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Kara Tointon

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Kara Tointon
Tointon filming on the set of EastEnders in 2008
Born (1983-08-05) 5 August 1983 (age 41)
Basildon, Essex, England
OccupationActress
Years active1994–present
Television
Children2
RelativesHannah Tointon (sister)

Kara Louise Tointon (born 5 August 1983) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Dawn Swann in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2010, she won the BBC competition series Strictly Come Dancing, and in 2015, she appeared as Maria in the ITV live production of The Sound of Music Live.

Early life

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Tointon was born to parents Ken (b. 1948) and Carol Tointon (1957–2019).[1] Together with her actress sister, Hannah (born 1987), Tointon was brought up in Leigh-on-Sea. Both sisters attended St Michael's School, Leigh, and St Hilda's School, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.[1] Tointon was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven. She had speech and drama lessons.[1] Tointon's debut in acting was when she played Brigitta in the local amateur dramatic society's version of The Sound of Music at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff-on-Sea.[1]

Career

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Tointon was a paid professional child dancer at age 11 for Snow White pantomime at the Cliffs Pavilion.[1] Her first appearance on television was as a school friend of Sonia Fowler in EastEnders in 1994.[1] She played the part of student Pauline Young in 2001's first series of Teachers on Channel 4.[1] She also starred in BBC's Curriculum Bites as a presenter in 2002.[2]

In 2005, Tointon joined the cast of the BBC soap EastEnders as Dawn Swann,[2] a role she played for 4 years until being written out, along with co-star Ricky Groves, in August 2009.[3]

In January 2010, she made a guest appearance in the 26th and final series of ITV's long-running police drama The Bill in "Duty Calls" as Ami Ryan.

In July 2010, she recorded a documentary for BBC Three called Kara Tointon: Don't Call Me Stupid.[4] The programme examined the impact dyslexia can have on people's lives and the difference different learning styles can have on dyslexic people.[4] Tointon revealed that she struggles as a dyslexic person, and had a reading age of 12.[4] During the programme, Tointon visited Shapwick School in Somerset, which specialises in the education of dyslexic pupils, and talked with the pupils about their experiences.[5]

Strictly Come Dancing

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Sport Relief Edition

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In 2008, Tointon won the Sport Relief special edition of Strictly Come Dancing with Mark Ramprakash. Her samba was enough to get her the Glitterball Trophy.[6]

Series 8

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Peppermint-coloured ballroom dress worn by Tointon in the 2010 series of Strictly Come Dancing, which she won. Displayed at BBC Birmingham, it features "net underskirts, heavily stoned bodice and ribbon detailing".

In September 2010, Tointon was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing Series 8, partnered with Artem Chigvintsev.[7] The pair achieved good scores in the first five weeks of 30, 31, 31, 32 and 37. In week 5, Tointon was awarded the first 10 of the series by Alesha Dixon for her Paso doble.[6] In week 6 she was top of the leaderboard with her Salsa. She also had good scores for the next five weeks of 37, 38, 36, 33 and 38. In week 11, she got her highest score of 39 for the Viennese waltz and Rumba and got the maximum 5/5 for the swing-a-thon.[6] Tointon made it to the final along with Matt Baker and Pamela Stephenson. In her final dance, her week 8 Blackpool American Smooth, she got her 1st 10 from Craig Revel Horwood, but got a 7 from Len Goodman, the lowest score he has given out in the final. She then went on to win and be crowned champion.[6]

West End theatre

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From May to September 2011, Tointon played Eliza Doolittle in the West End production of Pygmalion at the Garrick Theatre, opposite Rupert Everett as Professor Higgins.[8] In spring 2012, Tointon played the role of Evelyn in Alan Ayckbourn's revival of the 1974 play Absent Friends, alongside Reece Shearsmith at the Harold Pinter Theatre, directed by Jeremy Herrin, which received critical acclaim.[9][10] Following this she played Giny in Ayckbourn's Relatively Speaking, with Felicity Kendal, Jonathan Coy, and Max Bennett at the Wyndham's Theatre in 2013.[11]

