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1994 Burke was awarded the Royal Television Society Award for Best Actress, for her performance as the mute Martha in the 1993 BBC TV series Mr. Wroe's Virgins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series was directed by Danny Boyle and is based on Jane Rogers' book about John Wroe.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Burke won the Best Actress award at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for her role in the gritty drama Nil by Mouth. Burke was so convinced she would not win that she made no plans to attend the ceremony; when told shortly beforehand she had won, she found her passport was out of date. The film also earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.<ref name="festival-cannes.com">Template:Cite web</ref> From 1999 to 2001 she appeared as Linda La Hughes in the BBC TV series Gimme Gimme Gimme (which she developed with writer Jonathan Harvey) where she was nominated for three British Comedy Awards (winning one), two BAFTA TV Awards and a National Television Award for her performance.<ref name=":6">Template:Citation</ref> In 2000, she appeared in the cult film Love Honour and Obey with Ray Burdis,<ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> and as Perry in the comedy film Kevin & Perry Go Large.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Beginning in 2001, she stopped acting and began theatre directing, something she considers to be one of her true passions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She said in an interview with Dawn French in Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy that she no longer felt the same creative energy associated with acting that she used to have (she described it as a "feeling in my belly") and that for this reason she had stopped acting. However, since then, she has done some voice-over work, including UK TV adverts for Ski yoghurt (2005)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the voice of Rita's mum in the animated film Flushed Away (2006).<ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref> She also appeared in the 2007 Christmas Special of The Catherine Tate Show as Nan's daughter Diane.<ref name=":5">Template:Citation</ref>

In February 1990, she wrote and directed Mr Thomas at the Old Red Lion Theatre. It was filmed and shown on Channel 4 the next year.

In 2007, Burke contracted Clostridioides difficile while in hospital for an operation, resulting in her having to pass directing duties on Dying for It at the Almeida Theatre (which starred Charlie Condou and Sophie Stanton who she worked with on Gimme Gimme Gimme).Template:Citation needed

In 2009, Burke made her television directorial debut with the BBC Three sketch show series Horne & Corden, starring Mathew Horne and James Corden.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Burke wrote and appeared as a nun in the short autobiographical film "Better Than Christmas" for Sky 1's Little Crackers, a collection of comic shorts that aired in December 2010. On 19 January 2012, it was announced that Burke had written her first TV series; her short for Little Crackers had led to the four-part series "Walking and Talking", based on her teenage years. Burke appeared as a nun in each episode of the series, which aired in the summer of 2012 on Sky Atlantic.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011, Burke played Connie Sachs in the film adaptation of the novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. She was long-listed for a BAFTA nomination for her performance as Supporting Actress in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Burke appeared in the 2015 Peter Pan prequel film Pan, as Mother Barnabas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2015, Burke presented the BBC topical news panel show Have I Got News for You.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2019, Burke starred in her own self-titled three-part documentary Kathy Burke's All Woman. The programme aired on Channel 4 and focused on the stereotypes and expectations of modern women. Burke touched on subjects such as marriage, pregnancy and cosmetic surgery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2021, Burke appeared as a guest judge in series 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.<ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref>

Burke directed ITV's four-part murder mystery series Holding, which premiered on 14 March 2022 and is based on Graham Norton's novel of the same name.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2022, Burke started a podcast called Where There's a Will, There's a Wake. In the podcast Burke talks a guest through how the guest believes (or hopes) they will die and what they want to be done for their funeral. Notable guests have been Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Emerald Fennell and Steve McQueen. The podcast is produced by Sony Music Entertainment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Burke published a memoir, A Mind of My Own, in October 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1982	Scrubbers	Glennis	<ref name=":3"/>
1986	Sid and Nancy	Brenda Windzor
1987	Straight to Hell	Sabrina
	Walker	Annie Mae
	Two of Us	Vera
1989	Work Experience	Sally
1997	Nil by Mouth	Valerie
1998	Elizabeth	Queen Mary Tudor	<ref name=":4"/>
	Dancing at Lughnasa	Maggie Mundy
1999	This Year's Love	Marey
2000	Love, Honour and Obey	Kathy	<ref name=":7"/>
	Kevin & Perry Go Large	Perry	<ref name=":8"/>
2001	The Martins	Angie
2002	Anita and Me	Deirdre Rutter
	Once Upon a Time in the Midlands	Carol
2006	Flushed Away	Rita's Mum	Voice<ref name=":9"/>
2011	Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy	Connie Sachs
	The Antics Roadshow	Narrator
2015	Pan	Mother Barnabas
2016	Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie	Magda
2022	The Sea Beast	Gwen Batterbie	Voice<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024	Blitz	Beryl

