HELEN FRASER

Alice Fisher

Born in Lancashire, Helen trained at the Arts Educational Schools and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Early theatre includes two seasons at Manchester Library Theatre and the Liverpool Playhouse. She played Lucy in "Belcher’s Luck" at the R.S.C and Cherry in The National Theatre’s production of "The Beaux Stratagem", which also played Los Angeles.

During her extensive theatre career she has played a wide range of parts with many regional companies. Notably Lizaveta in "A Month in the Country" (Cambridge Theatre Company), Dorine in "Tartuffe" (Mercury Theatre Colchester), Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls" and Lettice in "Lettice and Lovage" (both Wolsey Theatre Ipswich) and for her performance as Vera in "Stepping Out" at the Palace Theatre Westcliff she won the Stella Award for best Actress.

She returned to the Royal National Theatre to play Bill in the much praised production of "Absolute Hell".

Major film appearances include "A Kind of Loving", Barbara in "Billy Liar", Polanski’s Repulsion, as Lulu in Harold Pinter’s "The Birthday Party" and Mimi in "Start the Revolution Without Me"

Countless appearances in television comedy shows including seven series of "The Dick Emery Show", "Sorry", "Rising Damp", "Doctor in the House" and "One Foot in the Grave".

Some favourite roles in television drama include two Alan Bennett plays "Intensive Care" and "A Day Out", Ellen in "Box of Delights", Trish Pardoe in "The Rector’s Wife" and Magenta Savannah in "Coronation Street".

Her highly acclaimed one woman show "Vesta", which tells the story of the Music Hall artiste Vesta Victoria, played over eighty performances throughout the country and in America.

She has recently been seen as the formidable prison officer Sylvia Hollamby "Bodybag" in "Bad Girls", the highly successful television drama which ran for eight series.

This part fully prepared her for the role of the Wicked fairy in the Christmas pantomimes of "Sleeping Beauty" at the Lyceum Theatre Sheffield and the Pavilion Theatre Bournmouth.

She is patron of East Anglican Children’s Hospices (EACH) and chose them as her charity for her celebrity appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, winning them a tidy sum.

She has recently been seen in the Christmas Special of The Royle Family, playing Tom Courtenay’s wife and reuniting them for the first time since their appearance in the film of Billy Liar.