Other work

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In August 2009, she was unveiled as the new face of Michelle for George underwear at Asda.[12]

In February 2011, Tointon took part in the BT Red Nose Desert Trek for Comic Relief 2011.[13] Tointon also guest starred in an episode of Sky's “Bedlam” playing Leah (Kerry) Cole. In September, it was announced that Kara would play a lead role in the new film Last Passenger, opposite Dougray Scott and directed by Omid Nooshin.[14]

In 2015 and 2016, Tointon played Rosalie Selfridge in the television drama series Mr Selfridge, the semi-fictional story based on the life of Harry Selfridge. Tointon played the part of Maria in The Sound of Music Live in the UK, broadcast on 20 December.[15]

In January 2017, Tointon appeared in the ITV period drama The Halcyon, which was set in 1940 at a five-star hotel "at the centre of London Society and a world at war".[16] From November, Tointon played the role of Olivia in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night.[17]

In 2018, Tointon joined 26 other celebrities at Metropolis Studios, to perform an original Christmas song called Rock With Rudolph, written and produced by Grahame and Jack Corbyn. The song was released in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and was released digitally on independent record label Saga Entertainment on 30 November 2018 under the artist name The Celebs. The music video debuted exclusively with The Sun on 29 November 2018 and had its first TV showing on Good Morning Britain on 30 November 2018. The song peaked at number two on the iTunes pop chart.[18][19][20]

Selected stage credits

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  • Pygmalion, Garrick Theatre, London, 2011
  • Absent Friends, Harold Pinter Theatre, London, 2012
  • Relatively Speaking, Wyndhams Theatre, London, 2013
  • Gaslight, Touring Production – various cities in England, 2017
  • Twelfth Night, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 2017–18
  • The Man in the White Suit, Theatre Royal Bath and Wyndham's Theatre, London, 2019

Personal life

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In 2004, Tointon dated Busted band member James Bourne. Their relationship was depicted in the TV series America or Busted but ended in January 2005, shortly after the band split up.[21]

In September 2014, Tointon took part in the Great North Run to raise money for Share A Star, a charity set up to help severely unwell children and teenagers.[22]

In November 2018, Tointon gave birth to her first child, a boy, with her then fiancé Marius Jensen.[23] In January 2021, their second son was born.[24]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1999, 2004–2005 Dream Team Gina Moliano
2001 Teachers Pauline Young 8 episodes
Never Play with the Dead Victoria
2002 Harry and Cosh Gabby 14 episodes
Dinotopia 18-year-old Le Sage
2003 Boudica Poppaea
2004 Keen Eddie Sarah Friedman
Mile High Geneveve
The Football Factory Tameka
The Fete Lizzie
America Or Busted Herself
2005–2009 EastEnders Dawn Swann 337 Episodes
2010 The Bill Ami Ryan 1 episode, "Duty Calls"
Strictly Come Dancing Herself Winner
Kara Tointon: Don't Call Me Stupid Herself Main role; reality series
2011 Bedlam Leah Cole 1 episode, "Driven"
Ideal Herself 1 episode
2012 The Sweeney Megan Barret Main role
2013 Last Passenger Sarah Barwell Main role
2014 Lewis Erica Stoke 2 episodes
2015 The Sound of Music Live Maria UK version of The Sound of Music Live!
broadcast 20 December 2015
2015–2016 Mr Selfridge Rosalie Series 3 & 4
2016 Let's Be Evil Tiggs Main role
2017 The Halcyon Betsey Day
Henry IX Serena
2018 RSC Live: Twelfth Night Olivia Special
Great Performances Maria 1 episode
The Keith & Paddy Picture Show Kate Beringer 1 episode
Rock With Rudolph[20] Herself Music Video
2019 The Crystal Maze Herself 1 episode
2023 Father Brown Elizabeth Barnes 1 episode, "The Royal Visit"
Archie Young Elsie
2024 Too Good to Be True Rachel Lead role
The Teacher Dani Oxley Lead role