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	A Very Peculiar Practice	Alice
	Ladies in Charge	Daisy
1988	The Comic Strip Presents... Funseekers	Vera	Credited as Cathy Burke
1988–1999	French and Saunders	Various
1990	Set of Six	Tarquin's girlfriend	<ref>Rivron, Rowland. What the f*** did I do last night?: the memoir of an accidental comedian. Sidgwick & Jackson, 2011</ref>
1990–1992	Harry Enfield's Television Programme	Various
1991	Casualty	Lorraine Mccullier
1992	The Fat Slags	Sandra	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1992–1996	Absolutely Fabulous	Magda
1993	Mr. Wroe's Virgins	Martha
1994–1998	Harry Enfield & Chums	Various
1997	The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling	Honour
1998	Rex the Runt	Mrs Mandelbrotska
1999	Let Them Eat Cake	Cecile
1999–2001	Gimme Gimme Gimme	Linda La Hughes	<ref name=":6"/>
2006	Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy	Herself
2007	The Catherine Tate Show Christmas Special	Diane	<ref name=":5"/>
2009	Horne & Corden		Director<ref name=":2"/>
2010	Kathy Burke's Little Cracker: Better Than Christmas	Nun	Writer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2012	Walking and Talking	Nun	Writer<ref name=":0"/>
	Never Mind the Buzzcocks	Guest Host
2012, 2013, 2015	Have I Got News for You	Herself
2013	Psychobitches	Mona Lisa; The Queen Mother
2014	8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown	Herself
	Celebrity Gogglebox
2016	Crashing	Aunt Gladys
2017–2022	School of Roars	Ms. Grizzlesniff	Voice
2019	Kathy Burke's All Woman	Herself	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
	Joe Lycett's Got Your Back
2021	RuPaul's Drag Race UK	Herself; Guest judge	Series 3, Episode 9<ref name=":10"/>
	Kathy Burke: Money Talks	Herself; presenter	2-part Channel 4 documentary<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022	Holding		Director<ref name=":1"/>
2023	Kathy Burke: Growing Up	Herself; presenter	2-part Channel 4 special<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Theatre

As actress

Year	Title	Role	Venue
1989	Amongst Barbarians	Lilli	Royal Exchange, Manchester
1993	It's a Great Big Shame!		Theatre Royal Stratford East

As director

Year	Title	Venue	Notes
1990	Mr Thomas by Kathy Burke	Old Red Lion	Also shown on Channel 4
1995	Boom Bang-a-Bang by Jonathan Harvey	Bush Theatre
2001	Out in the Open by Jonathan Harvey	Hampstead Theatre
2002	Betty by Karen McLachlan	Vaudeville Theatre
	Kosher Harry by Nick Grosso	Royal Court Theatre
2003	Born Bad by Debbie Tucker Green	Hampstead Theatre
2004	The Quare Fellow by Brendan Behan		Oxford Stage Company
	Love Me Tonight by Nick Stafford	Hampstead Theatre	<ref name=Agency>Template:Cite web</ref>
2005	Blue/Orange by Joe Penhall	Cambridge Arts Theatre
	The God of Hell by Sam Shepard	Donmar Warehouse
2006	Smaller by Carmel Morgan	Lyric Theatre, London
2014	Once a Catholic by Mary O'Malley	Tricycle Theatre
2018	Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde	Vaudeville Theatre, West End, London	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Podcasting

Year	Title	Company	Notes
2022–2025	Where There's a Will, There's a Wake	Sony Music Entertainment

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1994	Royal Television Society Programme Awards	Best Actress	Mr Wroe's Virgins	Template:Won
1997	Cannes Film Festival	Best Actress	Nil By Mouth	Template:Won
	British Independent Film Award	Best Actress		Template:Won
1998	British Academy Film Awards	Best Actress		Template:Nom
	British Academy Television Awards	Best Actress	Tom Jones	Template:Nom
	BAFTA TV Awards	Best Light Entertainment Performance	Harry Enfield & Chums	Template:Nom
1999	BAFTA TV Awards	Best Light Entertainment Performance	Harry Enfield's Yule log Chums	Template:Nom
2001	BAFTA TV Awards	Best Comedy Performance	Gimme Gimme Gimme	Template:Nom
2002	BAFTA TV Awards	Best Comedy Performance		Template:Nom
	British Comedy Awards	Best Comedy Actress		Template:Won

External links

• KathyBurke.co.uk
• Template:IMDb name
• Template:Instagram
• Template:Twitter