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Result Ref.
2006 The British Soap Awards Sexiest Female Nominated [25]
Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Female Won [25]
2007 The British Soap Awards Sexiest Female Nominated [26]
Inside Soap Awards Best Actress Nominated [27]
Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Female Nominated [27]
Inside Soap Awards Best Dressed Soap Star Won [28]
13th National Television Awards Most Popular Actress Nominated [29]
2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards Sexiest Female Nominated [30]
Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Female Won [31]
2009 The British Soap Awards Sexiest Female Nominated [32]
Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Female Nominated [33]
Inside Soap Awards Best Dressed Soap Star Won [34]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Dad's pride in his two TV star daughters". Echo-news.co.uk. 11 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Strictly Come Dancing 2010 – Celebrities – Kara Tointon". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ^ ""Tointon, Groves to be written out of 'Enders", March 26, 2009". Digitalspy.co.uk. 26 March 2009.
  4. ^ a b c "EastEnders' Kara Tointon: I have reading age of a 12-year-old". 28 July 2010.
  5. ^ "TV star Kara Tointon films documentary at Shapwick School". Bridgwater Mercury. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d "Kara Tointon – Winner of series eight in 2010". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Kara Tointon to star in Strictly Come Dancing". Tv.sky.com. 20 December 2010. Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Kara Tointon: 'It's fun doing the poor girl done good role'". theguardian.com. 8 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Absent Friends – review Harold Pinter theatre, London". theguardian.com. 19 February 2012.
  10. ^ Benedict, David (14 February 2012). "Absent Friends". Variety. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Relatively Speaking – review Wyndham's, London". theguardian.com. 20 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Kara Tointon's Strictly Lingerie". famemagazine.co.uk. 2 October 2010.
  13. ^ "Kara Tointon – Red Nose Day 2011". Comic Relief. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  14. ^ "Last Passenger". timeout.com. 15 October 2013.
  15. ^ Allfree, Claire (21 December 2015). "The Sound of Music Live, review: 'much to enjoy'". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  16. ^ "Meet the cast of The Halcyon". RadioTimes. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  17. ^ "Casting announced for RSC's Twelfth Night | WhatsOnStage". 30 June 2017.
  18. ^ "TV stars sing for Great Ormond Street Christmas charity single". 30 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Shona McGarty proud of charity song".
  20. ^ a b "The Celebs – Rock With Rudolph". YouTube. TheCelebsVEVO. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  21. ^ "James of Busted dumped by girlfriend". Digital Spy. 18 January 2005. Retrieved 19 January 2005.
  22. ^ "Kara Tointon for Share A Star at the Great North Run". Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  23. ^ "Kara Tointon 'exhausted' as she shares breastfeeding pic with newborn son". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  24. ^ "Former EastEnders star Kara Tointon welcomes baby boy". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  25. ^ a b "British Television Soap Awards". thecustard.tv. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  26. ^ "The British Soap Awards 2007: The Winners". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  27. ^ a b Green, Kris (3 July 2007). "Inside Soap Awards 2007: The Nominations". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  28. ^ Green, Kris (24 September 2007). "Corrie takes top gong at Inside Soap Awards". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  29. ^ "In full: National TV Awards 2007 winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  30. ^ Green, Kris (21 March 2008). "Digital Spy Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  31. ^ Green, Kris (29 September 2008). "'Enders cleans up at Inside Soap Awards". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  32. ^ Green, Kris; KilKelly, Daniel (10 May 2009). "British Soap Awards 2009: The Winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  33. ^ "Inside soap awards nominations". 8 July 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  34. ^ Green, Kris (28 September 2009). "'EastEnders' tops Inside Soap Awards 2009". Digital Spy. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
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